25 Best Books To Read During Black History Month
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Black booksellers recommend these books during Black History Month and beyond.
Reading books that focus on the African diaspora is crucial to tackling present-day issues, so we turned to independent bookstore owners who know these works of fiction and nonfiction best. From Atlanta to Detroit, California to Kansas City, these Black booksellers are spreading knowledge and resources in their respective communities across America, and now they're sharing recommendations for the best books to read during Black History Month—and beyond. And they curated a pretty unbeatable list. Click the title of the book in each paragraph to purchase directly from their e-commerce sites, and start reading!
Here at Parade.com, we're all about sharing products we love with our audience. When you make a purchase on an item seen on this page, we may earn a commission, however, all picks are independently chosen unless otherwise mentioned.
Related: The Significance of Black History Month and Why It Is Celebrated in February
Source Booksellers' Recommendations:
The daughter of a librarian, Janet Webster Jones began Source Booksellers in Detroit, Michigan, after retiring as an educator from the Detroit Public School system. Today, Webster Jones is not only a proprietor of books and community services, she also creates a space for self-care discussions and virtual events that enrich your mind, body and spirit. These are her picks:
Black Bottom Saints: A Novel
Black Bottom Saints by Alice Randall: A 2020 release, Black Bottom Saints is a beautiful piece of fiction about Detroit's legendary Black Bottom neighborhood, a mecca for jazz, sports and politics, and one man who reflects on the remarkable people who shaped it.
Related: Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes
Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019
Four Hundred Souls by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain: A powerful work by Kendi and Blain, Four Hundred Souls assembles 90 different perspectives of Black people beginning in 1619 throughout 400 years of slavery and racism in a one-volume “community” history of African Americans.
The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song
The Black Church by Henry Louis Gates Jr.: This recently released book is sparking a needed conversation on religious and cultural values in the Black community, dating back to enslavement and focusing on the importance of freedom of faith.
The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X
The Dead are Arising by Les Payne and Tamara Payne: This in-depth biography by Pulitzer Prize-winning Payne challenges our knowledge of Malcolm X. Compiling an extensive set of interviews from people who met and knew the human rights activist, Les and Tamara Payne contextualize race in America before, during and after his life, in a fresh, definitive perspective of the work and legacy of Malcolm X.
Deacon King Kong: A Novel
Deacon King Kong by James McBride: McBride’s beautifully written novel takes place in 1969 in Brooklyn, when Sportcoat, a cranky old deacon, shoots the housing project's chief drug dealer. McBride's novel follows the effects of the shooting, from the local officers investigating it and an Italian mafia don to the Baptist Church congregants and the project's members.
Related: 50 Racial Justice Quotes
Ashay By The Bay's Recommendations:
Founded in California by Deborah Day in 2000, Ashay by the Bay's customer service prioritizes children first, utilizing books that empower young people. Plus, they have one of the largest selections of African American and multicultural, Spanish bi-lingual books on an online platform. Check out Deborah's recs:
The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth
The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love & Truth by Wade and Virginia Hudson: A powerful collection of short stories, essays and poems, The Talk is a call-to-action that invites all families to be anti-racist and advocates for change.
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Lest We Forget: The Passage from Africa into the Twenty-First Century
Lest We Forget: The Passage from Africa into the Twenty-First Century by Velma Maia Thomas: This collectible book by distinguished public historian Velma Maia Thomas offers an intimate look at Black history in America, with exclusive accounts, photographs and interactive and removable artifacts.
Related: Black History Month Quotes
Black History For Beginners
Black History for Beginners by Denise Dennis and Susan Willmarth: This book covers a rich history often ignored, chronicling the struggle from capture and enslavement in Africa to the Civil Rights Era and the struggles Black people face today.
Related: Black History Month Through the Years: Every Black History Month Theme Since 1928
Good Books' Recommendations:
An online and pop-up book shop in Atlanta, Georgia, Good Books (owned by Katie Mitchell and her mother, Katherine) pays homage to blackness through literature. Below are Mitchell's best recommendations:
Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self
Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans: "It's funny, relatable and doesn't take itself too seriously," says Mitchell about this collection of stories from Danielle Evans. "The collection is so well-written, you'll want to re-read the stories again and again and share them with your friends."
Related: Black History Children's Books
A Taste of Power: A Black Woman's Story
A Taste of Power by Elaine Brown: "I love to read about Black women who led movements," Mitchell says. One of her favorites? Elaine Brown, the former chairwoman of the Black Panther Party. "In her memoir, she sheds light on her upbringing and her time as a Black Panther. I think it's important for Black women to tell our own stories, and Elaine Brown gives us an example of how to do just that."
Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching: A Young Black Man's Education
Invisible Man Got the Whole World Watching by Mychal Denzel Smith: "This a must-read in my opinion," she says. "Mychal Denzel Smith speaks about masculinity in a way I've yet to see. He describes his political education, how he engages with feminism and LGBTQ issues, and living with depression and anxiety."
Becoming
Becoming by Michelle Obama: "This is a fan favorite! The first lady of the United States shares an intimate, powerful and inspiring memoir."
Black Looks: Race and Representation
Black Looks: Race and Representation by Bell Hooks: In the critical essays collected in Black Looks, Bell Hooks interrogates old narratives and argues for alternative ways to look at blackness, black subjectivity and whiteness. "The essays are meant to challenge and unsettle, to disrupt and subvert," Mitchell says, and as students, scholars, activists, intellectuals and average readers who have engaged with the book since its original release in 1992 can attest, that's exactly what these pieces do.
Related: How To Talk To Your Kids About Black History Month—And 25 Ways To Honor It
oneKIN's Recommendations:
OneKIN is an online tech company focused on developing socio-economic change in underserved communities, and for Black History Month, they launched a dedicated literary destination, Black Stories, which features titles written by traditionally published and indie Black authors, all sourced and curated by local and voices, as well as culture historians like The Schomburg Center. Jennifer Gomez, co-founder of OneKIN, provided these suggestions:
The Vanishing Half: A Novel
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: The story of the Vignes twins develops over many years. One sister is raising her daughter in the same small black Southern town they grew up in and the other is passing as white in California, until their stories, and daughters, intertwine. Bennett develops an emotional story of Black history and family values, while questioning how one person’s decision influences and impacts an entire bloodline.
Related: 35 Inspiring, Joyful and Moving Movies You Should Stream for Black History Month
Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America
Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America by Stacey Abrams: The political leader and activist looks into voting rights and how they uphold American democracy. Our Time is Now used extensive research to develop Abrams' argument that voting rights are under attack today, challenging the fabric of our democracy.
Black Buck
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour: A hilarious new novel from Askaripour, Black Buck follows Darren, a 22-year-old salesman and entrepreneur who is struggling with his self-identity. His mother only wants him to live up to the expectations of being the valedictorian at Bronx Science. But when Darren takes a job as the only Black person working at a tech start-up, he hatches a plan to help young people of color infiltrate America’s sales force.
Related: Black Entrepreneurs, Authors and Businesses to Support During Black History Month
Invisible Man
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison: Originally published in 1952, this classic novel has shaped American literature, following a nameless narrator on his journey from a Black community in the Deep South to New York City basements and Communist rallies in a nightmare experience of racism, rage and manipulation.
Related: Nearly 60 Years Later: Watch Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' Speech in Its Entirety
Bliss Books & Wine's Recommendations:
Founded by sister-owners La’Nesha Frazier and La’Nae Robinson, Bliss Books & Wine wanted to provide an atmosphere to indulge in fantastic vino, get lost in a great book or engage in conversation with friends. During COVID-19, they pivoted to operating solely in a virtual environment, with an online bookstore, author events and monthly book discussions. Check out their picks:
Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Survived Slavery and Became Millionaires
Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Survived Slavery and Became Millionaires by Shomari Wills: Between 1830 and 1927, the author follows the last generation of Black men and women born into slavery, specifically telling the stories of six African Americans who become millionaires.
Related: February Is Black History Month! What Are the Black History Month Colors and What Do They Mean?
Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World
Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World by Cole Brown: A captivating story of Cole, a Black child growing up in white spaces and learning how to navigate the world, Greyboy brings us into Cole's journey through adolescence and explores what it's like being a young Black person in white environments.
The Fire Next Time
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin. In The Fire Next Time, the legendary American novelist includes two essays: My Dungeon Shook: Letter to my Nephew on the One-Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation and Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region of My Mind, both of which dissect race, religion and the true meaning of the American dream.
Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance
Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance by Zora Neale Hurston. This book is a magnificent collection of Neale Hurston's writing on racism, classism, sexism, gender and migration. It's a classical piece that challenges our perspective of Black folks and their culture.
Related: Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. With 30 Fascinating Facts About the Civil Rights Icon
The Listening Tree's Recommendations:
A children's bookstore committed to Black authorship, The Listening Tree hopes to perpetuate a love of literacy, learning and entrepreneurship, especially among young people. One of their current projects is the Young Entrepreneurs Program, which teaches young people how to organize and grow a start-up business. Below are owner Omar Finley's recommendations:
A World of Our Own: The Beginning by Omar & Kimberly Finley: "This novel illustrates the first seven days of God’s creation," Finley says, of his Listening Tree Original. "And children of all ages will enjoy its rhythmic wordplay and be captivated by its creative essence. It's unapologetically inspirational and empowering."
Little Black Boy
Little Black Boy by Vetta Shantell: "In a world where our boys are not celebrated enough, Little Black Boy is the perfect tool for instilling unapologetic character in our young men," he says. This little book packs a big punch, celebrating purpose, truth and royalty, in a "force field for our Boys."
Little Black Girl
Little Black Girl by Vetta Shantell: "Little Black Girl sends a message to every little Black girl to never follow the standards of anyone other than those set by responsible and unapologetic Black people," Finley says. "Every little Black girl will know their power and will not be discouraged by outside forces. They will soar to the highest heights, and this little book will set the stage."
Small + Mighty: The Next Generation of Leaders by Cyntelia Abrams: "A personal story of author Cyntelia Abrams' first protest experience during the summer of 2020, this wonderful illustration of our current world will inspire conversations between both adults and young people about racism, injustice and reform," Finley says. "Small + Mighty provides a deeper level of definition that will lead to more sophisticated communication between our generations."
