Happy Black History Month!
Our staff at ELGL are excited to share some of our favorite reads from Black authors. This compilation of reads showcases books from many genres. This list highlights a variety of experiences and stories from Black authors. We have books from fiction to nonfiction, science fiction, mysteries, and even horror stories. This list is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to literature that could be featured and discussed this month.
Honoring Black authors and experiences comes at a particularly important time in our country. There are numerous places throughout the country that are banning books written by Black authors, thereby denying children and young adults the ability to see themselves and/or understand the rich cultural history, contributions, and experiences of Black people in the U.S. We encourage you to read these books with your children to help create a more just and equitable society where Black experiences and JOY are valued, appreciated, and celebrated.
We would love for you to share some of your personal reads with us too! What books did you read or are reading now? Send us an email and we will add it to the list!
This book list features Black authors and all books amplify black stories. If you choose to purchase a book, choose to purchase from a Black-owned Bookstore. Oprah Magazine put together a list of 125 Black-Owned Independent Book Stores by state.
We hope you help us celebrate Black History Month. Happy Reading!
- The Hill We Climb, Amanda Gorman
- Wow, No Thank You: Essays by Samantha Irby
- The Proposal, Jasmine Guillory
- The Classic Slave Narratives (1987), Henry Louis Gates, editor
- Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, Bryan Stevenson
- Our Black Year, Maggie Anderson
- Well-Read Black Girl, by Glory Edim
- Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- The Fire Next Time, by James Baldwin
- Citizen: An American Lyric, by Claudia Rankine
- Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo”, Zora Neale Hurston
- Native Son (1940) by Richard Wright
- You Should See Me in a Crown, by Leah Johnson
- The Office of Historical Corrections: A Novella and Stories by Danielle Evans
- Babel-17, Samuel R. Delany
- Zone One, Colson Whitehead (or any of his non-zombie books, if you’d rather!)
- The Changeling, Victor LaValle
- Easy Rawlins mysteries, Walter Mosely
- #VeryFat #VeryBrave, Nicole Byer
- Parable of the Sower, Octavia E. Butler
- Mycroft Holmes, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Old Farmer’s Road, Isaiyan Morrison
- Life on Mars, Tracy K. Smith
- Don’t Play in the Sun: One Woman’s Journey Through the Color Complex, Marita Golden
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Children’s Books
- Bedtime Bonnet, Nancy Redd
- New Kid, Jerry Craft
- Hair Love, Matthew Cherry
- You Should See Me in a Crown, Leah Johnson
- Black Boy Joy, edited by Kwame Mbalia
- Antiracist Baby, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
- Tag-Along Moon, Floyd Cooper
- Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You, Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
- I Am Every Good Thing, Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordon C. James
Note: The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom provides confidential support during censorship challenges to library materials, services, and programs. Anyone can report censorship, even if they do not require assistance. Report censorship by filling out this online form, or contacting OIF Assistant Director Kristin Pekoll at 800-545-2433, ext. 4221, or via email: kpekoll@ala.org.