Must-Read Books About Black History

By keely aouga

February marks the commemoration of Black History Month, but we celebrate Black history everyday.

If you are a lover of reading, there are a plethora of books that can help you learn more about Black history and the multitude of experiences across the diaspora.

While this list spans genres, it only touches on a few of the many works by Black authors.

'The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story'

This book is an anthology of essays that examine how the legacy of slavery shapes different aspects of contemporary American life.

'Between the World and Me'

Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote this as a letter to his then-teenage son about his perception of the feelings, symbolism and realities associated with being Black in the United States.

'Clap When You Land'

Written by Elizabeth Acevedo, this novel follows two sisters who do not know about each other, but are brought together after their father is killed in a plane crash.

'If Beale Street Could Talk' 

This is James Baldwin's fifth novel, and it is a love story set in Harlem, New York. The book was published at the tail-end of the Black Arts Movement. 

'The Color Purple'

Alice Walker's novel is the story of two sisters – one a child wife living in the South. The film was recently adapted as a musical starring Fantasia Barrino. 

'Americanah'

The novel explores race and immigration in the United States after a young Nigerian woman, Ifemelu, immigrates to attend university.

'The Underground Railroad'

This book is a historical fiction that depicts the Underground Railroad as an actual rail transport system with safe houses and secret routes.

'Beloved'

Toni Morrison's novel tells the story of a dysfunctional family of formerly enslaved people whose Cincinnati home is haunted by a malevolent spirit.

Click below for a quick and informative Black history lesson.

The Abolitionist Movement in the North