#1
Months on List: 13
In <em>All About Love,</em> renowned scholar and feminist bell hooks challenges society's narrow definition of love as romance, presenting a provocative new ethic for a world suffering from lovelessness, and advocating for a holistic love that is sacred, redemptive, and capable of healing both individuals and nations.
All About Love: New Visions
by Bell Hooks • William Morrow & Company (January 30, 2018) • 13 Months on List
#2
Months on List: 12
An ex-slave turned abolitionist recounts his horrific experiences in slavery, thrilling escape to the North, and eventual freedom, in a narrative published in 1845 aimed to affirm his origins while captivating readers with its passion, sensitivity, and compelling storytelling.
Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass
by Frederick Douglass • Dover Publications (April 13, 1995) • 12 Months on List
#3
Months on List: 7
This memoir chronicles the experience of a young girl growing up in the American South, enduring abandonment, bigotry, and a brutal attack, who finds her liberation through self-love, kindness from others, and the power of words.
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
by Maya Angelou • Random House (April 21, 2009) • 7 Months on List
#4
Months on List: 8
<em>The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story</em> expands on the award-winning New York Times Magazine issue, presenting a comprehensive exploration of the enduring legacy of slavery in America through a blend of essays, poems, and works of fiction that weave a deeply impactful narrative about race, caste, and the country's foundational history.
The 1619 Project (paperback): A New Origin Story
by Nikole Hannah-jones • One World (June 4, 2024) • 8 Months on List
#5
Months on List: 10
<em>Becoming</em> is a captivating memoir by former First Lady Michelle Obama, detailing her journey from a child on Chicago's South Side to an influential advocate and icon, balancing motherhood and work, and reshaping the White House with inclusivity and resilience, inspiring readers to defy expectations even in extraordinary circumstances.
Becoming
by Michelle Obama • Crown (March 2, 2021) • 10 Months on List
#6
Months on List: 13
This book explores the parallel lives of two men with similar backgrounds but drastically different outcomes: one becomes a successful scholar and businessman, while the other winds up in prison for life.
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
by Wes Moore • One World (January 11, 2011) • 13 Months on List
#7
Months on List: 11
<em>The Book of Delights</em> is a collection of engaging, lyrical essays penned over a tumultuous year by award-winning poet Ross Gay, who skilfully captures and celebrates the overlooked ordinary wonders of life while examining the complexities of living in America as a black man.
The Book Of Delights
by Ross Gay • Algonquin Books (August 16, 2022) • 11 Months on List
#8
Months on List: 3
In this influential study, activist scholar Angela Davis explores the historic injustices and biases within the feminist movement, discussing key figures and events, and their impact on the intersecting struggles of race, gender, and class faced by Black women.
Women, Race, & Class
by Angela Y. Davis • Vintage (February 12, 1983) • 3 Months on List
#9
Months on List: 8
Renowned activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis explores the interconnected struggles against state violence and oppression, highlighting the importance of intersectionality and prison abolition in today's socio-political landscape while challenging readers to envision a movement for greater human liberation.
Freedom Is A Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, And The Foundations Of A Movement
by Angela Y. Davis • Haymarket Books (February 9, 2016) • 8 Months on List
#10
Months on List: 10
In the midst of racial segregation and gender discrimination, four brilliant African American female mathematicians defy odds at NASA, serving as the unrecognized yet crucial brains behind major milestones in America's space race and Cold War victory.
Hidden Figures: The American Dream And The Untold Story Of The Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win The Space Race
by Margot Lee Shetterly • William Morrow & Company (December 6, 2016) • 10 Months on List
#11
Months on List: 2
It's the moving story of a man wrongfully sentenced to death, who maintains hope and transforms the spirits of his fellow inmates during a 30-year stint on death row, ultimately attaining freedom with the help of a dedicated civil rights attorney.
The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life, Freedom, And Justice
by Anthony Ray Hinton • St. Martin's Griffin (June 4, 2019) • 2 Months on List
#12
Months on List: 13
This powerful examination invites men to break free from patriarchal conditioning, reconnect with their emotions, and embrace a fuller, more loving version of themselves.
The Will To Change: Men, Masculinity, And Love
by Bell Hooks • Washington Square Press (December 1, 2004) • 13 Months on List
#13
Months on List: 6
This vivid exploration investigates the legacy of slavery in America as viewed through key landmarks and public history, underscoring the indelible effect of this history on identity, culture, and race relations.
How The Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With The History Of Slavery Across America
by Clint Smith • Little, Brown And Company (December 27, 2022) • 6 Months on List
#14
Months on List: 1
<em>Soul School</em> by Amber O'Neal Johnston is an invaluable resource guide offering more than 100 curated, inclusive book recommendations for children of all ages, filled with rich African American culture, history, and discussion prompts to foster knowledge, awareness, and appreciation amongst all readers.
Soul School: Taking Kids On A Joy-filled Journey Through The Heart Of Black American Culture
by Amber O’neal Johnston • Penguin Publishing Group (January 28, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#15
Months on List: 1
<em>In Search of Sisterhood</em> is a poignant exploration of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the largest black women's organization in the US, chronicling its historical formation and vital role in empowering black women against societal divides and class struggles.
In Search Of Sisterhood: Delta Sigma Theta And The Challenge Of The Black Sorority Movement
by Paula J. Giddings • William Morrow & Company (February 27, 2007) • 1 Months on List
#16
Months on List: 1
This book recounts the experiences of an African-American revolutionary who navigated her way through political unrest and personal transformation.
Assata: An Autobiography
by Assata Shakur • Lawrence Hill Books (November 1, 1999) • 1 Months on List
#17
Months on List: 2
<em>The Autobiography of Malcolm X</em> is a seminal 1964 nonfiction account that intimately explores the life of the controversial Black Muslim leader, his critique on the American Dream's racial limitations, and the growth of the Black Muslim movement, offering timeless insights into America's deep-seated racial issues.
The Autobiography Of Malcolm X: As Told To Alex Haley
by Malcolm X, Alex Haley And Attallah Shabazz • Ballantine Books (January 15, 1992) • 2 Months on List
#18
Months on List: 9
A former child soldier gives a harrowing account of growing from an innocent boy into a hardened killer amidst the brutal civil war in his home, Sierra Leone, provoked by manipulative government forces.
A Long Way Gone
by Ishmael Beah • Sarah Crichton Books (August 5, 2008) • 9 Months on List
#19
Months on List: 1
In her moving debut, Cole Arthur Riley intertwines narratives from multiple generations of her family with introspective reflections, exploring the crucial rituals that link us to our identity, honor, and freedom, offering an unforgettable examination of faith, inherited stories, and self-realization.
This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, And The Stories That Make Us
by Cole Arthur Riley • Random House Publishing Group (January 31, 2023) • 1 Months on List
#20
Months on List: 1
<em>The Delectable Negro</em> is a provocative exploration of the unsettling connections between homoeroticism, cannibalism, and cultures of consumption in American literature and US slave culture, shedding light on the often-ignored issue of Black American cannibalization and the underlying racial, political, and gender codes.
The Delectable Negro: Human Consumption And Homoeroticism Within Us Slave Culture
by Vincent Woodard • New York University Press (June 27, 2014) • 1 Months on List
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Sales Data Source: Circana BookScan. Represents U.S. print sales from thousands of retailers.
Methodology: Books are categorized and filtered for Black Authors by the African American Literature Book Club. This list is a sneak peek into the Black Book Accelerator initiative.
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