#1
Months on List: 3
This poetry collection traces a path through heartbreak and trauma toward renewal and self-discovery, offering gentle reflections on loss, resilience, and the healing power of love.
New Moons: Phases Of Healing
by R.h. Sin • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (January 21, 2025) • 3 Months on List
#2
Months on List: 15
In his second major poetry collection, <em>Flowers on the Moon,</em> social media sensation Billy Chapata offers a poignant blend of advice and experience on love, loss, and resilience, aiming to inspire hope, growth, and self-acceptance in readers through his insightful prose and poetry.
Flowers On The Moon
by Billy Chapata • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (October 20, 2020) • 15 Months on List
#3
Months on List: 15
In <em>You Are Only Just Beginning</em>, bestselling author Morgan Harper Nichols encourages readers to explore future adventures and self-belief through her inspiring collection of illustrated poetry.
You Are Only Just Beginning: Lessons For The Journey Ahead
by Morgan Harper Nichols • Zondervan (February 14, 2023) • 15 Months on List
#4
Months on List: 1
<em>Doggerel</em> explores Blackness, masculinity, and vulnerability through the compelling lens of a bold poet.
Doggerel: Poems
by Reginald Dwayne Betts • W. W. Norton & Company (March 4, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#5
Months on List: 15
In this special gift edition, Amanda Gorman's historic and inspiring poem <em>The Hill We Climb,</em> read at President Joe Biden's inauguration, presents a message of unity and healing, complete with an enduring foreword by Oprah Winfrey - a compelling memento of the promise of America and the power of poetry.
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem For The Country
by Amanda Gorman • Viking (March 30, 2021) • 15 Months on List
#6
Months on List: 11
This poetry collection takes readers on a poignant journey of goodbyes, the unforgivable, and secret treks to find peace under the moonlight.
A Midnight Moon
by R.h. Sin • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (May 14, 2024) • 11 Months on List
#7
Months on List: 15
In r.h Sin's <em>This Day is Dark</em>, a poignant collection of poetry and prose unfolds an 18-year journey of love and heartbreak, revealing the tragic cost of mistaking red flags for passion.
This Day Is Dark
by R.h. Sin • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (August 22, 2023) • 15 Months on List
#8
Months on List: 1
This collection honors the enduring voice of a Black gay poet who confronted race, sexuality, and the HIV/AIDS crisis with fierce clarity, bringing together celebrated and long-lost works that speak to love, identity, and resistance.
Love Is A Dangerous Word: The Selected Poems Of Essex Hemphill
by Essex Hemphill • New Directions Publishing Corporation (March 4, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#9
Months on List: 2
This collection of poetry and prose explores the emotional and spiritual work of healing by confronting internal barriers to self-forgiveness, growth, and purposeful freedom.
The Freedom Of Forward
by Morgan Richard Olivier • Oak Agencies (May 21, 2024) • 2 Months on List
#10
Months on List: 15
In her luminous poetry collection <em>Call Us What We Carry,</em> #1 New York Times bestselling author Amanda Gorman masterfully weaves a lyrical tapestry of history, language, and identity, transforming the collective grief of a global pandemic into a beacon of hope and healing.
Call Us What We Carry: Poems
by Amanda Gorman • Viking (January 23, 2024) • 15 Months on List
#11
Months on List: 8
A poetic meditation on loss, renewal, and gratitude, drawing wisdom from the cycles of nature, the garden, and the orchard.
Catalog Of Unabashed Gratitude (pitt Poetry Series)
by Ross Gay • University Of Pittsburgh Press (January 7, 2015) • 8 Months on List
#12
Months on List: 7
A poetry and prose collection exploring the connection between pain and purpose, guiding readers through self-discovery, healing, and empowerment with wisdom and resilience.
The Strength That Stays
by Morgan Richard Olivier • Oak Agencies (October 23, 2023) • 7 Months on List
#13
Months on List: 15
In this powerful poetic testament from bestselling author r.h. Sin, women choose to rise above their pain and loneliness, showcasing their courage and ultimate triumph.
She’s Strong, But She’s Tired: Volume 3
by R.h. Sin • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (September 22, 2020) • 15 Months on List
#14
Months on List: 8
An intimate collection of 72 handwritten poems uncovers the raw talent, vibrant spirit, and posthumous legacy of Tupac Shakur, offering a poignant glimpse into the legendary artist's enigmatic world and his message of hope.
The Rose That Grew From Concrete
by Tupac Shakur • Mtv Books (November 1, 1999) • 8 Months on List
#15
Months on List: 4
Experience the evolution of Nikki Giovanni's impactful voice in American poetry, through a collection of her early works from 1967 to 1983, celebrating her role in the Black Arts Movement and ongoing resonance in America's political and poetic landscape.
The Collected Poetry Of Nikki Giovanni: 1968-1998
by Nikki Giovanni • William Morrow & Company (February 1, 2007) • 4 Months on List
#16
Months on List: 1
<em>Scorched Earth</em> navigates through the complexities of post-divorce emotions, integrating themes of art, cultural history, and the black, queer experience, with a striking balance of raw vulnerability and celebratory joy.
Scorched Earth: Poems
by Tiana Clark • Washington Square Press (March 4, 2025) • 1 Months on List
#17
Months on List: 15
<em>Citizen</em> is a bold exploration of racism's micro-aggressions in daily life and media, highlighting its impact on individuals and society in our so-called post-race era, through a blend of essays, images, and poetry.
Citizen: An American Lyric
by Claudia Rankine • Graywolf Press (October 7, 2014) • 15 Months on List
#18
Months on List: 11
A heartfelt poetry collection capturing the joys, struggles, and resilience of life through Maya Angelou’s powerful and lyrical voice.
Poems: Just Give Me A Cool Drink Of Water ’fore I Diiie/oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well/and Still I Rise/shaker, Why Don’t You Sing?
by Maya Angelou • Bantam (January 1, 1996) • 11 Months on List
#19
Months on List: 11
This comprehensive anthology presents the life's work of Langston Hughes, a pillar of the Harlem Renaissance, featuring all his published poems, including well-known masterpieces and previously suppressed verses, spanning five decades of influential literature enriched with annotations by renowned scholars Arnold Rampersad and David Roessel.
The Collected Poems Of Langston Hughes
by Langston Hughes • Vintage (October 31, 1995) • 11 Months on List
#20
Months on List: 15
In his latest collection, <em>Velvet Dragonflies,</em> renowned poet Billy Chapata guides readers on a heartfelt journey of self-discovery and acceptance, using evocative poetry to explore the evolving softness of deep self-respect.
Velvet Dragonflies
by Billy Chapata • Andrews Mcmeel Publishing (November 8, 2022) • 15 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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