19 Bestselling Nonfiction Books

Period: July/August - 2009

AALBC Bestseller Seal

Celebrating books written by or about Black people, the African American Literature Book Club’s Bestsellers List has been published continuously since 1998. In 2026, we began publishing our list quarterly, focusing on The BLK Bestsellers.

1
Confessions of a Video Vixen

Confessions of a Video Vixen

by Karrine Steffans
Add to Cart
2
The ISIS Papers: The Keys to the Colors

The ISIS Papers

by Frances Cress Welsing
Add to Cart
5
The Vixen Diaries

The Vixen Diaries

by Karrine Steffans
Add to Cart
7
The Five Negro Presidents

The Five Negro Presidents

by J. A. Rogers
Add to Cart
8
The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want

The Vixen Manual

by Karrine Steffans
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9
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man

by Steve Harvey and Denene Millner
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10
The Mis-Education of the Negro

The Mis-Education of the Negro

by Carter G. Woodson
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13
African People in World History

African People in World History

by John Henrik Clarke
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14
The Souls of Black Folk: Includes “The Talented Tenth” and ”The Souls of White Folk”

The Souls of Black Folk

by W.E.B. Du Bois
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15
They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America

They Came Before Columbus

by Ivan Van Sertima
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17
How to Succeed in the Publishing Game

How to Succeed in the Publishing Game

by Vickie M. Stringer
18
Sovereign Evolution: Manifest Destiny From "Civil Rights" To "Sovereign Rights"

Sovereign Evolution

by Ezrah Aharone
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19
The Future of the Race

The Future of the Race

by Henry Louis Gates, et al.
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20
The Ebony Cookbook: A Date with a Dish

The Ebony Cookbook

by Freda DeKnight
21
Harlem Godfather: The Rap On My Husband, Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson

Harlem Godfather

by Mayme Johnson and Karen E. Quinones Miller
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22
Baldwin’s Harlem: A Biography of James Baldwin

Baldwin’s Harlem

by Herb Boyd
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23
Something Like Beautiful: One Single Mother’s Story

Something Like Beautiful

by asha bandele
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24
Colored People: A Memoir

Colored People

by Henry Louis Gates, et al.
Add to Cart
25
Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting

Black Pain

by Terrie Williams
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