100 Recommended Black-Owned and -Written Books to Read

As a way to celebrate and support Black authors, here is a list of 100 recommended Black-owned and -written books to read.

Fiction

• The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
  

  100 Recommended Black Books To Own and Read

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  This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel tells the story of Cora, a slave who escapes from a plantation in Georgia and follows the Underground Railroad to freedom.

• Beloved by Toni Morrison

  This classic novel tells the story of Sethe, a former slave who is haunted by the memory of her murdered daughter.

• The Color Purple by Alice Walker

  This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel tells the story of Celie, a young black woman who overcomes adversity and abuse.

• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

  This groundbreaking novel tells the story of Janie Crawford, a black woman who searches for love and independence.

• Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

  This classic novel tells the story of an unnamed black man who is invisible to society.

• Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

  This semi-autobiographical novel tells the story of John Grimes, a young black man growing up in Harlem in the 1930s.

• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

  This powerful novel tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl who is obsessed with having blue eyes.

• Kindred by Octavia Butler

  This science fiction novel tells the story of Dana, a young black woman who is transported back in time to a pre-Civil War Maryland plantation.

• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

  This collection of essays explores the history and experience of black people in America.

• The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois

  This classic work of non-fiction explores the social and political conditions of black people in America.

• Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur

  This autobiography tells the story of Assata Shakur, a black revolutionary who was convicted of killing a police officer.

• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

  This non-fiction book explores the ways in which the criminal justice system perpetuates racial inequality.

• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

  This memoir explores the experiences of being black in America.

• The Fire This Time by Jesmyn Ward

  This collection of essays explores the experiences of black people in America in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

• Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

  This novel tells the story of Jojo, a young black boy who is haunted by the ghost of his father.

• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

  This novel tells the story of identical twins who are separated at birth and grow up to lead very different lives.

• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

  This novel tells the story of two black boys who are sent to a reform school in Florida.

• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

  This novel tells the story of two half-sisters who are separated at birth and grow up to live very different lives.

• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

  This novel tells the story of a young black babysitter who is accused of kidnapping her white charge.

Non-Fiction

• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

  This collection of essays explores the history and experience of black people in America.

• The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois

  This classic work of non-fiction explores the social and political conditions of black people in America.

• Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur

  This autobiography tells the story of Assata Shakur, a black revolutionary who was convicted of killing a police officer.

• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

  This non-fiction book explores the ways in which the criminal justice system perpetuates racial inequality.

• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

  This memoir explores the experiences of being black in America.

• The Fire This Time by Jesmyn Ward

  This collection of essays explores the experiences of black people in America in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

• The Third Reconstruction by Eric Foner

  This non-fiction book explores the history of the Reconstruction era in the United States.

• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

  This non-fiction book tells the story of the Great Migration, the movement of millions of African Americans from the South to the North and West.

• The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein

  This non-fiction book explores the history of housing discrimination in the United States.

• Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

  This collection of essays explores the experiences of black women in America.

• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

  This powerful novel tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, a young black girl who is obsessed with having blue eyes.

• Beloved by Toni Morrison

  This classic novel tells the story of Sethe, a former slave who is haunted by the memory of her murdered daughter.

• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

  This groundbreaking novel tells the story of Janie Crawford, a black woman who searches for love and independence.

• Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

  This classic novel tells the story of an unnamed black man who is invisible to society.

• Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

  This semi-autobiographical novel tells the story of John Grimes, a young black man growing up in Harlem in the 1930s.

• The Color Purple by Alice Walker

  This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel tells the story of Celie, a young black woman who overcomes adversity and abuse.

• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

  This groundbreaking novel tells the story of Janie Crawford, a black woman who searches for love and independence.

• Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

  This classic novel tells the story of an unnamed black man who is invisible to society.

• Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

  This semi-autobiographical novel tells the story of John Grimes, a young black man growing up in Harlem in the

100 Recommended Black Books To Own and Read

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	361 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	11 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE