This year during Black History Month, I promised myself that I would read more books by Black authors. Reading our own stories is important because it helps us create and establish our own. Throughout college, I’ve grown a love for reading the classics. Not just the classics we had to read in high school like The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Great Gatsby. Some classics from African American writers include Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin and The Color Purple by Alice Walker. This Black History Month I challenge myself, and you, all to read your history and value these stories.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison, a literary giant in the community, has been writing for Black people since the day she could write on paper. She won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for her novel Beloved, which is also a classic, however, The Bluest Eye was a story that impacted me from the first chapter. It tells the story of a young girl who is a victim of internalized racism in the community and the demonization of Black life. Though it’s a heavy read, it’s an important topic that most people didn’t want to talk about then or now.
Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington is a graduate of Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. Up From Slavery speaks about his entire life. In the autobiography, he speaks about his childhood during the Civil War, his education at Hampton Institute, and his becoming president of Tuskegee Institute. This book explains the importance of the higher education of African Americans and is a good read for a quick history lesson on Hampton University’s origins!
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Invisible Man is a novel that was published in 1952, and written by Ralph Ellison. This novel earned Ralph Ellison the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction, making him the first African American man to win the award. The novel follows a narrator, who remains nameless throughout the book, on a journey from the Deep South to Harlem, New York. The character’s invisibility represents the identity of a Black man in America and speaks to the social, political, and economic experiences of African American people in the United States. It’s known as one of the greatest novels of African American literature.
The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman
The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman was published in 1929 and is one of the first books I’ve read about the concept of colorism and sexuality. Wallace Thurman was a prolific figure in the Harlem Renaissance. The Blacker the Berry is about a dark skin woman named Emma Lou and her experiences in college at the University of Southern California and her move to New York City. This novel speaks volumes about the way the world perceives Black people with darker skin. It will spark a conversation on the standards we subject ourselves to and how it’s not only a social issue but an economic and political issue in America.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Their Eyes Were Watching God is a fiction novel published in 1937 about self-actualization. Zora Neale Hurston, another prominent Harlem Renaissance writer, was known for writing about modern issues in the Black community. The novel follows the protagonist, Janie, from childhood to adulthood and her encounters with people, which leads to her discovering the meaning of her existence. Hurston touches on the topics of love and relationships, independence, gender roles, sexual liberation, and the power of voice.
These works have paved the way for a plethora of modern African American writers like Jacqueline Woodson, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Yaa Gyasi, and Amanda Gorman. Take some time to read and comprehend the novels listed above. These are our stories and our experiences. Let it ignite a fire in you to continue the legacy of those who came before us. Happy Black History Month!