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In honor of Black History Month, this list was compiled to showcase the beautiful literature that black people have written. Black writers and authors are an integral part of the history of literature, as well as shaping genres and creating new ones. Â
1. Love by Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison, Nobel Peace Prize winner and a Pulitzer-winning novelist, has brought forth incredible literature featuring black characters. Her novel, Love, is all about passion, love, class, and color and how that is portrayed through the lives of three generations of black women. The relationship between these women is one of intensity and hardships, as well as comforting. This is a must read.
2. Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley
This is a historical novel based on true events of Haley’s ancestors and family history including the story of Kunta Kinte, slaves, and free men over the span of six generations. It highlights the importance of knowing one’s roots and how that translates into finding out one’s identity and belonging. As Haley says, “In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage…. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning no matter what our attainments in life.”
3. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Americanah, a novel about love, race, culture, and home tells the story of two lovers who leave Nigeria’s militarized society for the West, and hope for a better future. They endure hardships only to inevitably find themselves returning to a new and safe Nigeria. This story introduces a deep element of integrity and what a loving community can create. A strong woman making her way from one continent to another, race politics, and pure love is what Americanah is all about.
4. Black Boy by Richard Wright
Wright pens a memoir which outlines his experience growing up and moving around to different states including Mississippi, Arkansas, due to different familial problems. This story is set in Jim Crow south, and displays the experience of a southern black man in America and the complexities that come along with it.
5. The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
This book about a strong female character by the name Aminata Diallo, who is transported as a slave from an African village to the United States, and ultimately finds herself travelling back to Africa. This story is an example of where black history not only lies in the history of slavery, but in this case individual themselves; and in this case black individuals are the story, not the system of oppression. Hill does an excellent job in transforming the narrative and humanizing black history. Â
There you have it, a list of 5 books to read this month. This is merely a drop of water in the ocean of black literature and what it entails. The deep, authentic, personal storytelling which black folks are known to do so well is what should be highlighted not only this month, but every month. There is so much to learn from the narratives that black people have to share, and it’s time everyone listens!
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