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One of the earliest literacy memories I have of being introduced to a Black author was through my mom. I came home one day in ‘05 or ‘06 and she gifted me a book I held on to for years to come — Girls Hold Up This World by Jada Pinkett Smith. Even 20 years later, this gift is still impactful.
As a young girl, having a book in my possession that was written by a Black woman that celebrated not only Black women, but all women’s strength, unity, and beauty was so special to me. And to have a Black mom and daughter on the cover? Priceless!
My appreciation for Black authors only grew over the years. Historical fiction is easily one of my top three genres.
When I say I love stories with Black leads, I mean it. However, reading stories with Black leads can often be monotonous due to the endless stories with themes of oppression, police brutality, and slavery. All of those topics are extremely important to learn about— and many books in my personal library explore those themes— but the Black experience is so much more than that. It is multi-faceted, encompassing not only slavery, pain, racial trauma, and oppression, but also hope, love, creativity, joy, success, everyday struggles, and much more.
Searching for new books to add to your collection? Look no further than my curated list that reflects just a few of the endless possibilities of Black storytelling.
Where Wild Peaches Grow by Cade Bentley
Genre: Fiction, Family Drama
Set in Mississippi, Where Wild Peaches Grow is a story about two sisters, family, legacy, forgiveness, and the lasting consequences adult decisions can have on children.
After creating a new life as a prominent African Americans studies professor in Chicago, Nona “Peaches” Davenport returns to her hometown after 15 years upon hearing about the death of her father and learning a shocking family secret from her mother. On her return home, she must confront the mistakes that she’s made and unpack the truth about why she left all those years ago. She must also work to mend the fractured relationship with her sister.
As Peaches digs deeper into her family’s past, she unearths painful truths that challenge her understanding of her identity and the legacy of her ancestors. All of this unfolds against the backdrop of the historic Natchez landscape and the symbolic peach orchard.
Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration by Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts
Genre: Non-Fiction, Essays
An NAACP Image Award Winner, Black Joy is a collection of essays about the way joy has evolved, even in the author’s own life.
Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts details these instances of joy within the context of Black culture, allowing the reader to recognize its power while also challenging the one-note narratives of Black life as solely comprised of trauma and hardship.
Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle
Genre: Young Adult, Romance
Seventeen-year-old Prince Jones seems to have all the answers to love and life…or so it seems. As a self-proclaimed “love doctor,” Prince serves up romantic advice to his peers on his popular radio segment while balancing his home life and caring for both his brother and ill mother. He’s young but he’s always dreamed of finding someone to love.
Enter Dani Jones, a high school senior with laser focus and plans to move far away for college. When the two cross paths, Prince is immediately drawn to her. While Dani is definitely not interested, she agrees to give him three dates to convince her that they could fall in love. In this sweet, hopeful YA novel, Ebony LaDelle takes readers on a journey through music, history, and culture.
This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith
Genre: Romance, Psychological Fiction
Two strangers. One weekend. A second chance. Tallie Clark, a recently divorced therapist, is on her way home from work when she spots the unthinkable— a man standing on the edge of a bridge, preparing to make a life-altering decision.
Tallie pulls over, jumps into action in the pouring rain, and convinces the man to step back from the brink. This powerful, emotional story follows Tallie and Emmett over a weekend as they each provide something that the other desperately needs. Tallie provides a safe space for Emmett and Emmett provides an opportunity for Tallie to explore her own unresolved grief surrounding her divorce.
Rare Danger by Beverly Jenkins
Genre: Suspense, Romantic Fiction
Penned by the legendary Beverly Jenkins, Rare Danger follows the life of a quiet librarian, Jasmine Ware, in this suspenseful novella.
Jasmine spends her days quietly curating books for exclusive clientele until her life is shattered when an old friend and dealer of rare books goes missing.
Driven by a sense of unease, Jasmine embarks on a dangerous investigation, determined to find her friend and an artifact smuggled out of the ancient library of Timbuktu. Working together with Air Force veteran and private security expert, Torr Noble, was not in the cards for either one of them. Their reluctant partnership is filled with unexpected sparks as they race against time to find her friend and protect the ancient artifact from falling into the wrong hands.
Instructions For Dancing by Nicola Yoon
Genre: Romance, Young Adult Fiction
Another cutesy YA novel that sweeps readers off of their feet. After witnessing her parents divorce due to a poor decision made by her dad, Evie Thomas no longer believes in love. But one evening something strange happens….she has a vision of a couple’s entire relationship, from the beginning to their eventual ending. Soon, she’s seeing the beginning and end of couples everywhere.
Desperate to put an end to her misery, Evie finds the address to a dance studio in a book given to her by a mysterious woman and meets X, who challenges her beliefs about love and opens her heart to the possibility of something new. This is a heart-tugger, for sure!
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
Genre: Non-Fiction
How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? In The Light We Carry, Michelle Obama shares a series of stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us.
Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles.
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
Genre: Contemporary Historical Fiction
Charmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel, Black Cake, follows two estranged siblings as they navigate their mother’s death and uncover a secret that alters their family history.
Left with only a voice recording and the recipe for their late mother’s prized black cake, Byron and Benny listen as she transports them through time and across oceans, recounting the story of Covey, a young swimmer who flees her island home under a devastating accusation.
As both siblings listen to their mother’s account and piece together her hidden past, they realize they knew less about her and their history than they thought.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Genre: Drama, Historical Fiction, Romance
Ending it with a classic! Noted as one of Hurston’s best-known books, Their Eyes Were Watching God introduced me to the Harlem Renaissance in ninth-grade English class.
In the book, Janie Crawford is setting out to be her own person. Set against the backdrop of the 1930s, Janie’s quest to find her true self takes us on a journey paved with self-discovery, celebration, and the ebbs and flows of life as she goes through three marriages and returns to her roots.
