Now is the time to listen, educate ourselves and learn about #BlackLivesMatter. Sharing a list of books to read by Black authors. I have divided this books list for #BlackLivesMatter according to the ones that I have read and those that I wish to read.
Today I gathered all the books in my house written by Black authors. I encourage you to do the same. This was a good exercise in self-auditing my own awareness of Black issues and perspective. Today think about the books that you have read from Black authors and what you learnt.
A formative experience of my childhood was watching the struggle of Kunta Kinte from Alex Haley’s Roots on TV. For Black History Month, the librarian at Zeynab’s school library took out books by Black authors for the children to pick up. I was pleasantly surprised when Zeynab recognized Nelson Mandela from my book cover because she had seen the book at her school library also!
Reading books by Black authors does make a difference.
Books to Read by Black Authors:
Books List for #BlackLivesMatter I have Read and Loved
- Becoming by Michelle Obama (if you can, listen to the audio book. It’s a delight listening to the book narrated by the author herself!)
- Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill
Books List for #BlackLivesMatter on my List to read
- So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Good Immigrant by various authors
- Roots by Alex Haley
- The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- The Skin We’re in by Desmond Cole
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- When They Call you a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Although “To Kill a Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee is not written by a Black author, it’s a lovely book to understand Black history.
I hope that this list will inspire you. Do share your ideas so that I can add to this list.
Let’s listen to Black voices today and vow to educate ourselves.