Book Riot's 100 Must-Read Classics by People of Color

1.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
One Hundred Years of Solitude 4.12 avg rating — 1,069,924 ratings
2.
Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1)
Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1) 3.74 avg rating — 403,061 ratings
3.
Invisible Man
Invisible Man 3.92 avg rating — 198,724 ratings
4.
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo 4.32 avg rating — 991,984 ratings
5.
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain 4.05 avg rating — 78,196 ratings
6.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave 4.12 avg rating — 131,988 ratings
7.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
by: Malcolm X
4.37 avg rating — 285,161 ratings
8.
Native Son
Native Son 4.04 avg rating — 103,285 ratings
9.
The Pillow Book
The Pillow Book 4.02 avg rating — 9,588 ratings
10.
The Prophet
The Prophet 4.23 avg rating — 321,096 ratings
11.
Twelve Years a Slave
Twelve Years a Slave 4.22 avg rating — 123,125 ratings
12.
A Raisin in the Sun
A Raisin in the Sun 3.85 avg rating — 107,556 ratings
13.
The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night; Complete
The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night; Complete
by: Anonymous
4.20 avg rating — 148 ratings
14.
The Souls of Black Folk
The Souls of Black Folk 4.31 avg rating — 44,282 ratings
15.
God's Bits of Wood
God's Bits of Wood 3.98 avg rating — 3,057 ratings
16.
Silence
Silence 4.09 avg rating — 37,716 ratings
17.
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl 4.17 avg rating — 56,856 ratings
18.
The Woman in the Dunes
The Woman in the Dunes 3.89 avg rating — 37,519 ratings
19.
Love in a Fallen City
Love in a Fallen City 3.94 avg rating — 4,334 ratings
20.
The Waiting Years
The Waiting Years 3.95 avg rating — 2,952 ratings
21.
Thousand Cranes
Thousand Cranes 3.70 avg rating — 14,878 ratings
22.
Palace Walk (The Cairo Trilogy, #1)
Palace Walk (The Cairo Trilogy, #1) 4.20 avg rating — 21,764 ratings
23.
Ficciones
Ficciones 4.40 avg rating — 75,844 ratings
24.
I Am a Cat
I Am a Cat 3.68 avg rating — 16,996 ratings
25.
Rashomon and Other Stories
Rashomon and Other Stories 4.01 avg rating — 11,726 ratings
26.
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen 3.92 avg rating — 1,953 ratings
27.
Season of Migration to the North
Season of Migration to the North 3.72 avg rating — 32,264 ratings
28.
Black Rain
Black Rain 3.99 avg rating — 4,436 ratings
29.
Up from Slavery
Up from Slavery 4.11 avg rating — 35,600 ratings
30.
Quicksand
Quicksand 3.72 avg rating — 8,339 ratings
31.
The Home and the World
The Home and the World 3.83 avg rating — 5,868 ratings
32.
The Diary of Lady Murasaki
The Diary of Lady Murasaki 3.80 avg rating — 2,098 ratings
33.
The Story of the Stone, or The Dream of the Red Chamber, Vol. 1: The Golden Days
The Story of the Stone, or The Dream of the Red Chamber, Vol. 1: The Golden Days 4.20 avg rating — 2,418 ratings
34.
A House for Mr Biswas
A House for Mr Biswas 3.81 avg rating — 21,970 ratings
35.
Some Prefer Nettles
Some Prefer Nettles 3.61 avg rating — 4,801 ratings
36.
The Guide
The Guide 3.93 avg rating — 10,799 ratings
37.
The Dark Child
The Dark Child 3.70 avg rating — 2,492 ratings
38.
The Street
The Street
by: Ann Petry
4.27 avg rating — 12,960 ratings
39.
Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio
Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio 4.05 avg rating — 2,454 ratings
40.
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano 3.74 avg rating — 14,418 ratings
41.
The Analects
The Analects
by: Confucius
3.81 avg rating — 23,508 ratings
42.
The Sound of Waves
The Sound of Waves 3.77 avg rating — 22,713 ratings
43.
The Time of the Hero
The Time of the Hero 4.17 avg rating — 27,078 ratings
44.
The Confessions of Lady Nijō
The Confessions of Lady Nijō 3.95 avg rating — 697 ratings
45.
On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho
On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho 4.20 avg rating — 2,011 ratings
46.
The River Between
The River Between 3.79 avg rating — 5,149 ratings
47.
Complete Writings
Complete Writings 3.66 avg rating — 397 ratings
48.
Cane
Cane 3.82 avg rating — 11,323 ratings
49.
The Narrative of Sojourner Truth
The Narrative of Sojourner Truth 4.10 avg rating — 10,543 ratings
50.
Doctor's Wife
Doctor's Wife 3.80 avg rating — 895 ratings
51.
Iola Leroy
Iola Leroy 3.54 avg rating — 1,709 ratings
51.
The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man
The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man 3.93 avg rating — 11,073 ratings
51.
Efuru
Efuru 3.94 avg rating — 1,105 ratings
54.
The President
The President 3.97 avg rating — 6,421 ratings
54.
No Longer Human
No Longer Human 3.95 avg rating — 228,339 ratings
56.
Ambiguous Adventure
Ambiguous Adventure 3.62 avg rating — 1,304 ratings
57.
The Palm-Wine Drinkard
The Palm-Wine Drinkard 3.73 avg rating — 3,577 ratings
58.
El túnel
El túnel 4.02 avg rating — 88,875 ratings
59.
The Soul of the Indian
The Soul of the Indian 4.12 avg rating — 1,129 ratings
60.
The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China: The Complete Fiction of Lu Xun
The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China: The Complete Fiction of Lu Xun
by: Lu Xun
3.90 avg rating — 1,250 ratings
61.
Selected Poems
Selected Poems 4.02 avg rating — 529 ratings
62.
Down Second Avenue: Growing Up in a South African Ghetto
Down Second Avenue: Growing Up in a South African Ghetto 3.82 avg rating — 434 ratings
63.
Theologus Autodidactus
Theologus Autodidactus 3.62 avg rating — 52 ratings
63.
Brown Girl, Brownstones
Brown Girl, Brownstones 4.06 avg rating — 3,563 ratings
65.
Clotel: or, The President's Daughter
Clotel: or, The President's Daughter 3.63 avg rating — 2,351 ratings
66.
Our Nig or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black
Our Nig or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black 3.74 avg rating — 3,208 ratings
67.
Nisei Daughter
Nisei Daughter 3.91 avg rating — 1,040 ratings
68.
Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey
Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey 4.48 avg rating — 656 ratings
69.
Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids
Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids 3.81 avg rating — 5,304 ratings
70.
Chaka
Chaka 3.63 avg rating — 663 ratings
71.
The Weary Blues
The Weary Blues 4.43 avg rating — 3,066 ratings
71.
Home to Harlem
Home to Harlem 3.64 avg rating — 1,655 ratings
73.
Biography of an American Bondman, by His Daughter
Biography of an American Bondman, by His Daughter 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings
74.
The New Negro
The New Negro 4.12 avg rating — 905 ratings
75.
The Curse of Caste; or The Slave Bride: A Rediscovered African American Novel by Julia C. Collins
The Curse of Caste; or The Slave Bride: A Rediscovered African American Novel by Julia C. Collins 3.59 avg rating — 181 ratings
76.
Behind the Scenes: Or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House
Behind the Scenes: Or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House 3.86 avg rating — 4,107 ratings
77.
Life Among the Paiutes (1883)
Life Among the Paiutes (1883) 3.83 avg rating — 602 ratings
77.
Black No More
Black No More really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4,579 ratings
79.
Wynema: A Child of the Forest
Wynema: A Child of the Forest 3.02 avg rating — 183 ratings
79.
Houseboy
Houseboy 3.73 avg rating — 2,316 ratings
81.
My People the Sioux
My People the Sioux 4.19 avg rating — 890 ratings
82.
A Chinese Ishmael and Other Stories
A Chinese Ishmael and Other Stories
by: Sui Far
3.60 avg rating — 5 ratings
83.
American Indian Stories
American Indian Stories 3.98 avg rating — 1,893 ratings
83.
The Interpreters
The Interpreters 3.45 avg rating — 632 ratings
85.
Memoirs of a Woman Doctor
Memoirs of a Woman Doctor 3.48 avg rating — 4,348 ratings
86.
Contending Forces: A Romance Illustrative of Negro Life North and South
Contending Forces: A Romance Illustrative of Negro Life North and South 3.53 avg rating — 387 ratings
87.
The Heart of Hyacinth
The Heart of Hyacinth 3.40 avg rating — 50 ratings
88.
Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells
Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells 4.32 avg rating — 825 ratings
89.
When a Bulbul Sings
When a Bulbul Sings really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 34 ratings
89.
Freshwater Road
Freshwater Road 3.75 avg rating — 1,242 ratings
89.
The Marks Left on Her
The Marks Left on Her 4.32 avg rating — 120 ratings
92.
A Hakka Woman
A Hakka Woman 4.75 avg rating — 16 ratings
93.
Jubilee
Jubilee 4.37 avg rating — 6,826 ratings
94.
A Handful of Rice
A Handful of Rice 3.75 avg rating — 135 ratings
95.
Selected Poems
Selected Poems 4.20 avg rating — 2,813 ratings
96.
Where There's Love, There's Hate
Where There's Love, There's Hate 3.35 avg rating — 1,440 ratings
96.
The Living Is Easy
The Living Is Easy 3.89 avg rating — 679 ratings
98.
Jonah's Gourd Vine
Jonah's Gourd Vine 3.98 avg rating — 2,321 ratings
99.
The Blacker the Berry...
The Blacker the Berry... 3.94 avg rating — 2,936 ratings
99.
My Soul's High Song: The Collected Writings
My Soul's High Song: The Collected Writings 4.28 avg rating — 69 ratings
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