Staff Picks: Black History Month Reads

1.
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism 4.16 avg rating — 170,214 ratings
2.
Beloved (Beloved Trilogy, #1)
Beloved (Beloved Trilogy, #1) 3.97 avg rating — 476,951 ratings
3.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1) 4.30 avg rating — 568,945 ratings
4.
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together 4.62 avg rating — 20,496 ratings
5.
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood 4.49 avg rating — 778,768 ratings
6.
Rosa Parks: My Story
Rosa Parks: My Story 4.18 avg rating — 2,663 ratings
7.
A Black Women's History of the United States
A Black Women's History of the United States 4.29 avg rating — 3,590 ratings
8.
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History 4.58 avg rating — 4,157 ratings
9.
The Bluest Eye
The Bluest Eye 4.13 avg rating — 288,105 ratings
10.
Paradise (Beloved Trilogy, #3)
Paradise (Beloved Trilogy, #3) 3.86 avg rating — 28,535 ratings
11.
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March 4.18 avg rating — 3,869 ratings
12.
Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon 4.15 avg rating — 123,933 ratings
13.
Jazz (Beloved Trilogy, #2)
Jazz (Beloved Trilogy, #2) 3.90 avg rating — 36,225 ratings
14.
His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope
His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope 4.50 avg rating — 6,505 ratings
15.
March: Book One (March, #1)
March: Book One (March, #1) 4.35 avg rating — 56,871 ratings
16.
Black Cake
Black Cake 4.09 avg rating — 216,968 ratings
17.
The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. 4.34 avg rating — 23,718 ratings
18.
Call Numbers: The Not So Quiet Life Of Librarians (Call Numbers, #1)
Call Numbers: The Not So Quiet Life Of Librarians (Call Numbers, #1) 3.87 avg rating — 76 ratings
19.
While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement
While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement 4.10 avg rating — 2,427 ratings
20.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents 4.53 avg rating — 156,133 ratings
21.
We Are Not Like Them
We Are Not Like Them 4.06 avg rating — 49,363 ratings
21.
Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going
Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going 4.17 avg rating — 3,527 ratings
23.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration 4.48 avg rating — 113,286 ratings
24.
Half of a Yellow Sun
Half of a Yellow Sun 4.34 avg rating — 176,457 ratings
24.
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country 4.54 avg rating — 34,659 ratings
26.
Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life's Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union (Law in the Public Square) (Volume 2)
Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life's Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union (Law in the Public Square) (Volume 2) 3.96 avg rating — 292 ratings
26.
Long Walk to Freedom
Long Walk to Freedom 4.36 avg rating — 92,322 ratings
28.
The Path to a Livable Future: A New Politics to Fight Climate Change, Racism, and the Next Pandemic (Open Media Series)
The Path to a Livable Future: A New Politics to Fight Climate Change, Racism, and the Next Pandemic (Open Media Series)
by: Stan Cox
3.21 avg rating — 29 ratings
29.
The Complete Collected Poems
The Complete Collected Poems 4.44 avg rating — 13,863 ratings
30.
Kindred
Kindred 4.31 avg rating — 258,322 ratings
31.
The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks
The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks 4.08 avg rating — 1,478 ratings
32.
Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies
Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies 4.05 avg rating — 1,782 ratings
33.
Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present
Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present 4.43 avg rating — 9,664 ratings
34.
Women in Black History: Stories of Courage, Faith, and Resilience
Women in Black History: Stories of Courage, Faith, and Resilience 4.29 avg rating — 42 ratings
35.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You 4.47 avg rating — 53,567 ratings
36.
This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism
This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism
by: Don Lemon
4.23 avg rating — 2,836 ratings
37.
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor 4.33 avg rating — 30,140 ratings
38.
Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America
Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America 4.39 avg rating — 1,962 ratings
39.
Lillian's Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Lillian's Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 4.39 avg rating — 1,421 ratings
40.
Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case
Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case 4.30 avg rating — 4,740 ratings
41.
March: Book Two (March, #2)
March: Book Two (March, #2) 4.49 avg rating — 28,882 ratings
42.
March: Book Three (March, #3)
March: Book Three (March, #3) 4.64 avg rating — 21,409 ratings
43.
Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America
Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America 4.23 avg rating — 2,133 ratings
44.
The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation
The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation 4.08 avg rating — 8,668 ratings
45.
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America 4.70 avg rating — 38,099 ratings
46.
The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. 4.23 avg rating — 1,763 ratings
47.
My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 4.31 avg rating — 2,038 ratings
48.
Parting the Waters: Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement 1954-63
Parting the Waters: Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement 1954-63 4.36 avg rating — 9,962 ratings
48.
The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist
The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist 4.44 avg rating — 1,712 ratings
50.
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men 4.34 avg rating — 156,596 ratings
51.
Sankofa
Sankofa 3.84 avg rating — 22,472 ratings
52.
The Ground Breaking: An American City and Its Search for Justice
The Ground Breaking: An American City and Its Search for Justice 4.19 avg rating — 1,307 ratings
53.
Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales
Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales 3.91 avg rating — 1,615 ratings
54.
Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy
Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy 4.38 avg rating — 341 ratings
55.
Infinitum
Infinitum 4.13 avg rating — 304 ratings
56.
Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of America's Imperfect Union
Break It Up: Secession, Division, and the Secret History of America's Imperfect Union 3.92 avg rating — 407 ratings
57.
Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause
Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause 4.41 avg rating — 5,504 ratings
58.
Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty Years That Changed American Women's Lives at Work
Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty Years That Changed American Women's Lives at Work 4.33 avg rating — 450 ratings
59.
To Walk About in Freedom: The Long Emancipation of Priscilla Joyner
To Walk About in Freedom: The Long Emancipation of Priscilla Joyner 3.95 avg rating — 84 ratings
60.
Sula
Sula 4.05 avg rating — 117,011 ratings
61.
At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance--A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power
At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance--A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power 4.47 avg rating — 3,602 ratings
62.
God Help the Child
God Help the Child 3.78 avg rating — 31,718 ratings
63.
Black History Is American History: Should Black History Month Be Eliminated? Or, A Great Debate
Black History Is American History: Should Black History Month Be Eliminated? Or, A Great Debate 4.20 avg rating — 5 ratings
64.
Tar Baby
Tar Baby 3.99 avg rating — 23,196 ratings
65.
The Black History of the White House
The Black History of the White House 4.16 avg rating — 425 ratings
66.
Home
Home 3.83 avg rating — 27,292 ratings
67.
28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World
28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World 4.31 avg rating — 708 ratings
67.
A Mercy
A Mercy 3.76 avg rating — 31,912 ratings
69.
The ABCs of Black History
The ABCs of Black History 4.66 avg rating — 994 ratings
70.
Little Leaders: Brave Men in Black History
Little Leaders: Brave Men in Black History 4.63 avg rating — 795 ratings
71.
Black and British: A Forgotten History
Black and British: A Forgotten History 4.60 avg rating — 4,325 ratings
72.
Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1)
Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1) 4.20 avg rating — 238,935 ratings
73.
Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America
Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America 4.60 avg rating — 6,304 ratings
74.
Binti (Binti, #1)
Binti (Binti, #1) 3.85 avg rating — 78,682 ratings
75.
Remote Control
Remote Control 3.85 avg rating — 18,518 ratings
76.
Noor
Noor 3.81 avg rating — 8,008 ratings
76.
Parable of the Talents (Earthseed, #2)
Parable of the Talents (Earthseed, #2) 4.32 avg rating — 77,757 ratings
78.
Shuri, Vol. 1: The Search for Black Panther
Shuri, Vol. 1: The Search for Black Panther 3.85 avg rating — 3,045 ratings
79.
Broken Places & Outer Spaces: Finding Creativity in the Unexpected
Broken Places & Outer Spaces: Finding Creativity in the Unexpected 4.10 avg rating — 2,145 ratings
80.
Binti: The Complete Trilogy
Binti: The Complete Trilogy 4.03 avg rating — 6,853 ratings
81.
Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism
Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism 3.89 avg rating — 3,799 ratings
82.
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism
The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism 4.49 avg rating — 12,422 ratings
83.
America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America
America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America 4.07 avg rating — 1,728 ratings
84.
Letter from a Birmingham Jail: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Letter from a Birmingham Jail: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 4.78 avg rating — 237 ratings
85.
Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County: A Family, a Virginia Town, a Civil Rights Battle
Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County: A Family, a Virginia Town, a Civil Rights Battle 3.84 avg rating — 1,737 ratings
86.
Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires
Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires 3.93 avg rating — 3,773 ratings
87.
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts 4.27 avg rating — 5,747 ratings
88.
The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou
The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou 4.24 avg rating — 2,976 ratings
89.
Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wisdom and Spirit of Maya Angelou
Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wisdom and Spirit of Maya Angelou 4.27 avg rating — 1,325 ratings
90.
Conversations with Octavia Butler
Conversations with Octavia Butler 4.50 avg rating — 214 ratings
91.
Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler
Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler
by: Ibi Zoboi
4.08 avg rating — 1,866 ratings
92.
Wild Seed (Patternist, #1)
Wild Seed (Patternist, #1) 4.21 avg rating — 38,337 ratings
93.
Fledgling
Fledgling 3.80 avg rating — 37,689 ratings
94.
Dawn (Xenogenesis, #1)
Dawn (Xenogenesis, #1) 4.15 avg rating — 60,534 ratings
95.
Bloodchild and Other Stories
Bloodchild and Other Stories 4.35 avg rating — 26,126 ratings
96.
Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture
Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture 4.05 avg rating — 1,048 ratings
97.
Janelle Monáe's Queer Afrofuturism: Defying Every Label
Janelle Monáe's Queer Afrofuturism: Defying Every Label 3.94 avg rating — 17 ratings
98.
The Dreamer and the Dream: Afrofuturism and Black Religious Thought
The Dreamer and the Dream: Afrofuturism and Black Religious Thought 4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings
99.
Lilith's Brood (Xenogenesis, #1-3)
Lilith's Brood (Xenogenesis, #1-3) 4.37 avg rating — 21,511 ratings