March 2 is Read Across America Day. The day, which is meant to encourage and celebrate a love of reading in young people, might sound like a great idea if you’ve been watching the news lately. Luckily, there are plenty of great new books by Black authors that have hit the shelves and are just perfect for curling up with on the couch so you can unplug. From historical fiction to memoir to mystery, here are some of our favorite new books by Black authors.
Suggested Reading
“Good Dirt” by Charmaine Wilkerson
“Black Cake” author Charmaine Wilkerson is back with “Good Dirt,” a novel that centers around a young woman from a wealthy Black family who flees her New England home to do some soul searching. But what she finds is a connection between a family tragedy and one of their precious heirlooms.
“Needy Little Things” by Channelle Desamours
“Needy Little Things” is a Young Adult mystery that centers around Sariyah, a young woman who has the power to hear what people need. But when she uses her power to help a friend who goes missing, she works to find her before it’s too late.
“Holy Ground: On Activism, Environmental Justice, and Finding Hope” by Catherine Coleman Flowers
In “Holy Ground,” Catherine Coleman Flowers has compiled a collection of powerful essays that draw on history and personal experience to discuss the impact issues like climate change and reproductive freedom have on communities of color.
“Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer” by Gordon C. James
Black History Month may be over, but we can still teach our young people about our most influential artists. “Go Tell It” is a picture book that introduces young readers ages 4 - 8 to writer and activist James Baldwin who found a love for reading and writing as a young boy.
“The Life of Herod The Great” by Zora Neale Hurston
If you think you’ve read everything Zora Neale Hurston ever wrote, you probably haven’t read “The Life of Herod The Great.” Hurston was working on the novel about the life of the king of Judaea until her passing in 1960, The manuscript was almost lost in a fire before a neighbor saved it and handed it over to Deborah G. Plant, an expert scholar the life and works of Hurston.
“Black in Blues: How a Color Tells The Story of My People” by Imani Perry
In “Black in Blues,” Imani Perry looks at the color blue and its connection to both hope and sadness in the Black community.
“Talk to Me: Lessons From a Family Forged by History” by Rich Benjamin
“Talk to Me” is a gripping novel from Rich Benjamin that tells the story of his grandfather, Daniel Fignolé, who was the president of Haiti in 1957 until he was pushed out of power as a result of a coup in which his mother and her siblings were kidnapped.
“Harlem Rhapsody” by Victoria Christopher Murray
If you’re looking for a spellbinding work of historical fiction, look no further than “Harlem Rhapsody.” The latest work from Victoria Christopher Murray tells the story of Jessie Redmon Fauset, a young teacher from Washington, D.C., who comes to New York City for an exciting opportunity as literary editor of The Crisis. But she has a deep secret that could put her dream job in jeopardy: she’s having an affair with her boss, W. E. B. Du Bois.
“Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized An Industry With the Golden Rule, From Soul Train to Wall Street” by George E. Johnson
“Afro Sheen” is the story of George Ellis Johnson who created the Johnson Products Company, the company that gave us Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen – and sponsored “Soul Train.” Johnson writes about his road to becoming a successful self-made man and the head of the first Black-owned company to be traded on Wall Street.
“Mainline Mama” by Keeonna Harris
“Mainline Mama” is a touching memoir by Keeonna Harris. In the book, she writes about going from being a young girl with dreams of attending college at Spelman to a teenage mother who would have to raise her baby alone while her partner, who was convicted of carjacking, was in prison. Readers will be moved by Harris’ perseverance and how she overcame her obstacles to become an advocate for other young mothers in similar situations.
“The Edge Water” by Olufunke Grace Bankole
In “The Edge of Water” a Nigerian mother watches her daughter leave home for New Orleans, even after having a premonition about her facing danger.
“Been Wrong So Long it Feels Like Right” by Walter Mosley
Mystery fans will want to get their hands on Walter Mosley’s latest novel, “Been Wrong So Long It Feels Like Right.” When his dying grandmother’s dying wish is to see her estranged son, private investigator Joe King Oliver goes looking for the one man he says he’d never speak to again: his father.
“I Think They Love You” by Julian Winters
Julian Winters’ “I Think They Love You” is a queer adult rom com about a fake relationship that turns into a real second chance at love.
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