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Black Boy by Richard Wright - Wright’s once controversial, now celebrated autobiography measures the raw brutality of the Jim Crow South against the sheer desperate will it took to survive as a Black boy.
The Compton Cowboys by Walter Thompson-Hernandez - The compelling story of a group of African-American men and women who defy stereotypes and continue the proud, centuries-old tradition of black cowboys in the heart of one of America's most notorious cities.
Dapper Dan : Made in Harlem a Memoir by Daniel R. Day - With his eponymous store on 125th Street in Harlem, Dapper Dan pioneered high-end streetwear in the early 1980s. A high-stakes coming-of-age story spanning more than 70 years.
God-Level Knowledge Darts by Desus and Mero - A wild, hilarious guide to life from the hosts of the hit late-night show Desus & Mero and the Bodega Boys podcast. As they put it: “We want to share all we’ve learned, after years in the Bronx streets, with you: the people.”
Heavy : An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon - Laymon charts his complex relationship with his mother, grandmother, anorexia, obesity, sex, writing, and ultimately gambling. Heavy is a “gorgeous, gutting…generous” (The New York Times)
Higher is Waiting by Tyler Perry - In this intimate book of inspiration, Tyler Perry writes of how his faith has sustained him in hard times, centered him in good times, and enriched his life. With tenderness he sketches portraits of the people who taught him indelible lessons about integrity, trust in God, and the power of forgiveness.
I Tried to Change So You Don’t Have To by Loni Love - An inspiring, hilarious memoir about learning to resist the pressures of conformity, love yourself for who you are, embrace your flaws, and unlock your true potential. Winner of the African American Literary Award for Memoir!
Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin - From enslaved chefs to middle- and upper-class writers and entrepreneurs, Jubilee presents techniques, ingredients, and dishes that show the roots of African American cooking—deeply beautiful, culturally diverse, fit for celebration.
The Meaning of Michelle edited by Veronica Chambers - No book has fully explored what Michelle Obama means to our culture. The Meaning of Michelle does just that, while offering a parting gift to a landmark moment in American history.
Memorial Drive : A Daughter’s Memoir by Natasha Trethewey - With penetrating insight and a searing voice that moves from the wrenching to the elegiac, Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Natasha Trethewey explores the profound experience of pain, loss, and grief as an entry point into understanding the tragic course of her mother’s life.
A Most Beautiful Thing by Arshay Cooper - The moving true story of a group of young men growing up on Chicago's West side who form the first all-Black high school rowing team in the nation, and in doing so not only transform a sport, but their lives. A Most Beautiful Thing is the inspiring true story about the most unlikely band of brothers.
When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & asha bandele - The authors founded a hashtag—#blacklivesmatter—that birthed a movement. In When They Call You a Terrorist they reflect on humanity with an empowering account of survival, strength and resilience as well as a call to action to change the culture that declares innocent Black life expendable.