Now, Black History Month is not the only time you should be picking up books by Black authors. February is just the time that everyone is more aware of it and actively celebrating diversity. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered if you don’t know where to start. There’s so many wonderful stories to read if you just follow our steps below and check out our recommendations.
Be aware of what and who you’re reading about
Oftentimes, I’m guilty of just picking up a book based on its pretty cover and interesting plot. I don’t typically give a thought to who’s written the book, unless it’s an author I’ve read before, and I know their writing style is great. I want to get lost in a good story, regardless of who’s writing it. But it’s time to start being more aware of whose book I’m reading.
Typically, the author has an excerpt in the back cover with a little introduction. You’re already reading the description of the book, so just take a few extra seconds and read about the author as well. You might find something interesting, and you’ll support a wider range of authors. Feel free to also do your research before going out to buy your next book. A google or Tik Tok search can easily bring up some recommended Black authors and books by them. Let’s open ourselves up to more stories and have fun!
Start or join a book club focusing on diversity
Don’t you love a good book club, being able to do a deep dive and answer those hard-hitting questions on your favorite books? Well, there’s no shortage of clubs and if you can’t find one that solely focuses on diversity and Black authors, start one! Grab a few in-person or online friends and make a list of books to read for the group. Depending on the genre you want to go for, we’re about to give you a few recommendations for whatever you’re interested in.
Use these book recommendations to jumpstart you
The Hate U Give
Sixteen-year-old Starr is living two lives — one in her poor neighborhood where she lives, and one at her fancy suburban prep school. When she sees her childhood best friend killed by a police officer, her life is suddenly all over the news. There are rumors about what happened that night, but only Starr can answer that. Will she be able to defend her community with the truth or will it cause her life to be in danger?
Angie Thomas is a former rapper living in Atlanta and proud author of a major motion picture from 2000. She won the Walter Dean Myers Grant in 2015 for We Need Diverse Books and has been a NYT bestselling author for multiple books.
Girl, Woman, Other
Bernardine Evaristo is the first Black woman to receive the highest literary honor in the English language, the Booker Prize, in 2019. She tells the stories of twelve characters in Girl, Woman, Other, all leading their own separate lives. It’s a layered novel of interconnected Black British families consisting of playwrights, former students, old friends, and more all ranging in age, sexuality, and social class. It reminds people how connected we all are, even when society threatens to shove us apart.
Before I Let Go
Yasmen and Josiah Wade’s marriage has fallen apart, even though they believed their love was strong enough to last forever. After such a big life change, Yasmen eventually finds the joys in life as she and Josiah find ways to co-parent and run their business together. With so much connecting them, they keep finding their way back to each other, wondering if they should try again. An intimate moment makes them wonder if it’s really too late for them or if this time they could be even stronger than before.
Kennedy Ryan, both a NYT and USA Today bestselling author, writes to empower women from all over, making them the main characters in each story. She’s been featured in many different newspapers and magazines and is called the “Queen of Hugs” by readers.
The Fifth Season
N.K. Jemisin writes a gripping start to this adventure-fantasy trilogy, setting us in the end of the world. A woman hides her secret power as the world starts to fall apart for the very last time, ending life as she knows it. She’s got a murdered son and a kidnapped daughter to find. There’s no mercy at the end of the world and catastrophe strikes in many different ways.
Jemisin is a NYT bestselling author, specializing in speculative fiction. She lives in Brooklyn, NY and has won a multitude of awards for her writing. She’s got many talents other than writing, including previously being a counseling psychologist and educator, hiking and biking, and blogging as a political, feminist, anti-racist woman.
The House of Eve
In this historical fiction novel, fifteen-year-old Ruby is living in 1950s Philadelphia, working on being a first-generation college student. After a taboo love affair, though, Ruby’s dreams might shatter right before her eyes. Eleanor comes to Washington, DC and falls in love with William at university. William is part of a very wealthy Black family in DC, which Eleanor does not fit into. For both Eleanor and Ruby, fitting in and finding their place in the world may be harder than they think.
Sadeqa Johnson is a NYT bestselling author of five novels, living in Virginia with her husband and three kids. She’s won different awards and been an NAACP Image award nominee and a Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy finalist.
Why is this so important?
Black History Month celebrates the achievements and trials Black people have had to overcome throughout history. By actively seeking out Black authors and books geared towards Black History Month, you are recognizing those achievements. We encourage you to read more about Black History and expand your knowledge of the people we celebrate, as well as the authors.
Next time you’re at Target or Barnes and Noble buying your next reads, take a minute to look at who the authors are. Research a few Black authors you haven’t heard of before ahead of time and support them by buying their books. It’s not hard to make your reading lists diverse and we appreciate you doing so.
Read this article to check out the first Black authors who published!
Check out our bookshop recommendations page to complete your TBR for February.
