Black History Month is a time when we honor and celebrate the contributions that African Americans have made to our culture and society.
Every year since 1976, each president has endorsed a specific theme for the month. The theme for Black History Month 2021 is “Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity”.
As a mother, these themes resonate strongly with me as I seek to create a home where my children can grow to be confident in their identity as black boys and girls.
In this post, I will be sharing my views on the importance of representation in books as well as highlighting my top picks of books written by black authors, that reflect those values of diversity and representation.
My Literary Experience
Reading has been a big part of my life for as long as I can recall. Growing up my dad had a library and I remember that during the summer, we would have to write book reports on the books that we had read that summer.
We read books like The Famous Five book series, Sweet Valley High, various Enid Blyton, and CS Lewis books… I could go on and on.
As much as I loved these books, the one thing I now realize was the lack of diversity reflected in many of the books that I grew up with.
Representation, Identity, and Diversity- Themes that are so important, but many in the black society grew up similar to me. We simply did not see ourselves represented in the books that we read.
why Representation matters For Youth
Representation plays a crucial part in the way that we see ourselves. Especially during the early stages of life when children are more susceptible to stimuli and their environment. The words that are spoken over them have the power to shape the direction of their lives. As I raise my children, I want them to be able to see themselves reflected in the characters they read about. For this reason, it is important for me to source books that speak to what the black experience is here in America.
My children are of color, so it is important for me to really be conscious about getting them books that reinforce their identity.
My daughter, who is an avid reader, recently read Black Girl White School by . This book was a welcome addition to our library and I could immediately see the shift in her attitude. As she read this book, she started to realize that was not alone in her experiences.
As a young brown girl attending a predominantly white school, it can be hard for her to find people who look like her and who share the same ‘struggles’. Black Girl White School talks about a young girl with a similar experience.
This is just one example of the impact these books have had on my children’s lives and I could go on for days on the significance of this topic.
Here are some books by black authors that feature diversity, identity, and representation.
For Young Children- best Books By Black Authors
Hair Like Mine – Latashia Perry
A fun and easy read following a little girl who doesn’t like that her naturally curly hair looks different from the other kids around her. On her quest to find someone with hair like hers, she soon realizes we are all unique and special in our own way.
Skin Like Mine – Latashia perry
This book is written by the same author- Latashia Perry. Here is a line from the book that sums this book up beautifully, “Skin like mine is quite divine. I’d say it’s one of a kind. I wouldn’t trade for any other shade. I love my brown skin; oh, where do I begin?”.
I Just Want To Say Goodnight – Rachel Isadora
A bedtime story for younger children featuring a young black girl as she gets ready for bedtime.
Zoey The Unicorn Can Do It – Aria & Dayna Bolden
This is such a cute book written by a mother and daughter duo. It tells the story of a young black girl- Super Cool Aria. Super Cool Aria loves to inspire other kids to dream big and be confident in themselves.
Summer Jackson: Grown Up – Teresa Harris,
Summer Jackson is a young black girl who is convinced that she wants to grow up and skip straight to adulthood. It is another cute story with visual cues and empowerment.
Hair Love – Matthew A Cherry
Hair love is a book that helps children to identify their hair as being beautiful.
I remember my daughter coming to me several months ago saying that she wanted long flowy hair like her friends. And it is not the fact that long flowy hair is a problem. I feel that it is important as a parent to reinforce to her that her hair is beautiful the way that it is. This book does a great job in helping her understand that her hair is beautiful. It is also unique not just to her, but a part of black culture.
shop books for young children by black authors
For Adolescents – Best books By Black Authors
BadAss Black Girl: Questions, Quotes, and Affirmations for Teens
The message behind this book is that of empowerment for young girls to embrace themselves the way that they. This book really reinforces the positive message that being black is something that she should be proud of instead of being ashamed.
Dear Martin and Dear Justyce Series
This is a book series that we came across a while ago. It talks about the experience of a black teenager and how the law applies to a situation that involves this person.
As much as we do not want to have these types of talks with our kids, we want them to “fit in”, but it is important to talk to them about how their race can affect the outcome of a situation. These book series are great because they really drive home what it is like to be a person of color. They bring awareness to the issues surrounding colored boys. The book also provides some tools that they can use to be more ‘vigilant’.
Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America
This is a series of short stories by black authors that embody the experiences and hidden struggles of black teens in America. We are reading this as a family and talking about it
Black Girl White School: Thriving, Surviving and No, You Can’t Touch My Hair – Olivia V.G. Clarke
This book explores the experience of being black in a predominantly white school. This is something a lot of black kids deal with. I know from experience how much this book has impacted my daughter’s journey.
The Boy in a Black suit – Jason Reynolds
This is a good book on how to handle grief and press on.
All American Boys – Jason Reynolds
Like dear Martin, this book also centers around the issue of being a black teen in America and some of the issues one can grapple with.
If you are looking for fantasy fiction, here are some other great books by black authors.
Children Of The Blood And Bone
A book series that is set in an alternate version of West Africa.
Shuri A black Panther Novel – Nic Stone
This is another great fantasy fiction book that I would highly recommend.
For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World- Michael W. Waters
This book was written by a college mate of mine. It is a book that talks about the recent events around racism and gun violence and how to address these issues constructively.
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For Adults– Best books By Black Authors
Coffee Table Books by black authors
Due North: Written by my friend Lola Akimade Akerstrom
This book is a carefully curated book filled with stories of her experience as a travel photographer.
In every mirror She’s black- Lola Akimade Akerstrom
This book by Lola comes out in September 2021.
Unseen
Unseen is a great collection of unpublished black history from The NY Times archive.
Becoming- Michelle obama
A great book with messages of empowerment for black women today.
More Than Enough- Elaine Welteroth
A book that has been dubbed the millennial version of Michelle Obama’s Becoming.
If Beale Street Could Talk – James Baldwin
This is a story of enduring black love that has now adapted into a movie. An unvarnished look at the hardships of a black couple living in the 1970s.
The New Black Vanguard
Carefully curated images with a cross between art and fashion
Decor Books By Black Authors
You guys already know how much I love decor, so I had to include my top picks of decor books by black authors.
The New Bohemians – Justina Blakeney
Beautifully Organized – Nikki body
shop books for adults by black authors
As you can see, there are many books that have come out in recent times that have black authors. These books allow us as black people to see ourselves represented, a concept that is so undiscussed, yet so important.
Whether you are a person of color or not, I hope that you will consider giving some of these a read.
Do you have any additional book recommendations for books written by black authors? I am always looking to source books for myself and my children. If you do, I would love it if you could share it in the comments section.
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Photo Credit – Images by Angela
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