Black History Month is a time to celebrate black people’s achievements and strides in America. It’s also a reminder of how far we have to go to achieve equality for all who call this land home. Black women are in a constant reality of these issues. Black women have made great contributions to society in regards to their literary work, outlining the details and struggles of their lives through an intersectional lens. Here are four books written by black women that everyone should read that explore black experiences, sisterhood and life in America.
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
Audre Lorde was a literary genius who crafted speeches and essays during her life. In Sister Outsider, she takes her experiences as a queer, feminist mother and looks at those issues as a whole. In these 15 stories dating back to the early ’80s, she expresses unapologetic anger at the injustices of society that were relevant at the time she wrote them and still relevant today, such as police brutality, homophobia and the appropriate reaction to injustice – which is and has always been anger.
Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
Black Feminist Thought reads more like a textbook, but is still important and required reading for anyone wanting to dive deeper into the concept of intersectionality. One of the most important ideas that you can take from this book is that storytelling can happen in a variety of ways. This ideology goes back to the days when black women were not allowed to read and write, so they told their stories through music, poetry and art, which still holds true today.
Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by bell books
The title of this book says it all; feminism truly is for everybody. bell hooks dives into the importance of having men be a part of the feminist movement in order to achieve equality and a world free of sexism and the patriarchy, which is a capitalistic and oppressive system. She explores a timeline of the movement, describing its highs and lows, while also making sure to point out what feminism is and what it is not. An important aspect of the book is the history of feminist organizations and how black women have been left out of the conversation, but alliances need to happen to fight these issues.
The Meaning of Freedom: And Other Difficult Dialogues by Angela Davis
Angela Davis’ involvement and history in the black and feminist movements are important to know. She had much involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and has been heavily involved in the philosophy and history of punishment within the prison industrial complex. Much of her work has centered around this concept, even resulting in her arrest due to her support of three black men accused of killing a correctional officer. This book is a collection of twelve speeches where she explores the connections between race, class, gender and incarceration, thus being conversations and dialogues that need to be had.
Black History Month is the perfect time to educate yourself on issues pertaining to black people, but especially black women who have contributed to this country and whose experiences are valid. These books do a great job at highlighting and explaining those experiences.