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A great way to include Black voices in your daily life is by adding these books to your reading list! This list consists of various book genres but shares the common trait of being written by Black womxn.
1. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
If you enjoy a strong story plot and a book written to tug on your emotions, The Bluest Eye is for you. The Bluest Eye is Morrison’s first book published and has remained one of her most popular. It follows a young Black girl named Pecola and the identity struggles she faces due to societal beauty standards based around Whiteness. Hence, the title comes from her longing to have blue eyes.
2. Beloved by Toni Morrison
Another Toni Morrison classic is Beloved. In this book, Morrison writes about a family of slaves-recently-made-free in Cincinnati (think Underground Railroad). It features a family with no man as the head of the household, helping readers understand the challenges that many women faced as former slaves. If you haven’t read a Toni Morrison book yet, this is a great place to start.
3. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This book has a bit of everything from romance to cultural criticism. Adichie tells the story of a young womxn from Nigeria, Ifemelu, and her experience immigrating to the U.S. Ifemelu’s story is intertwined with her Nigerian love interest and his experiences in the U.K. Both characters struggle with the reality of the romanticized West. The name Adichie may sound familiar: she is famous for her Ted Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story.”
4. So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Uluo
Uluo writes this book in a very easy to understand manner and often even includes bullet points! Published in 2018, she outlines racism in contemporary America while sharing personal accounts of her life as a Black womxn. I would recommend this book for White folk who want to learn more about being altruistic in their fight against racism.
5. Becoming by Michelle Obama
This memoir, written by our 44th First Lady (and an absolute favorite of mine), Michelle Obama, is a must-read. It outlines her life until now, sharing us with an emotional account of monumental moments in her life. If you’re on the verge of reading it, this is your sign! Buy the book and get the bonus of learning Michelle and Barack’s love story.
I have written this list as a White womxn of the St. Lawrence University community, a predominantly white institution (PWI), in mind. A common problem in PWIs can be the lack of cultural criticism. In my experiences as a white womxn, these books engaged me into thinking more critically about my own experiences and how they differ from Black womxn’s. It is essential for us to each honor the responsibility we have as a PWI to take the time to be actively anti-racist. Reading these books, in addition to learning more about these authors, is an excellent way to start.