10 Must read titles by Black authors

28 K 10 Must-Read Titles by Black Authors

by Holley House

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett This story follows twin sisters who have grown up in a Black community in the Deep South. However, tensions form when, after leaving home, one sister decides to live her life as Black, while the other wants to pass as white. Touching on subjects such as family, race and identity, this book is an incredible read. It also made Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2020 list. My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite Korede is tired of cleaning up her sister’s messes – specifically the ones she makes after murdering her boyfriends. This is a fast-paced, darkhumored, witty story that you just won’t be able to put down.

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon This sweet, smart romantic comedy features amazing, diverse female friendships and a swoony workplace romance that you won’t want to miss. The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed This is a brilliant coming-of-age novel that takes place against the backdrop of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which occurred after police officers violently beat a Black man, Rodney King.

Dear Martin by Nic Stone Fast-paced and important, Dear Martin tells the story of an Black teen who looks to the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. for answers after he is ridiculed by his classmates for being at the top of his class.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert An adorable romantic comedy about Chloe Brown, who enlists a local bad boy to help her get out of her comfort zone and check off her bucket list. If you want a quick, charming read, this one’s for you.

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow This is a compelling coming-of-age story about Black sirens navigating high school in the midst of a siren murder trial. This story couples modern fantasy with issues that are pertinent to today, such as racism and sexism.

Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo After twelve-year-old Azere promises her dying father that she will marry a Nigerian man, she knows it will break her mother’s heart when, years later as an adult, she finds herself falling for a white man. This compelling story combines family and love with figuring out what it means to be true to yourself. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn A gripping urban fantasy inspired by Arthurian legend, this novel follows sixteenyear-old Bree, who begins to learn about her own magical abilities while also trying to figure out how this magical world may have a tie in her mother’s death.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna Sixteen-year-old Deka is awaiting her village’s blood ceremony, that will determine whether she can become a true member of her village. She longs for red blood so she can finally belong somewhere, but unfortunately, her blood runs gold. This fantasy novel for fans of Black Panther is set to be released on February 9.

The Iconic Cicely Tyson

by Caleb Wood

Remember the departed actress with four of her best roles

East Side/ West Side Among her earliest work is this short-lived television show about the struggles of people living in the city.

Sounder Tyson, alongside Diana Ross, became the second Black woman nominated for Best Lead Actress at the Oscars for this emotional story of Black sharecroppers in the Great Depression.

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman Don’t be fooled by its TV-movie origins, Tyson is at her best playing a character that moves with the plot from the Antebellum South to the 1970s.

How to Get Away with Murder In a recurring role as the mother of Annalise Keating (Viola Davis), Tyson showed her continued versality well into her final years.