2026 Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month's 2026 theme, "A Century of Black History Commemorations," marking 100 years of national observances dedicated to honoring the lives, struggles, and achievements of African Americans.

Updated December 18, 2025
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A short history of Black craft in ten objects
Awake, Robell
Paper Book
Ten beautifully illustrated essays tell the stories of handcrafted objects and their makers, providing inspiration and insight into Black history and craftsmanship. Black artisans have long been central to American art and design, creating innovative and highly...
Fearless and free : a memoir
Baker, Josephine
Paper Book
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR: The TODAY Show, Vanity Fair, Financial Times, W Magazine, Oprah Daily, LibraryReads Praised as "funny and witty" by Kwame Alexander on the TODAY show, now published in the US for the first time, Fearless and Free is the...
We are each other's harvest : celebrating African American farmers, land, and legacy
Baszile, Natalie
Paper Book
A WALL STREET JOURNAL FAVORITE FOOD BOOK OF THE EAR From the author of Queen Sugar--now a critically acclaimed series on OWN directed by Ava Duvernay--comes a beautiful exploration and celebration of black farming in America.  In this impressive...
Baldwin : a love story
Boggs, Nicholas
Paper Book
A TIME TOP 10 BOOK OF 2025 AN ATLANTIC TOP 10 BOOK OF 2025 A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2025 AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Drawing on new archival material, original...
Twice as hard : the stories of Black women who fought to become physicians, from the Civil War to the 21st Century
Brown, Jasmine
Paper Book
Black women physicians' stories have gone untold for far too long, leaving gaping holes in American medical history, in women's history, and in black history. It's time to set the record straight No real account of black women physicians in the US exists, and what little mention...
Yet here I am : lessons from a Black man's search for home
Capehart, Jonathan
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Pulitzer Prize winning writer, editor and TV host Jonathan Capehart recounts powerful stories from his life about embracing identity, picking battles, seizing opportunity and finding his voice. ...
I'm that girl : living the power of my dreams
Chiles, Jordan
Paper Book
An Instant New York Times Bestseller With a Foreword by Simone Biles The sensational two-time Olympian Jordan Chiles's heartfelt, inspiring memoir chronicling her unlikely path to the podium--including the unprecedented challenges, the joy of winning, the crushing pain of defeat,...
We return fighting : World War I and the shaping of modern Black identity
Conwill, Kinshasha
Paper Book
A richly illustrated commemoration of African Americans' roles in World War I highlighting how the wartime experience reshaped their lives and their communities after they returned home. This stunning book presents artifacts, medals, and photographs alongside powerful essays that...
Gather me : a memoir in praise of the books that saved me
Edim, Glory
Paper Book
A "dramatic [and] ingeniously crafted" (Los Angeles Times) memoir of family, community, and resilience, and an ode to the power of books to help us understand ourselves, from the renowned founder of Well-Read Black Girl. "A beautiful portrait of a full life that...
Of blood and sweat : Black lives and the making of White power and wealth
Ford, Clyde W.
Paper Book
"Ford's overlap of past and present, narrative and commentary is masterful, and makes this volume all the more valuable to those readers wise enough to allow the past to inform the future. Of Blood and Sweat is a myth-busting work of genius that will stand as the last word on this vital subject...
Go where there is no path : stories of hustle, grit, scholarship, and faith
Gray, Christopher (Entrepreneur)
Paper Book
For all who dare to go off the beaten track, this is the inspirational, power-packed playbook for transforming your life and your world--from a young, Black social entrepreneur whose dorm-room tech startup has helped millions pay for college and access unprecedented...
Ant : the incredible journey of NBA rising star Anthony Edwards
Hine, Chris
Paper Book
The first in-depth look at the Minnesota Timberwolves rising star, from his backstory to his mindset, and the relationships that fueled his drive to greatness. From his jaw-dropping dunks to his charismatic personality, Anthony Edwards draws comparisons to the greatest...
We refuse : a forceful history of Black resistance
Jackson, Kellie Carter
Paper Book
An "unsparing, erudite, and incisive" (Jelani Cobb, staff writer, The New Yorker) reframing of the past and present of Black resistance--both nonviolent and violent--to white supremacy Named a Best Book of 2024 by Smithsonian * Kirkus *...
Afro Sheen: How I Revolutionized an Industry with the Golden Rule, from Soul Train to Wall Street
Johnson, George E.
Paper Book
The inspiring and resilient story of George E. Johnson, creator of the iconic Afro Sheen and the first Black-owned company to be traded on Wall Street You might already be familiar with Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen, but have you heard of the man behind the company...
Between Harlem and Heaven : Afro-Asian-American cooking for big nights, weeknights, & every day
Johnson, J. J.
Paper Book
Winner of the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook "Between Harlem and Heaven presents a captivatingly original cuisine. Afro-Asian-American cooking is packed with unique and delicious layers of flavor. These stories and recipes lay praise to the immense influence...
Walk through fire
Johnson, Sheila C.
Paper Book
The cofounder of BET and first African American woman billionaire shares her deeply personal journey through love and loss, tragedy and triumph--an inspiring story of overcoming toxic influences, discovering her true self, and at last finding happiness in her work and life. From...
Black History Is for Everyone
Jones, Brian
A longtime educator explores how the study of Black history challenges our understanding of race, nation, and the stories we tell about who we are. Black history is under attack from powerful forces that seek to excise it from classrooms, libraries, and the popular imagination. Yet...
Moving beyond broke : the power of perseverance in personal finance
Kennedy, Dasha
Paper Book
In the vein of Get Good with Money and The Black Girl's Guide to Financial Freedom, an accessible, witty, and necessary guide from the beloved creator of The Broke Black Girl that addresses the unique financial issues of Black women and others shut out of traditional...
Sweet Home Cafe cookbook : a celebration of African American cooking
Lukas, Albert
Paper Book
A celebration of African American cooking with 109 recipes from the National Museum of African American History and Culture's Sweet Home Cafe. A James Beard Foundation Book Award nominee for best American cookbook; a Food & Wine best cookbook; a Booklist top 10 food book; an...
American soul : the Black history of food in the United States
Malik, Anela
Delve into foodways of the United States, including testimonies from more than 30 Black chefs, restaurateurs, historians and luminaries, as well as 40 historically-rooted recipes. Equal parts historical exploration and cookbook, this rich narrative reveals the rich and indelible...
Illustrated Black history : honoring the iconic and the unseen
McCalman, George
Paper Book
*AWARD WINNER* of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author / and the NCBR Recognition Award A gorgeous collection of 145 original portraits that celebrates Black pioneers--famous and little-known--in politics, science, literature, music, and more-...
Black smoke : African Americans and the United States of barbecue
Miller, Adrian
Paper Book
Across America, the pure love and popularity of barbecue cookery have gone through the roof. Prepared in one regional style or another, in the South and beyond, barbecue is one of the nation's most distinctive culinary arts. And people aren't just eating it; they're also reading books and...
Prose to the people : a celebration of Black bookstores
Mitchell, Katie
Paper Book
A stunning visual homage to Black bookstores, featuring a selection of shops around the country alongside essays that celebrate the history, community, activism, and culture these spaces embody, with an original foreword by Nikki Giovanni. Black literature is perhaps the most...
Positive obsession : the life and times of Octavia E. Butler
Morris, Susana M.
Paper Book
A magnificent cultural biography that charts the life of one of our greatest writers, situating her alongside the key historical and social moments that shaped her work.  As the first Black woman to consistently write and publish in the field of science fiction, Octavia...
My America : recipes from a young black chef
Onwuachi, Kwame
Paper Book
A BON APPETIT BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR * What is American food? In his first cookbook, the acclaimed author of Notes from a Young Black Chef shares the dishes of his America; dishes that show the true diversity of American food. Onwauachi is "the most important chef in...
Notes from a young Black chef : a memoir
Onwuachi, Kwame
Paper Book
"Kwame Onwuachi's story shines a light on food and culture not just in American restaurants or African American communities but around the world." --Questlove   By the time he was twenty-seven years old, Kwame Onwuachi (winner of the 2019 James Beard Foundation Award for ...
Black in blues : how a color tells the story of my people
Perry, Imani
Paper Book
A "vast, multifaceted and enchanting" (Minneapolis Star-Tribune) meditation on the color blue and its fascinating role in Black history and culture, from National Book Award winner Imani Perry, "the most important interpreter of Black life in our time" (Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.) Throughout...
Truly
Richie, Lionel
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * USA TODAY BESTSELLER  * LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER "Richie is refreshingly open in the book, which functions as both a fun memoir and a love letter to music and his beloved Tuskegee... There's an abundance of love and gratitude in this wildly...
The rise : Black cooks and the soul of American food
Samuelsson, Marcus
Paper Book
An Eater Best Cookbook of Fall 2020 * This groundbreaking new cookbook from chef, bestselling author, and TV star Marcus Samuelsson celebrates contemporary Black cooking in 150 extraordinarily delicious recipes. It is long past time to...
Magic in the air : the myth, the mystery, and the soul of the slam dunk
Sielski, Mike
Paper Book
"Who doesn't wanna read an entire book about the slam dunk? I love basketball." - Ann Patchett "The definitive dunking dissertation." - Jack McCallum, Wall Street Journal From the author of the bestselling Kobe Bryant biography The Rise comes the legend...
American wings : Chicago's pioneering Black aviators and the race for equality in the sky
Smith, Sherri L.
Paper Book
From the acclaimed author of Flygirl andthe bestselling author of Code Name Verity comes the thrilling and inspiring true story of the desegregation of the skies. "This beautiful and brilliant history of not only what it means to be Black and dream of flying but...
Black Flora: Inspiring Profiles of Floriculture's New Vanguard
Speight, Teresa J.
Paper Book
Discover the growing community of Black floriculture leading the new vanguard in flowers. Black Flora is the first book to feature profiles of contemporary Black experts innovating in the world of flowers. Author and longtime gardener, Teresa Speight, offers...
Watermelon & red birds : a cookbook for Juneteenth and black celebrations
Taylor, Nicole A.
Paper Book
The very first cookbook to celebrate Juneteenth, from food writer and cookbook author Nicole A. Taylor--who draws on her decade of experiences observing the holiday. On June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Major...
Black food : stories, art & recipes from across the African diaspora
Terry, Bryant
Paper Book
A beautiful, rich, and groundbreaking book exploring Black foodways within America and around the world, curated by food activist and author of Vegetable Kingdom Bryant Terry. WINNER OF THE ART OF EATING PRIZE . JAMES BEARD AWARD NOMINEE . ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS...

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