Black Voices & Culture: Non-Fiction Books for Adults

Explore our curated list of non-fiction books by Black and African American voices in celebration of Black History Month.

Updated December 22, 2024
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My black country : a journey through country music's black past, present, and future
Randall, Alice
Paper Book
Alice Randall, award-winning professor, songwriter, and author presents "a celebration of all things country music" (Ken Burns) as she reflects on her search for the first family of Black country music. Country music had brought Alice Randall and her activist mother together and...
We refuse : a forceful history of Black resistance
Jackson, Kellie Carter
Paper Book
An "unsparing, erudite, and incisive" (Jelani Cobb) 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 * Chicago Review of Books *...
This is the honey : an anthology of contemporary Black poets
Alexander, Kwame
Paper Book
A breathtaking poetry collection on hope, heart, and heritage from the most prominent and promising Black poets and writers of our time, edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander. In this comprehensive and vibrant poetry anthology,...
Night flyer : Harriet Tubman and the faith dreams of a free people
Miles, Tiya
Paper Book
Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Biography * A Washington Post Notable Book * Finalist for the PEN America Literary Award *One of Smithsonian Magazine's Ten Best History Books of the Year * One of AAIHS's Best Black History Books of 2024 "Though...
Of greed and glory : in pursuit of freedom for all
Plant, Deborah G.
A ground-breaking, personal exploration of America's obsession with continuing human bondage from the editor of the New York Times-bestselling Barracoon. Freedom and equality are the watchwords of American democracy. But like justice, freedom and equality are meaningless when there is no...
Madness : race and insanity in a Jim Crow asylum
Hylton, Antonia
Paper Book
A New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2024 * A New Yorker Best Book of 2024 New York Times Bestseller * USA Today Bestseller Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Books of the Year *...
Our hidden conversations : what Americans really think about race and identity
Norris, Michele
Paper Book
Peabody Award-winning journalist Michele Norris offers a transformative dialogue on race and identity in America, unearthed through her decade-long work at The Race Card Project. The prompt seemed simple: Race. Your Thoughts. Six Words. Please Send. The answers,...
Hell put to shame : the 1921 Murder Farm massacre and the horror of America's second slavery
Swift, Earl
Paper Book
A Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award Finalist (Best Fact Crime) "A haunted, historical legal thriller." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution From the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of Chesapeake Requiem comes "a powerfully...
The survivors of the Clotilda : the lost stories of the last captives of the American slave trade
Durkin, Hannah
Paper Book
NAMED A TOP BOOK OF 2024 BY AMAZON AND WASHINGTON POST "The Survivors of the Clotilda, a comprehensive account of one of the most important parts of American history, is a triumph."--Booklist (starred review) "A welcome history of defiance and survival."--Kirkus Reviews ...
The barn : the secret history of a murder in Mississippi
Thompson, Wright
Paper Book
The instant New York Times bestseller * Named a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Slate, Vanity Fair, TIME, Buzzfeed, Smithsonian, BookPage, KCUR, Kirkus, and Boston Globe * Nominated for a PEN America...
Medgar & Myrlie : Medgar Evers and the love story that awakened America
Reid, Joy-Ann
Paper Book
#1 New York Times Bestseller NAACP Image Award Winner From Joy-Ann Reid, a triumphant work of biography that repositions slain Civil Rights pioneer Medgar Evers at the heart of America's struggle for freedom, and celebrates Myrlie Evers's extraordinary activism after her husband's...
A passionate mind in relentless pursuit : the vision of Mary McLeod Bethune
Rooks, Noliwe
Paper Book
An intimate and searching account of the life and legacy of one of America's towering educators, a woman who dared to center the progress of Black women and girls in the larger struggle for political and social liberation When Mary McLeod Bethune died, tributes in newspapers...
Race rules : what your Black friend won't tell you
Gilliam, Fatimah
Paper Book
"Those looking to move beyond performative allyship will find this an excellent resource." -Publishers Weekly "Well-informed, hard-hitting advice for antiracists." -Kirkus Reviews What if there were a set of rules to educate people against race-based...
The message
Coates, Ta-Nehisi
Paper Book
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The renowned author of Between the World and Me journeys to three resonant sites of conflict to explore how the stories we tell--and the ones we don't--shape our realities. "Ta-Nehisi Coates always writes with a...
Grown woman talk : your guide to getting and staying healthy
Malone, Sharon
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "A must-read for anyone who cares about their quality of life . . . Dr. Sharon Malone is the first person I turn to for a whole host of issues, especially my health."--MICHELLE OBAMA A practical guide to aging and health for women who have...

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