She Strengthens

Celebrate Black Voices: 12 Unmissable Books Across Multiple Genres

Uncover Hidden Histories

In honor of Black History Month, we’re shining a light on 12 remarkable books that celebrate Black voices across various genres. From literary fiction to fantasy, young adult, poetry, and cookbooks, these titles offer a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Black lives, history, and joy.

Nonfiction

• Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life by Marilyn Nelson: A powerful biography in poems that chronicles the life of sculptor Augusta Savage, a trailblazer of her time who worked to advance equal rights in the arts.
• African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy by Abiola Abrams: A gorgeous guide to sacred rituals inspired by African ancestors, perfect for spiritually motivated readers seeking self-love, prosperity, and joy.

Cookbooks

• BLACK FOOD: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora edited by Bryant Terry: A stunning collection of recipes, stories, essays, and art that celebrates the culinary histories of the African diaspora.
• From My Heart to Your Table by Chef Rene Johnson: A soulful cookbook with modern vegan recipes, inspired by traditional soul food and family traditions.

Fiction

• Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson: A debut mystery that explores family secrets from the Caribbean to California, featuring a rich, rum-soaked fruit cake that represents more than just a delicious dessert.
• Redwood and Wildfire by Andrea Hairston: An alternate historical fantasy that takes place in the early 1900s, featuring magical realism, hoodoo, time travel, and a love story.
• Nobody’s Magic by Destiny O. Birdsong: A literary triptych that follows three Black women with albinism, exploring themes of Black love, grief, female strength, and social and racial histories.
• Ashes of Gold by J. Elle: The bold sequel to the Wings of Ebony duology, featuring Rue, a Black teen from Houston, Texas, who must save both the human world and god worlds.
• The Chosen One: A First-Generation Ivy League Odyssey by Echo Brown: A YA novel that shows what it’s like to be a first-generation Black female college student on a predominantly white, Ivy League campus.
• Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson: A middle-grade historical novel loosely based on the history of maroon communities in the South, where enslaved people escaped into the deep swamps and forests to create free lives in secret.

Poetry

• Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts: A collection of essays that recognizes Black joy as a resource and tool for resilience, defying the stereotypical narrative that Black lives consist only of trauma and hardship.

Biography

• Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith: A highly anticipated gem of a book that comes out in April, featuring an homage to musical masters who played a huge part in the story of American pop music.