Black history picks

An anthology of contemporary Black poets whose works explore joy, love, origin, race, resistance and praise.

The seven-time NAACP Image Award-winning poet unapologetically celebrates her heritage in a collection of verse that speaks to the injustices of society and the depths of her own heart.

Every poem ever published by the late poet, who is noted for the passion and vision of her poems about being African American, a lesbian, a mother and a daughter, is collected in a definitive anthology of her work.

An anthology of all-star poetic voices depicting the diversity of the Black experience.

The story of extraordinary business pioneer A.G. Gaston, who amassed a fortune worth well over $130 million against the backdrop of a century of crushing racial hatred and bigotry in the Deep South.

Wisdom and musings on creativity and life from one of the world's most beloved musicians, producers and mentors.

The incredible life story of Eugene Bullard, the first African American military pilot in WWI, who went on to become a self-taught jazz musician, a Paris nightclub impresario, a spy in the French Resistance and an American civil rights pioneer.

Poems paired with photographs of works by sculptor Augusta Savage, who flourished during the Harlem Renaissance.

A personal account by the late musician and poet traces the story of his life, career and history-making 1981 tour at the side of Stevie Wonder to raise support for the establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Weaving together memoir, criticism and biography, tells the story of Black women in music as the foundational story of American pop.

A history of the Black church in America that illuminates its essential role in culture, politics and resistance to white supremacy.

James Baldwin grew disillusioned by the failure of the civil rights movement to force America to confront its lies about race, and the author explores what Americans can learn from Baldwin’s struggle in the era of President Trump.

The activist and social satirist who trailblazed a new form of racial commentary in the 1960s examines 100 key events in Black history through this collection of essays which examine Middle Passage, the creation of Jheri Curl and the Black Lives Matter movement.

An unflinching examination of the breadth of Black responses to white oppression, particularly those pioneered by Black women.

A prize-winning scholar draws on astonishing new research to demonstrate how Black people used the law to their advantage long before the civil rights movement.

A journey through the history, rituals and landscapes of the American South-- and a revelatory argument for why one must understand the South in order to understand America.

A look at how the legacy of slavery is preserved in monuments and landmarks such as Angola, a former plantation-turned-maximum-security prison in Louisiana that houses Black men working the fields for virtually no pay.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author identifies the qualifying characteristics of historical caste systems to reveal how a rigid hierarchy of human rankings, enforced by religious views, heritage and stigma, impact everyday American lives.

An epic history covering the period from the end of World War I through the 1970s chronicles the decades-long migration of African Americans from the South to the North and West through the stories of three individuals and their families.

A profound and lasting reflection on how Black performance is inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture.

Part graphic novel, part memoir, Wake tells the story of women-led slave revolts and chronicles efforts to uncover the truth about these women warriors who, until now, have been left out of the historical record.

Reveals the story of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, discussing how the all-Black battalion faced prejudice both at home and at war due to Jim Crow laws that made them second-class citizens, and allowed their crucial contributions to the D-Day invasion go unnoticed.

Presenting radical new ways to think about love in our personal and professional lives and how it can be used to end struggles between individuals, communities and societies.

A landmark narrative history that braids together the stories of forgotten pioneers of the Black Fives Era of basketball who battled discrimination and marginalization.

The story of the first all-Black battalion in the Women's Army Corps who bravely confronted racism and sexism while creating a system to make sure millions of letters and packages got to soldiers fighting in Europe.

A collection of reimagined classic fairy tales, African and African American folktales, illustrated with photographs that capture the beauty, innocence and magic of Black children.

Breathtaking photographs and a collection of powerful essays recognizing and celebrating the versatility and innate beauty of Black hair and Black beauty.

Investigates the stories behind stunning never-before-published images from Black history from the "New York Times" photo archives.

In 1879, three women-- Lettie; her mother, Sylvia; and young teacher Philomena-- who are free from slavery but bound by poverty, access to opportunity and patriarchal social structures-- head westward on a perilous wagon journey that could cost them everything they have, including their lives.

Set against a backdrop of racial tensions and protests, this story of a man who fought social injustice-- and won-- follows David Harris and his turbulent path to become the first African American commercial airline pilot in the United States.

From Frederick Douglass to Oprah Winfrey, from the achievements of ancient African kingdoms to those of the U.S. civil rights movement, this title takes kids on an exceptional journey from prehistory to modern times.

In 1955, when his family, who passes for white, moves to an idyllic all-white suburban town, Calvin, who secretly makes friends across town, finds himself caught between two worlds when he discovers dark secrets about the white town and its inhabitants, which places his family in danger.

Using dramatic comic book-style retellings and illustrated profiles of key figures, this title captures the major events, people and actions of the party as well as their cultural and political influence and enduring legacy.