50 Books Every Black Woman Should Read

Janelle Harris, inspired by the season’s upcoming hibernation-inducing weather, makes a list of suggestions at Essence.It is by no means a comprehensive list. I don’t even think we could create one because somewhere, someone is writing a great book right at this very moment that will ultimately deserve a space on many of our must-read…

Janelle Harris, inspired by the season’s upcoming hibernation-inducing weather, makes a list of suggestions at Essence.

It is by no means a comprehensive list. I don’t even think we could create one because somewhere, someone is writing a great book right at this very moment that will ultimately deserve a space on many of our must-read rolls. But I hope it at least serves as a jump-off point for some thoughtful, purposeful literary consumption until the springtime thaw (which is March 20, in case you’re counting days). 1.    Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston  2.    The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin 3.    Sister Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry 4.    The Miseducation of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson 5.    Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson by George Jackson 6.    Cane by Jean Toomer 7.    The Prisoner’s Wife by asha bandele 8.    Krik? Krak? by Edwidge Danticat 9.    Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe 10.    The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman 11.    Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman 12.    Black Bourgeoise by E. Franklin Frazier 13.    Jubilee by Margaret Walker 14.    Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed 15.    The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 16.    Kindred by Octavia Butler 17.    One Day My Soul Just Opened Up by Iyanla Vanzant 18.    In Search of Satisfaction by J. California Cooper 19.    Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison 20.    A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry …

Read Janelle Harris’ entire piece at Clutch magazine.

The Root aims to foster and advance conversations about issues relevant to the black Diaspora by presenting a variety of opinions from all perspectives, whether or not those opinions are shared by our editorial staff.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

[ajax_load_more]