Black-Owned Books To Add to Your Bookcase - Home & Texture
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These Are the Next Black-Owned Books You Should Add to Your Bookcase

July 26, 2023 at 10:04 PM PST

When it comes to reading, there are so many options to choose from. From thrillers and suspense to dramas and love stories, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Black-owned books are another popular option, especially among Black readers. Black authors create powerful content that resonates with readers, but they often don’t receive the level of recognition they deserve. Many Black authors are not always afforded the same opportunities as others, and as a result, they are often shut out of the literary space.

Why Supporting Black Authors Is Important

Black authors provide incredible insights into the experiences of Black people and Black communities. This can include covering Black history, identity, and culture. When others read Black-owned books, they can better understand the challenges that so many Black people face every day. This can help promote more empathy and bridge the racial divide.

Reading Black-owned books is also a great way to increase the visibility of Black authors who have historically been shut out of the literary world. Black authors are underrepresented, which can stifle Black voices, but by supporting Black authors, you can help break down barriers and usher in a more inclusive literary space.

Additionally, Black-owned books help ensure that more diverse perspectives are told to readers of varying backgrounds. Literature has the power to inspire and can influence others to write their own books. This is especially helpful to young readers who may not have seen themselves represented in literature before.

Black-owned Books To Add to Your Bookcase

Reading is a powerful tool for learning. Through reading, you can have a relaxing hobby to pass the time while learning new concepts, theories, and ideas that can reshape your understanding of the world around you. Whether you enjoy fiction or nonfiction, sitting down to crack open a good book is good for your mind and soul. Here are five Black-owned books that you should consider adding to your collection:

1All the Black Girls Are Activists

A "love letter to Black girls and Black women," All The Black Girls Are Activists is an extraordinary book by EbonyJanice Moore that begs the question, “Who would black women get to be if we did not have to create from a place of resistance?” Black women are often the purveyors of radical change, and this powerful read explores the impact of that and how Black women prioritizing themselves is the most radical and necessary change of all.

2Everything I Wish I Knew

Everything I Wish I Knew by Julian Dangerfield is an incredible book that focuses on creating generational wealth through real estate. Dangerfield draws from his personal experiences to provide insights to Black readers on how they can overcome financial and generational poverty to build wealth. An extraordinary read, this book is perfect for readers of all ages. Its content is not only informative and insightful but relatable to the plight of Black Americans as well.

3We Are Not Like Them: A Novel

We Are Not Like Them is a novel written by Christine Pride about two close friends — Riley, a Black woman, and Jen, a White woman. The two are as close as sisters, having grown up together. But when Jen's husband, a police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teen, their friendship is tested. Speaking to the current state of race relations in America, this novel is certainly one to make you think. Can the pair of best friends overcome this insidious battle? Or will they allow it to pull them apart?

4The Wife Before

The Wife Before by Shanora Williams is a fictional book that follows the story of Samira Wilder, a down-on-her-luck woman who meets a professional golfer named Ronald Graham. Not only is he handsome, but he's also rich and famous. The two fall in love and are soon married, but when Samira finds a journal written by her new husband's late wife, she starts to second-guess her prince charming, realizing that not everything that glitters is gold.

5When No One Is Watching: A Thriller

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole is a suspenseful read that takes readers on a journey with protagonist Sydney Green. Green, a Brooklyn native, is coming to grips with seeing her neighborhood being gentrified. She makes an unexpected friend in Theo, a new neighbor she meets on a neighborhood walking tour. But after learning more about their neighborhood, Sydney and Theo come to realize the push toward gentrification is more insidious than it appears.

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