Black History Month Reading Challenge

I always have a book in hand, but, for 2020, I wanted to add more purpose behind my reading choices. And, for Black History Month this year, I wanted to focus on books written by Black women I haven’t read yet. Since I’ve been doing a lot of Women’s History research for a special project, I have been coming across the most fascinating women and I wanted to read more about them/books written by them. Written in 2020, updated 2021.

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15. F*ck Your Diet: And Other Things My Thighs Tell Me, 2020 – Chloé Hilliard

Black History Month Reading Challenge - Tabitha Bear

This book. Thiiissssssss booooook. Yes. While I cannot relate to being over 6 foot, I can relate to be chubby/plus size and trying to cope, accept, and straight out avoid these facts when going through puberty and already struggling with a changing body’s irritating toll. Also – kids are the cruelest and that doesn’t help, either. Chloë’s narrative and outlook is relatable, fabulous, intelligent AF, and inspiring. My thighs thank you, Chloë!

14. me and white supremacy, 2020 – Layla F. Saad

This book is really great, especially for those on the path to understanding antiracism better, and/or how they can be a better advocate for Black people. And I’m talking about beyond being a performative ally. While this book is meant to be a sort of 30 day, 1 chapter a day, read. I took my time. I let myself really reflect. As an Indigenous woman, I understand a lot of lateral oppression and racist & stereotyped prejudice Layla addresses throughout the book. However, as a white-passing individual, I am incredibly aware of the privilege awarded to me just because of DNA, and I felt this was a wonderful tool to dig more into how I can use that to uplift other BIPOC individuals. Not just with equality, but with equity as well. If you’d like to dive deeper with this book, there is also a workbook that partners with it.

13. The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls, 2019 – Anissa Gray

I’m not at all sure how this book has eluded me for two years now, but I’m excited to read it. Have you ever picked up a book and just knew it was going to be powerful? The Butler family, once highly respected in town, is swiftly seen as disgraced when Althea and her husband, Proctor, are arrested. Althea’s sisters, Viola and Lillian swoop in to take care of Althea’s teenage children and try to piece together an event that not even they know what exactly happened.

12. Children of Blood and Bone, 2018 – Tomi Adeyemi

This is Tomi’s debut novel. It’s a Young Adult (Teen) fantasy novel inspired from West African mythology. This is the first book in a promised trilogy. Tomi is 26 years old and I’m really excited to see what she continues to do with her writing career. Other Stories By This Author Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Book 2)

11. An American Marriage, 2018 – Tayari Jones

This book won the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction, Aspen Words Prize, and NAACP Image Award! It was selected for Oprah’s Book Club the month it was released and is said to be a must-read from President Obama. Other Stories By This Author Leaving Atlanta The Untelling

10. The Fifth Season, 2015 – N.K. Jemisin

This is the first of three books in the Broken Earth series. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel, making N.K. Jemisin the first African-American writer to win a Hugo Award for Best Novel. AND the other two books in the trilogy won as well. She is the only writer to win three years in a row. I am a SciFi person more than regular fiction, and I’m really looking forward to this one! Other Stories By This Author The Obelisk Gate (Book 2) The Stone Sky (Book 3)

9. Fledgling, 2005 – Octavia Butler

Fledgling came out when I was in high school, I remember a lot of my friends talking about it, as most of them enjoyed SciFi, too, and I think I read it. However, I cannot remember a lot of it/remember if I finished it. So, I’ve added this to the list to give it the proper attention it deserves. Octavia Butler is the first Science Fiction writer to receive the MacArthur Fellowship, a.k.a. the MacArthur Genius Grant. Other Stories By This Author Lilith’s Brood (a.k.a. Xenogenesis trilogy) Bloodchild

8. On Her Own Ground, 2001 – A’Lelia Bundles

A’Lelia is the great-great-granddaughter of CJ Walker, whom this book is about. CJ Walker was born to enslaved parents and eventually became incredibly successful and wealthy by selling hair care products for Black women. She was generous with her money, donated to orphanages and the NAACP, along with other organizations. I came across CJ Walker’s story a few years ago and fell in love with her. Other Stories By This Author Madam C.J. Walker: Entrepreneur

7. Sula, 1973 – Toni Morrison

Okay… I’m probably about to share an unpopular opinion, but I’ve never cared for Toni Morrison’s books. I don’t know why. Anyone I’ve had a conversation with about Toni’s work has always loved her, and it honestly makes me feel bad. Like I’m missing something. Granted, I’m an individual and I do not have to like every author in the world. But, since it has been some years since I’ve read anything from Toni, I thought I’d add her to this challenge and try again. Sula won the Ohioana Book Award. If you’re not familiar with Toni Morrison, she became the first Black female editor for fiction at Random House, is a Pulitzer Prize Winner, received the Nobel Prize for Literature, and President Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Other Stories By This Author The Bluest Eye Beloved

6. To Be Young, Gifted, and Black, 1969 – Lorraine Hansberry

I learned of Lorraine while in high school, I was a theatre major in my local Charter Arts and read ‘Raisin in the Sun’ – which I have seen as ‘Raisin’ in a few places. I remember learning she died young, but as I wrote up this piece and googled her again, I guess I didn’t realize how young. She died at 34 from pancreatic cancer. It’s important to note this detail because Lorraine had several posthumous publications, courtesy of her ex-husband, along with some unfinished manuscripts. Lorraine was also an activist for gay rights. When her ex-husband donated her works to the NY Public Library, he kept unpublished work, her diaries, and any lesbian-themed content restricted. This material was released in 2013. Her autobiography is a posthumous publication, and was actually a play first. Other Stories By This Author The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window Raisin in the Sun

5. The Street, 1946 – Ann Petry

I was thrown off when I saw the publication date was 1946. I thought it was far more recent for some reason. As in, the last handful of years recent. And it’s because the Library of America released The Street with another of Ann’s stories in 2019. I’m not going crazy! Well…imagining things at the least. I keep a document on my google drive of random author names and/or books I hear in passing, recommendations given to me, or titles I come across at a really inconvenient time to explore – Ann’s The Street was on there. Funny thing is, I cannot remember at all where I heard of her. I have a favored appreciation for a lot of writing from the 20’s to 60’s and this book falls right into that era. It won the Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship. Other Stories By This Author The Narrows The Drugstore Cat (Kid’s book)

Side Note

For the next two books, I took from a list I came across while getting information to write this post, and not only need to give credit to, but implore you to visit the site and bookmark it. It’s from an article called ‘The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written by African American Women’ by The ZORA Canon. I’m not on Medium, I couldn’t seem to get into it, but The ZORA Canon has reignited my interest and FOMO.

4. Moses, Man of the Mountain, 1939 – Zora Neale Hurston

I read ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ some years ago. I wanted to read something else from Zora. I’ve always been a fan of ‘What if?’ religious storylines. This story is a rewrite of the Book of Exodus, but from an African-American perspective, and with a woman leading the charge instead of a man. Other Stories By This Author Their Eyes Were Watching God Sweat

3. There is Confusion, 1924 – Jessie Fauset

Jessie was the literary editor for the NAACP’s magazine ‘The Crisis’. Before and after her time as an editor, she was a high school teacher. She wrote about middle-class Black characters, which of course, she was criticized for. She graduated from Cornell with a BA and received her Masters from the University of Pennsylvania. Other Stories By This Author Plum Bun Comedy, American Style

2. An Autobiography, the Story of the Lord’s Dealings with Mrs. Amanda Smith, the Colored Evangelist, 1893 – Amanda Berry Smith

Okay – I’m going to put the entire title of her autobiography here: ‘An Autobiography, The Story of the Lord’s Dealing with Mrs. Amanda Smith, the Colored Evangelist: Containing an Account of Her Life Work of Faith, and Her Travels in America, England, Ireland, Scotland, India, and Africa, as an Independent Missionary’. I love her title so much. To me, it’s the best Read ’em and Weep at the amazing life she led, and her contributions to help others. Amanda was born to enslaved parents, and, as you can tell by the title of her autobiography, grew into a well-traveled woman of faith. She also founded The Amanda Smith Orphanage and Industrial Home for Abandoned and Destitute Colored Children.

1. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, 1861 – Harriet Jacobs

Prepare for an interesting history about this book! When published in 1861, Harriet used the pseudonym ‘Linda Brent’, and it was edited by Lydia Maria Child. However, the book was forgotten about quickly, along with many other things, because of the Civil War. When the war was over and people turned their attention back to regular life, the pseudonym caused some confusion and was accepted as a fictitious novel written by Lydia, or Harriet Beecher Stowe. It wasn’t until the 1970’s when historian Jean Yellin was reading ‘Incidents’ and realized it was written by Harriet Jacobs. It took her six years, and a lot of phone calls, to fix the massive mistake. From what I’ve read online, Harriet led such an interesting and active life and I look forward to reading about it in her own words. Other Stories By This Author While she wrote some essays/articles, this was the only published piece I could find

What Are You Reading For Black History Month?

If you’ve read any of these titles, or are reading along this February, let me know! I love discussing what I’ve read with others. These will not be read in any particular order… but the SciFi books will probably be gobbled up first! I have no idea if I’ll finish all of these in February, but I sure am going to try.