Underrated Books To Read for Black History Month

[@duskyliterati1]

I applaud Book Riot for really trying to focus on diversity in their social media comments, articles, and videos. However, twice now I've heard how difficult it is to find fiction and non-fiction works by Black authors. It's really not. Black authors, globally, have been putting out great works and winning literary awards for years. Just a pet peeve of mine, just to continually hear this excuse for not reading diversely. This also applies to Latin / Asian others, translated works. They are definitely out there.

[@BookRiotVideo]

Yes, they're out there! But they certainly don't get as much press, attention, or awards as white authors, which is probably why some readers find it difficult to diversify. But we're trying to fix that!

[@athenajacob95]

I have to agree that sometimes finding good qaulity work by black authors is hard to find. Not because black authors don't put out great work but that they don't get the same publicity as white authors. If it weren't for youtube, I wouldn't know about half of these black authors. That goes for Latin and Asian also.

[@megaDwiggins]

Hey check out a trailer book about an African American female president. kzbin.info/www/bejne/omG5Y6yff7-LiM0

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Go Rincey! Its fantastic seeing your videos on Bookriot. I love the inclusion of a graphic novel.

[@megaDwiggins]

Hey check out a trailer book about an African American female president. kzbin.info/www/bejne/omG5Y6yff7-LiM0

[@shutyourtypeface]

Awesome recs! Very excited to read some of these, especially Brown Girl Dreaming.

[@NicoleBookAdventures]

A few more science fiction and fantasy recommendations. I really like Samuel R Delany (trippy 70's sci-fi), Octavia E Butler, Nalo Hopkinson (sci-fi and fantasy with a caribbean influence), and Nnedi Okorafor.

[@duskyliterati1]

Thumbs up for these authors. Also, there's Tobias Buckell (good steampunk), Tananarive Due (horror) and her husband Stephen Barnes (alt history), Karen Lord (sci-fi), Alaya Dawn Johnson (YA), Walter Mosley, L.A. Banks (paranormal)

[@megaDwiggins]

Hey check out a trailer book about an African American female president. kzbin.info/www/bejne/omG5Y6yff7-LiM0

[@InsiyaPoonawala]

Yay! Great to see you over here on Book Riot. Picked up the first volume of _March_ only a couple of days ago and cannot wait to get started.

[@SteveReadsBooks]

There's also a great thing going on called #ReadSoulLit people can join in on: instagram.com/p/yZn6opM_H_/?modal=true Created by the amazing frenchiedee and a video series going around celebrating black authors, artists and booktubers. People should check it out!

[@yvonnemoore1128]

Thank you. BLACK PIONEERS IN BLUE HAWAII is a must read

[@yesmissjane]

The best 'SoulLit' book I've read this month is Black Water Rising by Attica Locke, which is a really gripping crime fiction story set in Houston in the early 80s. The protagonist of the story is a struggling black lawyer with all sorts of personal baggage left over from his involvement in the civil rights movement.

[@duskyliterati1]

2nd Black Water Rising. Attica Locke also wrote The Cutting Season which I loved. Her book Pleasantville is coming out in April. Btw, love that she is a writer and co-producer on the new hit drama Empire

[@yesmissjane]

Dusky Literati Pleasantville is supposed to be a follow up to Black Water Rising, i.e. with the same central character some years later. I am so looking forward to it!

[@megaDwiggins]

Hey check out a trailer book about an African American female president. kzbin.info/www/bejne/omG5Y6yff7-LiM0

[@marathonsun]

I can't say enough good about Brown Girl Dreaming. My friends and family are so sick of hearing me talk about it! :)

[@adultishbooks]

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson...but I've already told you about this one.

[@rinasweetness]

This was a great list, thank you so much.

[@megaDwiggins]

Hey check out a trailer book about an African American female president. kzbin.info/www/bejne/omG5Y6yff7-LiM0

[@1234IZM]

NK Jemisin is AMAZING. If you haven't already, read The Inheritance Trilogy. ASAP.

[@abcofblack5675]

Something new and Black authored: Alphabet of Black Cultures ♥

[@coreymcquinn7137]

The NYT Book Review recently had an essay about Albert Murray, a mid-20th-century African-American author and essayist. Definitely a reach into the back catalog, but he touches on a broad range of topics. I found some in the library and loved it. Also, Zadie Smith: anything new coming out any time soon?

[@duskyliterati1]

Awhile ago, Zadie mentioned she was working on a sci-fi novel and reading a lot of Ursula K Le Guin. Junot Diaz is also working on a sci-fi novel

[@megaDwiggins]

Hey check out a trailer book about an African American female president. kzbin.info/www/bejne/omG5Y6yff7-LiM0

[@spider-boi-2189]

In the comment section is almost completely White people

[@nuckiechina1981]

you beautiful ...

[@betulyakarol4194]

There is black history month? Why? America is weird.

[@adh-dream]

There has been a Black History Month in the USA and the UK for years... 😅