Contemporary African American Authors
You probably know the names of many great African American writers of the past. You might be less familiar, however, with the black authors creating and innovating today. In addition to revisiting the classics, Black History Month is a great time to acquaint yourself with some of the contemporary writers continuing the legacy of those who came before.
Fiction:
"The Sellout" by Paul Beatty (2015)
Paul Beatty, the first American ever to win the Man Booker Prize, spares no one in this sharp, sometimes shocking satire on race relations in modern America. Exasperated by an unfulfilling life and the "accidental" death of his father at the hands of the LAPD, our narrator sets out on a course of action that will ultimately land him before the Supreme Court. The charge? You'll have to read to find out.
"Ruby" by Cynthia Bond (2015)
Ruby Bell has encountered nothing but trauma in her small East Texas hometown, and as soon as she is old enough to flee she does so. But her new life in 1950s New York is cut short when an important telegram calls her back home to face her demons. This, dark, community-centric story of a woman's strength in the face of extreme hardship will appeal to fans of Toni Morrison, while remaining an experience entirely its own.
"Delicious Foods" by James Hannaham (2015)
When 11-year-old Eddie's narcotics-addicted mother goes missing one night, he sets out alone to find her. Little does he know that her addiction has led her to a place more terrifying than either of them could imagine. This PEN/Faulkner Award winner utilizes sardonic humor and unusual narrative techniques to tell a riveting, frightening story of family, determination, and the quest for freedom.
"Welcome to Braggsville" by T. Geronimo Johnson (2015)
Much like "The Sellout," T. Geronimo Johnson's novel makes use of cutting satire to reveal some deeper truths about today's America. This time the protagonist is D'aron Davenport, a white Berkeley student from the Deep South who sets out with a spirited (but misguided) group of friends to teach his hometown a lesson about acceptance. The results are distasterous, but you won't want to look away.
"The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead (2016)
This National Book Award winner reimagines the Underground Railroad as an actual subterranean locomotive that carries runaway slaves to freedom. We follow our heroine Cora as she travels on the train from state to state, encountering new horrors and learning new lessons in each one. It's an inventive, enlightening novel, and one of the most highly-praised books of last year.
Nonfiction:
"White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide" by Carol Anderson (2016)
Carol Anderson adds her voice to our country's ongoing discussion of race with this short, convicting survey of civil rights--or the lack thereof--in the post-Civil War years. Anderson focuses specifically on the resistance of many white Americans to racial progress throughout our history, and the ways in which this resistance has continued to fuel discord into the 21st century.
"Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2015)
Framed as a letter to his young son and inspired by James Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time," Ta-Nehisi Coates' National Book Award-winning essay is a stark, visceral account of how it feels and what it means to be black in America. His perspective is a bleak one, but it leaves the reader with a clear sense of the emotional and physical toll racism takes on an individual.
"Negroland: A Memoir" by Margo Jefferson (2015)
This provocative account details the author's mid-century upbringing in an upper-class black household in Chicago. From this unique vantage point, Jefferson is able to explore the nuances of race and class in America and the contradictions that sometimes stem from seemingly conflicting identities.
"March: Books 1-3" by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin & Nate Powell (2013-2016)
This award-winning trilogy of graphic novels follows the real-life exploits of John Lewis, the civil rights leader and current Georgia senator who helped organize many of the most iconic campaigns of the Civil Rights movement. Nate Powell's beautiful artwork gives new depth to Lewis's story, and brings this important period of American history to life in an exciting way.
"Black Man in a White Coat: A Doctor's Reflections on Race and Medicine" by Damon Tweedy (2015)
Navigating the medical field is difficult under the best of circumstances, but even more so when you must overcome racial barriers as well. Damon Tweedy provides an original take on the medical memoir, giving special attention to the intersection of race and healthcare and the challenges black professionals still face to this day.
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