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Black History Month February 1 to March 1

By Alicia Waters | February 1, 2023

Black History Month (February 1 to March 1) is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Celebrate Black History Month by reading titles listed below.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Z. N Hurston (DB 100477)

This classic novel tells the story of Janie, a black woman who had three marriages: to middle-aged Logan Killicks, a prosperous farmer; to Joe Starks, a go-getter who makes Janie Mrs. Mayor Starks of Eatonville, Florida; and to Tea Cake Woods, who teaches Janie, at forty, the reality of love and happiness. Commercial audiobook. 1937.

The Dead Are Arising by Les Payne (DB 103798)

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist recounts the life of Malcolm X, drawing on interviews he conducted with those who knew him–siblings, friends, cellmates, Nation of Islam figures, FBI agents, cops, and political leaders. He traces Malcolm’s life from his birth until his Harlem assassination, including his exploits as a petty criminal, his religious awakening, and more. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

A Promised Land by Barack Obama (DB 100966)

The first volume of Barack Obama’s presidential memoirs, recounting his journey from youth to president of the United States of America. He discusses his early aspirations, the trajectory of his political career, landmark moments of his first term, and reflections on American politics. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2020.

Black Bottom Saints by Alice Randall (DB 100828)

Joseph “Ziggy” Johnson spends his time through the Great Depression to after World War II as the gossip columnist for Detroit’s African-American newspaper and emcee for one of the hottest nightclubs in the Black Bottom neighborhood. On his death bed, he compiles Black Bottom’s list of saints. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

Four Hundred Souls By Keisha Blaine (DB 102425)

A “community” history of African Americans spanning the four centuries between 1619 and 2019 that contains pieces from ninety writers, each covering the span of a few years. Each period of time is explored in a variety of ways, including essays, short stories, vignettes, and polemics. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2021.

The Black Church by Henry L. Gates (DB 102782)

Author of Dark Sky Rising (DB 94568) and Stony the Road (DB 94631) examines the role of the Christian church in Black American life from the time of slavery to the twenty-first century. Explores its impact on political movements for social justice. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

James Baldwin by Quincy Troupe (DB 31579)

James Baldwin was one of the most important African-American writers of the twentieth century. On December 8, l987, his funeral was held in Harlem. Many of the tributes in this collection were presented then. Also included are interviews, critical essays, and selections from Baldwin’s writings.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (DB 80026)

In this autobiography told through vivid poems, Woodson explores her childhood as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s and her growing awareness of the civil rights movement. Reflects on the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite her difficulties with reading as a child. Commercial audiobook. For grades 4-7. 2014.

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