'Tis the season to immerse yourself and those you love in a rich tapestry of voices and stories from Black authors. This December serves up thought-provoking novels and powerful memoirs of voices from the past, offering a treasure trove of wisdom, creativity and cultural insight. These incredible books can transport us to new realms and educate us, so gift the joy of reading and make a lasting impact with stories that inspire and illuminate. May your holidays be filled with the magic of literature!
Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond
Bethonie Butler
Veteran TV reporter Bethonie Butler explores the groundbreaking and influential TV shows centered on Black people and their experiences from the last 50 years. From 'Julia,' the groundbreaking sitcom that made Diahann Carroll the first Black woman to lead a prime-time network series, to iconic showrunners like Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, Issa Rae and Quinta Brunson, this book celebrates the creators, actors and writers who have brought the Black American experience to the screen.
Price: $35
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The Black Joy Project
Kleaver Cruz
Black joy is everywhere that Black people exist! From Africa to America and every place in between, this book features 117 full-color photos and eight breathtaking essays on the happiness that surrounds the African diaspora and beyond. The perfect gift to sit on every coffee table!
Price: $35
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Rebecca, Not Becky: A Novel
Christine Platt and Catherine Wigginton Greene
When De’Andrea Whitman and her family move to the upper-crust white suburb of Rolling Hills, Virginia, she finds it tough to fit in. Her therapist then suggests a seemingly brilliant solution: make a white friend. It's an exploration of motherhood, friendship and the true meaning of sisterhood from this Black and White author team. Share with your girlfriends of all races.
Price: $19
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The Wildest Sun: A Novel
Asha Lemmie
Gift a literary escape around the world! A writer in Post-war Paris seeks the father she never knew (who she believes is Ernest Hemingway), embarking on a journey that takes her from the City of Lights to New York’s Harlem, Havana and Key West, Florida.
Price: $25
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Tender Headed
Olatunde Osinaike
Author Olatunde Osinaike thoughtfully poses the question, "What makes a man, and what makes a man like me," in this musical and formally playful collection of poems on Black identity and masculinity. Pick up for your brother or any man in your life.
Price: $18
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Perfect Little Lives
Amber and Danielle Brown
For your favorite crime thriller enthusiast, the latest novel from twin sisters Amber and Danielle Brown is the perfect gift! Simone is trying to put her life back together after her mother is murdered and her father is convicted. But a true documentarian and an old neighbor help Simone realize that everything is not what it seems.
Price: $14
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Keyana Loves Her Friend
Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Gift the youngins this book about Keyana and Nia, besties who enjoy a night of games, dancing and splashing in the pool! Young readers will learn how Keyana and Nia solve their issues when they don't see eye-to-eye.
Price: $19
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If You Call My Name: The Collected Memoirs of Black Enslaved People
Frederick Douglass, Solomon Northup, Harriet Jacobs, Booker T. Washington, Olaudah Equiano
Out on Christmas Day, the memoirs of abolitionists Frederick Douglass, Solomon Northup, Harriet Jacobs, Olaudah Equiano and Booker T. Washington are shared in one volume, as they tell their stories of enslavement and emancipation and champion the fight for freedom.
Price: $35
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