The Prepare or Die Girl: 50 Great Books Every Ebony Lady Should Review
These books test us to imagine, become, echo, comprehend, stretch ourselves, believe, have crazy, find comfort, look for resolution.
I became created might 21—last day’s Taurus, first-day of Gemini and simply over weekly away from the unofficial start of summer time—so naturally
I blossom in summer. I’m out in sundresses and stilettos, I’m interacting at growers’ industries, I’m recognizing Evites and probably meet-ups. But appear October, whenever wind begins acquiring somewhat bite onto it and November, when it’s formally also cold to do something as simple as obtaining mail without tugging on a coat and hat, we move into hibernation function.
I like the alteration of times regarding the eastern coast, but that chilly atmosphere is the perfect impetus in which to stay our home, create sweatpants and fuzzy clothes my uniform acquire some really serious browsing done. Here, in no specific order—except for first one, in fact it is my total, all-time favorite—are 50 books that challenge you to believe, think, echo, realize, stretch ourselves, feel, get crazy, uncover peace, search solution.
It is certainly not an extensive list. I don’t even thought we can easily develop one because somewhere, people try creating a great publication right at this really time which will ultimately need an area on many of our must-read moves. But I hope it no less than serves as a jump-off aim for some considerate, meaningful literary usage until the springtime thaw (which can be March 20, in case you are counting era).
1. Their Unique Eyes Were Watching Jesus by Zora Neale Hurston
2. The Flames On The Next Occasion by James Baldwin3. Cousin Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry4. The Miseducation of Negro by Carter G. Woodson5. Soledad Uncle: The Jail Emails of George Jackson by George Jackson6. Cane by Jean Toomer7. The Prisoner’s girlfriend by asha bandele8. Krik? Krak? by Edwidge Danticat9. Points Falter by Chinua Achebe10. The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman11. Jesus while the Disinherited by Howard Thurman12. Ebony Bourgeoise by E. Franklin Frazier13. Jubilee by Margaret Walker14. Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed15. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison16. Kindred by Octavia Butler17. 1 day My Personal Heart Only Exposed by Iyanla Vanzant18. On the lookout for Pleasure by J. Ca Cooper19. Undetectable People by Ralph Ellison20. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry21. A Lesson Before Perishing by Ernest Gaines22. Black Betty by Walter Mosley23. Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks24. I understand Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou25. for coloured ladies with regarded suicide/when the rainbow is not enuf by Ntozake Shange26. Dark Macho and the misconception of the Superwoman by Michele Wallace27. The colour Purple by Alice Walker28. The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. DuBois29. The road by Ann Petry30. The ladies of Brewster Spot by Gloria Naylor31. Praisesong for the Widow by Paule Marshall32. This Link Called My Back Once Again by Cherrie L. Moraga33. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde34. Would love to Exhale by Terri McMillan35. Native Boy by Richard Wright36. Their Organization Ain’t Like My Own by Bebe Moore Campbell37. Kehinde by Buchi Emecheta38. We a BaddDDD Individuals by Sonia Sanchez39. The methods of Light People by Langston Hughes40. Walls by August Wilson41. The Debt by Randall Robinson42. Talks With Jesus: Two hundreds of years of Prayers by African-Americans by James Melvin Washington43. The small Ebony guide of Achievement by Elaine Meryl Brown, Rhonda pleasure McLean and Marsha Haygood44. Annie Allen by Gwendolyn Brooks 45. Exactly why I Love Dark Girls by Michael Eric Dyson46. The marriage by Dorothy West47. When Chickenheads Return Home to Roost by Joan Morgan48. Tumbling by Diane McKinney-Whetstone49. exactly what appears like insane on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage50. Goals from My Dad by Barack Obama