Contemporary African American Authors You Should Be Reading
February is African American History Month, which is the perfect opportunity to expand your reading horizons.
Of course, there are the classic American authors that we know and love, including Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, Octavia Butler, and many more, who we wholeheartedly recommend you read if you haven't done so yet.
Then there are today's contemporary black authors who are gaining legions of fans (and many awards) for their work. Below you'll find some of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ members' favorite authors. If you're unfamiliar with their work, there's no time like the present to add them to your .
We'd also love to know about your favorite African American authors. Please share your recommendations with us in the comments.
Of course, there are the classic American authors that we know and love, including Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, Octavia Butler, and many more, who we wholeheartedly recommend you read if you haven't done so yet.
Then there are today's contemporary black authors who are gaining legions of fans (and many awards) for their work. Below you'll find some of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ members' favorite authors. If you're unfamiliar with their work, there's no time like the present to add them to your .
We'd also love to know about your favorite African American authors. Please share your recommendations with us in the comments.
Colson Whitehead
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N.K. Jemisin
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Roxane Gay
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Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Jacqueline Woodson
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Tayari Jones
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James McBride
What authors would you recommend to your fellow readers this African American History Month? Let us know in the comments!
Check out more recent articles, including:
20 New & Upcoming Novels for Black History Month
February's Most Anticipated New Books
44 Highly Anticipated New and Upcoming Nonfiction Books
Check out more recent articles, including:
20 New & Upcoming Novels for Black History Month
February's Most Anticipated New Books
44 Highly Anticipated New and Upcoming Nonfiction Books
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The list goes on. Quite a few more than 6 authors and I just scratched the surface from my own collection...

Maria wrote: "I would totally recommend Kwame Alexander, Angie Thomas (an obvious choice) and Jason Reynolds. Correct me if they're not African American. :) I'm..."
Toni Morrison is a female. Now, find something of hers and read it. It's worth it.

Maria wrote: "I would totally recommend Kwame Alexander, Angie Thomas (an obvious choice) and Jason Reynolds. Correct me if they're not African American. :) I'm..."
Toni is female :)
Toni is female :)

especially Two Cities and his short story collections God's Gym and Homewood. There are very few American writers of any "race'' gender who write about our cities as powerfully as Widemn.
Other favorites of mine are: Henry Dumas' The Echo Tree and Other Stories", Richard Wright's two magnificent short story collections- his very first (and arguablly finest) book- Uncle Tom's Childlren, and Eight Men ( which was published at the end his life even though some of the stories had been written when he wrote his first towering book Uncle Tom' Children.
I love Jean Toomer's experimental novel CANE, along with James Allen McPherson's magnifcent short story collections: Hue and Cry, and Elbow Room. for more info on great African American writers including Toni Cade Bambara, Sterling A. Brown ( one of AmeriCa' greatest poeTS). AND DONT FORGEST GWENDOLYN BROOKS AND CHARLES JOHNSON. OR STERLING


how about Patricia Smith? Blood Dazzle ( about Hurricane Katrina)
some other fantastic poets:
Hyesoon Kim -Its OK; I'm PIG
Daniel Borzuzky- The Murmur of the Carcass of the Rotting Economy
Linh Dinh- A M E R I K A (poems) Borderlesso Bodies) amazing'
If you read Whitehead, make sure you check out John Henry Days
Also have you read much Toni Cade Bambaa- sharp and hilalrious

He? Toni Morrison was a woman.

Like, "You're not the boss of me."

Glad someone else reads John Wideman. I think I've read everything he has published in book form. Of course, I was one of his students at the University of Wyoming a million years ago. I do think he's truly a "great" writer.

Jennifer C. Nash
Angela Y. Davis
Charlene Carruthers
Patrisse Khan-Cullors
Malcolm X
Ibram X. Kendi

Toni Morrison is female

If you want to read an american author, that happens to be with black skin, read the great Thomas Sowell!

Invisible by Stephen L. Carter
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Fly Girl By Sherri L. Smith
Orleans By Sherri L. Smith

Invisible by Stephen L. Carter
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson"
I got the chance to meet Isabel Wilkerson when she came through the Portland airport & stopped in at the bookstore I worked at & asked how she could get some love (a shelf talker) for her book. When I asked what the title of her book was I never in a million years expected to be talking to a National Book Award-winning author & my knees almost buckled. I told her I'd love to be the one to read & write a tag for her book & it ended up being one of my favorites that year & a big hand seller for me.
I also want to shout out for the author Brandy Colbert--a YA author who writes about tough topics very well.

Zadie Smith
Yaa Gyasi
Kwame Alexander
De'Shawn Charles Winslow
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Walter Dean Meyers
Edwidge Danticat
Jamaica Kincaid
Gloria Naylor
Michelle Alexander
Isabel Wilkerson
Ibram X. Kendi
Connie Briscoe
Diane Mckinney-Whetstone
Walter Moseley
Bebe Moore Campbell
J. California Cooper
ZZ Packer
Imbolo Mbue
Zinzi Clemmons
Taiye Selasi
Stephen L. Carter
My goodness, this list is just a tease for other bibliophiles. Enjoy!


If you want to read an american author, that happens to be with black skin, read the great Th..."
If you can say this about great poets like Patricia Smith, Tyehimba Jess, Marilyn Nelson and scores of CaveCanem poets, you have no taste no grace and are mired in your Sowellian conservatism. Your remarks are unfounded and have not an iota of any discernment or analysis. You should think careflullly about that word: analysis.

Glad someone else reads John Wideman. I think I've read everything he has published in book form. Of course, I was one of his students at the University of Wyoming a..."
Lucky you. And you are so spot on. Do you have favorite books of his?

Did you know that Jones is doing something with his two short story collections that, as far as I know has never been done before in literature from anywhere?? The characters in his first collection reappear in his second collection!!! Check it out. The first collection is Lost In The City; the second is Aunt Hagar's Children. Stories about his native home Washington DC.
As someone who grew up in Brooklyn, Im so heartened when there are books about the city. When i went to publilc school in the fifties and sixtiess, most the literature curriculum k-12 ( and beyond in college) was overwhelmingly rural LittleHouseonThePrairie The Yearling My Friend Flicka Where The Red Fern Ferns. Not a subway, fire hydrants or project was in sight. The few exceptions I foundon my own- Dos Passos Manhattan Transfer, Dreiser's Sister Carrie, Wright's Native Son, James Farrell's Studs Lonigan, Malamud's The Magic Barrell some of John Ohara. But there were cities portrayed in the thenunderratedl detective writers- Dashiell Hammet, Raymond Chandler of great reputtion, and their peer who was not recognized CHESTER HIMES, creator of the Harlem Crime series starring Gravedigger Johnson and Coffin Ed Joness! WOW!

Kendi's book Stamped From The Beginning is , hands down, one of the most American history books with African Americans as the center, in the last thirty years and given the number of superb historians, that is saying a lot but get it and see for yourself.

Ibram X. Kendi How to Be an Antiracist
Howard Bryant Full Dissidence: Notes from an Uneven Playing Field
Nalo Hopkinson Midnight Robber
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Friday Black
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o Minutes of glory
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor The Dragonfly Sea
Tochi Onyebuchi Riot Baby
L. Penelope Song of Blood & Stone
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie We Should All Be Feminists
Helen Oyeyemi Gingerbread and What is Not Yours is Not Yours

Can't recommend her enough. Short stories that pack a lot of punch. South african.
And of course, Jesmyn Ward writes splendidly. Sing, Unburied, Sing was definitely my favorite in 2019

Like, "You're not the boss of me.""
Im not anybody's boss; Im simply trying to share my knowledge. Read what you want to read.

Amen! Those authors are amazing! Anyone, especially black people who haven't read "On The Come Up" need to read this this was an empowering book for me as a black person and one of the best books I've ever read.

Maria wrote: "I would totally recommend Kwame Alexander, Angie Thomas (an obvious choice) and Jason Reynolds. Correct me if they're not African American. :) I'm..."
Maria wrote: "I would totally recommend Kwame Alexander, Angie Thomas (an obvious choice) and Jason Reynolds. Correct me if they're not African American. :) I'm..."


Toni Morrison was a woman and she was an amazing author! Read her!


Glad someone else reads John Wideman. I think I've read everything he has published in book form. Of course, I was one of his students at the University of Wyoming a..."
NOW WE ARE TALKLNG ABOUT A WORLD CLASS AUTHOR INSTEAD OF SOME OF THESE BOOKS THAT ARE EITHER GLORIFIED LEAFLETSS OR POPULAR PA

Glad someone else reads John Wideman. I think I've read everything he has published in book form. Of course, I was one of his students at the University of Wyoming a..."
NOW WE ARE TALKLNG ABOUT A WORLD CLASS AUTHOR INSTEAD OF SOME OF THESE BOOKS THAT ARE EITHER GLORIFIED LEAFLETSS OR POPULAR PA