By Victoria Mejicanos
AFRO Staff Writer
vmejicanos@afro.com
From picturebooks to powerful nonfiction, Black authors continue to tell stories that educate, inspire and affirm. This Black History Month, take time to turn off the screen and pick up a good book. With offerings for all age groups and walks of life, there is sure to be something special for every reader.
- Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed History of America
By Michael Harriot
Given how Black history continues to face ongoing threats of erasure, it is more important than ever to remember the bravery and resilience of generations past. Michael Harriot, an acclaimed columnist and political commentator, combines sharp wit and meticulous research to deliver a read that is both deeply educational and engaging.
- The Five Blessings of Ifá: Reclaiming Black Futures Through Afro-Indigenous Spirituality
By Gabrielle Felder
This book by Gabrielle Felder explores how Black communities across the African diaspora draw strength from the principles of Ifá, a West African spiritual tradition. Felder is an author and data analyst based in Los Angeles, Calif. Drawing on history and lived practice, she explores how Afro-Indigenous frameworks have sustained identity, community and visions of the future, offering readers meaningful cultural context and reflection.
- Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson
By Tourmaline
Centered on the life and legacy of Marsha P. Johnson, this book offers a deeper look at a pioneering activist whose work helped shape modern LGBTQ+ rights movements. The book is written by Tourmaline, an award-winning artist, filmmaker, writer and activist whose work is dedicated to Black trans joy and freedom. In this offering, Johnson’s influence is examined, while highlighting the joy, resilience and community care that defined her life and activism.
- Sky Full of Elephants
(AFRO Photo / Victoria Mejicanos)
By Cebo Campbell
Cebo Campbell is an author and creative director based in Brooklyn, New York. In this speculative fiction novel, Campbell imagines a world where White people have suddenly disappeared. The novel examines what remains in their absence, exploring memory, power and how history continues to shape identity and community.
- Neecy and Nay Nay and the Green Thumbs
By Simone Dankenbring and Syrone Harvey
Twin sisters Simone Dankenbring and Syrone Harvey created the “Neecy and Nay Nay” series to honor their bond and childhood experiences together. The heartwarming chapter book series celebrates Black joy, sisterhood, family and friendship. Each book also has an activity component that parents can work on with their children. In this installment, twin sisters Neecy and Nay Nay use their green thumbs to plant a garden.
“The AFRO spoke with Harvey and Dankenbring, who said part of the inspiration for the series was a childhood where they did not see themselves reflected in literature. The pair wanted to increase representation of children of color for young people reading today.”
“The concepts really came from our childhood and our imagination…the fun and the hilarity and just the joy of being children in that particular time and era,” said Dankenbring, adding that kids should get a chance to read books with characters “that look like them.”
The books shine a spotlight on various topics such as helping the elderly, diverse friend groups and supporting foster children.
About the books Harvey said, “Overall, it’s about community. It’s about love. It’s about family.”
- Somewhere Down North
By Jason Rhodes
In his debut book, attorney, author and licensed clinical social worker Jason Rhodes offers a lyrical meditation on Black family life.
Rhodes told the AFRO it’s important for Black authors to tell their own stories because of the way Black Americans have been marginalized, attacked and rarely celebrated throughout history.
“Our story must come from us, there is no other capable of telling it,” said Rhodes. “Authors have an ability to express what is common, loveable, special, important, to make the unseen seen, to draw out emotion, to highlight wrongs, to inform, persuade, ring the alarm. Authors leave a record of what was, often it is the only thing remaining when oral memory fades.”
In the book, “Somewhere Down North,” Rhodes draws from his own experiences and places families at the center of history rather than at its margins. Rhodes documents through a poet’s perspective how Black History is not just remembered, but lived in Black households.