45 Books to Read this Black History Month

February is here, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate Black History Month with you! It’s a time to honor the incredible contributions, voices, and stories of Black individuals throughout history and today. 

To help you join the celebration, we’ve curated a list of powerful books for all ages and interests-whether you’re looking for inspiring biographies, imaginative picture books, or thought-provoking nonfiction, there’s something for everyone. Let’s dive into these must-read titles perfect for shining a light on Black history, culture, and contributions and celebrate together!

Nonfiction Picture Books

1. Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer by Quartez Harris

2. Kamala Raised Her Hand by Raakhee Mirchandani

3. Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now! by Claudette Colvin and Phillip Hoose

4. Unstoppable John: How John Lewis Got His Library Card--And Helped Change History by Pat Zietlow Miller

5. Yvonne Clark and Her Engineering Spark by Allen R. Wells

Fiction Picture Books

6. Hello There, Sunshine by Tabitha Brown

7. Brown Girl, Brown Girl by Leslé Honoré

8. Rap It Up! by Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffery Boston Weatherford

9. All the Greatness in You by Tameka Fryer Brown

10. Our Joyful Noise by Gabriele Davis

Middle School

11. Radiant by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

12. Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek by Kwame Mbalia

13. The Shape of Lost Things by Sarah Everett

14. Operation Sisterhood: Stealing the Show! by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

15. Black Girl Power: 15 Stories Celebrating Black Girlhood by Leah Johnson

Young Adult

16. Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste

17. The Davenports: More Than This by Krystal Marquis

18. Needy Little Things by Channelle Desamours

19. The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley

20. Streetlight People by Charlene Thomas

Biography/ Autobiography Books

21. Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative by Keke Palmer

22. Fearless and Free: A Memoir by Josephine Baker

23. Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me by Glory Edim

24. Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine by Uché Blackstock MD

25. I’m That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams by Jordan Chiles

Business Books

26. Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning by Vanessa Priya Daniel

27. Who Better Than You?: The Art of Healthy Arrogance & Dreaming Big by Will Packer

28. Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest by Fawn Weaver

29. When We Are Seen: How to Come Into Your Power--and Empower Others Along the Way by Denise Young

30. Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work by Shari Dunn 

History Books

31. Breaking the Chains: African American Slave Resistance by William Loren Katz

32. American Wings: Chicago's Pioneering Black Aviators and the Race for Equality in the Sky by Sherri L. Smith and Elizabeth Wein

33. Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People by Imani Perry

34. Somewhere Toward Freedom: Sherman's March and the Story of America's Largest Emancipation by Bennett Parten

35. The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North by Michelle Adams

Fiction Books

36. James by Percival Everett

37. Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

38. The Life of Herod the Great by Zora Neale Hurston

39. Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

40. Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

Classic Literature

41. Beloved by Toni Morrison

42. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

43. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

44. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

45. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Black History Month is a time to celebrate, reflect, and dive into incredible stories that inspire and educate. If any of the books above caught your eye, we’d love to help you bring them to your organization, school, or book club! 

Getting started is easy—just request a quote, and one of our account managers will be happy to assist you. Let’s make this month one to remember with powerful reads that spark conversation and connection!