Black history month is here, y’all. Let’s level up with some reading.

Here’s an insultingly incomplete list of lit I recommend by Black authors and/or about the Black experience. On my bookshelf behind me right now, and on my mind frequently as I join others in making the case for interrupting mass incarceration, protecting migration, and accelerating environmental initiatives.

• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

  • This was the book that persuaded me to use my talents to interrupt mass incarceration.

• The Marathon Don’t Stop by Rob Kenner

  • About the life and philosophy of one of my role models, Nipsey Hussle.

• Incidents In The Lives Of A Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs

  • One of the very few narratives written by a formerly enslaved woman.

• Talking Black, Talking Back by John McWhorter

  • A book I think about whenever people talk about “proper” English, a hierarchy of the language, and the denigration of dialects.

• Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

  • Reveals so much about race in America, if you’re willing to look.

• The Soul Of Black Folks by W.E.B. Dubois

  • A classic from a conflicting historical figure that takes you through an exploration of the duality of existence that Black folks encounter to this day, as well as the concept of assimilation.

• Writing My Wrongs by Shaka Senghor

  • Written by a man who spent 7 years in solitary confinement, Shaka’s shit is tight and as real as it gets.

• Stamped From The Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi

  • Tough to pick just one Kendi book. But Stamped is just a fucking banger of a book. I had moments during this book where he talking about shit from the 1700s and I’m like, “Wait, that still happens.” An incredible walk through the history of the construction of racism.

• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

  • This is the first book that made me cry. About wrongful convictions, but also about how the entire system of mass incarceration makes victims of us all.

• Black Indians by William Loren Katz

  • A fascinating look at the interactions between Black and Native folks throughout the founding centuries of the United States. A surprisingly controversial book that has helped many people find their identity.

• Asylum by Edafe Okporo

  • The autobiography of an African asylum-seeker who fled to the US because he was gay. A simple, honest telling of a story that touches both immigration and Blackness.

• All We Can Save by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

  • An anthology of essays and poems about the climate crisis that invites everyone to the table.

Lots of sites will link these titles to Amazon and get a financial kickback. Not my move, here. Search for these online, pick one or two, order them, read them, think critically about them, and grow.

Then order more. There are many Black books on my shelf that I’ll share another time.

Reflect during Black History Month. It is a badass month to learn about ourselves no matter how we’re identified.

Aye, I’m Jay. You’re on my personal site where I post things I make about interrupting mass incarceration, protecting migration, environmental justice & sustainability, language, communications, storytelling, creativity, and tech.

Learn about my ventures here, check out my non-profit initiative here, or explore my consultant services here.

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