Must Reads
Alice Walker
The Color Purple
The Color Purple is a 1982 novel by Alice Walker that tells the story of Celie, a young Black woman in the rural South, through her letters to God and later to her sister, Nettie. The novel explores themes of abuse, racism, and sexism, but ultimately focuses on Celie's journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and resilience, aided by strong female relationships. It won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in 1983 and has been adapted into a film and a Broadway musical.
Elizabeth Acevedo
Family Lore
Elizabeth Acevedo comes the story of one Dominican American family told through the voices of its women
Flor has a gift: she can predict, to the day, when someone will die. So when she decides she wants a living wake—a party to bring her family and community together to celebrate the long life she’s led—her sisters are surprised. Has Flor foreseen her own death, or someone else’s? Does she have other motives? She refuses to tell her sisters. But Flor isn’t the only person with secrets. And the next generation, cousins face tumult of their own.
Spanning the three days prior to the wake, Family Lore traces the lives of each of the Marte women, weaving together past and present, Santo Domingo and New York City. This is an indelible portrait of sisters and cousins, aunts and nieces—one family’s journey through their history, helping them better navigate all that is to come.
Angela Flournoy
The Wilderness
"An era-defining novel about five Black women over the course of their twenty-year friendship, as they move through the dizzying and sometimes precarious period between young adulthood and midlife..."
Bell Hooks
All About Love
"As bell hooks uses her incisive mind to explore the question “What is love?” her answers strike at both the mind and heart. Razing the cultural paradigm that the ideal love is infused with sex and desire, she provides a new path to love that is sacred, redemptive, and healing for individuals and for a nation."
Elaine Meryl Brown, Marsha Haygood, Rhonda Joy McLean
The Little Black Book of Success
"Rich with wisdom, this practical gem focuses on the building blocks of true leadership—self-confidence, effective communication, collaboration, and courage—while dealing specifically with stereotypes and the perils of self-victimization."
Cara Alwill Leyba
Girl On Fire
"This book is for every woman who has had a vision that others might not understand. It's for every woman who is sick and tired of playing by the rules. It's for every woman who has known she was meant for more and has waited far too long for someone to give her the permission she thought she needed."
Zara Nia Imani
Unleash the Power - Positive Affirmations for Black Women
"Representation, resonance, and liberation are vital, and this book serves as your companion on this journey toward a heightened sense of self-love, empowerment, and positivity. So, if you're ready to ignite the power of positive affirmations and embrace a healthier, happier, and liberated version of yourself..."
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