5 Summer Reads by Black Women Authors
Summertime is here friends!
As we’re all doing our best to stay safe and healthy, there’s no denying that the warm sun brings a bit of much needed joy to our lives. As we head into what feels like the first summer ever, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on our lives only 365 days ago.
Last May George Floyd was publicly murdered by a police officer in the streets of Minneapolis, MN. It was a shock wave that rippled through the United States and across the world. People and industries were waking up to the injustices that Black people have been facing for centuries.
What followed in the days after the murder was a callout frenzy that held a mirror to many companies that hadn’t put much thought into diversifying their organization, both on the executive side and in branding. Almost over night we saw dozens of Black people in advertisements, in commercials and on TV speaking specifically about Black issues. (Check out my episode of “The Rookie” to see what I mean.)
In my perspective, as a Black American woman, it was all a bit overwhelming. I appreciated the attempts but it felt…late. Like really really late. Many people reached out to me wanting to know what they could do, read or watch to help them un-learn what they were raised to believe about Black people. Now, I don’t believe it’s anyone’s “job” to go out of their way when google is such an available and mostly good resource. But as a woman with a degree in Women’s Studies with a Concentration in Black Performance, sharing reference materials is kinda up my alley.
Today I want to share with you FIVE Summer Reads by Black Women Authors that you should add to your reading list. Most are new, but I did sneak in an OG that I think should be required reading for all.
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#1 - When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost by Joan Morgan
Now this is my OG book pick! I first read this book as a student at Spelman College and what stuck out to me what the way that author Joan Morgan broke down the myth of the “strong black woman”. A term that I was culturally familiar with, but didn’t know it’s origins or trappings. As a Hip hop journalist Joan Morgan’s book is like throwing back shots of culture straight with no chaser. She’s real, raw and right. Published in 1999 this book is a precursor to the “Black girl magic” motif and I highly recommend it to anyone who is curious about how we got to where we are as a movement.
#2 - Caul Baby by Morgan Jerkins
Every year I check out what’s slated to be published in the upcoming year. Yes I know, I’m a blerd. When I saw Caul Baby on the TIME’s “..21 Most Anticipated Books of 2021” list, I began an internal countdown for April. I was first introduce to author Morgan Jerkins through her book This Will Be My Undoing. A book that aligned so closely with my interests I knew I had found a kindred spirit. The wait for Caul Baby was well worth it. Blending family drama with elements of magic and folklore both entertained and inspired me to learn more about how it is we choose to create a family.
#3 - YOUR TURN: How to Be an Adult by Julie Lythcott Haims
Have you ever wished there was a guide book to life? Well, look no further than YOUR TURN. A “give it to you straight” self-awareness book that will help you put words to your dreams and actions to your plans. Julie Lythcott Haims served as the Dean of Freshmen and Undergraduate Advising at Stanford University for more than a decade. Her work is targeted towards those in school and transitioning out of it, but I must say as a full grown adult I still find Julie’s insight invaluable. I first heard her during an interview on the Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin and I immediately knew I had to find this incredible scholar. If you’re like me and love to learn more about your self and how to reach your fullest potential, run don’t walk and order this book.
#4 - Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
I became a fan of Yaa Gyasi after reading Homecoming. In Transcendent Kingdom I found myself learning about the African immigrant experience through the book’s narrator “Gifty”. It's a story that feels as if the author and the main character are working together to tell the story. United to explore and, in parts, expose the truth behind what it takes to make a way for yourself in a foreign land.
#5 - While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams
There is so much that can be said about my Spelman Sister Stacey Abrams. She’s intelligent, a boundary breaker, a community leader and (fingers crossed) my future President. What I didn’t know about Ms. Abrams is that she loves to write non-fiction books! Described as “political thriller” While Justice Sleeps is about a law clerk Avery Keene’s journey to pick up where her esteemed boss left off in trying to collect evidence of a conspiracy to undermine democracy.
Whether fiction or non, I hope you find something on this list that you. Please let me know in the comments and on my Instagram if you read any of these pics and how you found them.
Till Next Time,
Joy B