Happy Black History Month!
When you’re Caucasian as Casper the friendly ghost, you don’t really know if you can contribute anything during one of the most important months of the year – Black History Month. Generally, when it comes to diversity, allies try to elevate the voices of minorities and not stand in the way. Therefore, that’s exactly what I’m going to do with this article.
I would like to share some fascinating books that I found, which taught me things about Black History (and culture) I didn’t know, or that you might not know. By reading these books and sharing them, we are helping people of color share their stories and raise their voices. It’s just as important as anything else this month.
Let’s share these important messages far and wide, friends!
Happy reading!
Did you know that several African American female mathematicians, referred to as ‘human computers’, helped NASA create its space program? What an achievement! Read the book to know more.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Henrietta Lacks, known as HeLa, was a poor black woman, whose cancer cells became a widely used tool in science and medicine. Her family didn’t even know for decades! Read this fascinating story about the immortal Henrietta.
Did you ever hear about the first African Americans who escaped slavery to become millionaires? These are not the modern millionaires we know, but the people who preceded them and paved the road to success. Fascinating!
When They Call You a Terrorist
The true story of three women who fought systemic racism after the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, who were then called terrorists for simply stating that Black Lives Matter. Truly an era-defining memoir worth reading.
Once in a while there will come a book that addresses such an important political issue that it will start a social movement. This book is one of those. It talks about the mass incarceration of millions of African Americans in the United States, which reveals that the war on social justice is not yet won.
Michelle Obama’s memoir was really popular when it came out, so many people have already read this. It’s warm and full of heart and not only follows her journey from childhood, but also reveals her life once she became First Lady.
This book tells the rich and revealing story of the long relationship between the British Isles and the people of Africa and the Caribbean. The author is a historian who delves deep into this forgotten history.
Black hair is never just hair. It’s forever stigmatized, or celebrated, or appropriated, and so on. In a series of clever essays the author shows us why black hair matters and teaches us about race, social codes, and much more.
In chronological chapters, each by a different author (out of ninety), the book charts the four-hundred-year journey of African Americans to the present. From oppression to stunning achievements, it has it all.
This is the the incredible memoir of Elaine Brown – the first woman leader of the Black Panther Party. From impoverished beginnings, to bohemian adolescence, to becoming a foot soldier in a male-dominated political party, there is a lot to learn here.
And just because I have done a lot of research on this article, I am going to share a bunch more books that you can read that will enrich your knowledge and participation in this important issue. These books are not only important, but they are masterfully executed. Enjoy!
