This past year I’ve been keeping track of some awesome new releases that feature POC stories, reflections, expressions, and histories. February is Black History Month, but these books are awesome reads year round! 🙂

Here are some fresh reads to check out, including fiction and non-fiction for readers young and old

(Note: I haven’t read every one of these myself yet- descriptions used were taken from the book jackets.)

 

Young Adult to Adult Readers

We are Not Yet Equal by Carol Anderson and Tonya Bolden

“Carol Anderson’s White Rage took the world by storm, landing on the New York Times bestseller list and best book of the year lists from New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Chicago Review of Books. It launched her as an in-demand commentator on contemporary race issues for national print and television media and garnered her an invitation to speak to the Democratic Congressional Caucus. This compelling young adult adaptation brings her ideas to a new audience. ”

 

We Can’t Breathe by Jabari Asim

“In We Can’t Breathe, Jabari Asim disrupts what Toni Morrison has exposed as the “Master Narrative” and replaces it with a story of black survival and persistence through art and community in the face of centuries of racism. ”

Lighting the Fires of Freedom by Janet Dewart Bell

“A groundbreaking collection based on oral histories that plumbs the leadership of African American women in the twentieth-century fight for civil rights—many nearly lost to history—from the latest winner of the Studs and Ida Terkel Prize.”

 

Black Girls Rock! Owning our Magic, Rocking our Truth, edited by Beverly Bond

“From the award-winning entrepreneur, culture leader, and creator of the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! movement comes an inspiring and beautifully designed book that pays tribute to the achievements and contributions of black women around the world.”

 

The Heritage by Howard Bryant

“The Heritage is the story of the rise, fall, and fervent return of the athlete-activist. Through deep research and interviews with some of sports’ best-known stars—including Kaepernick, David Ortiz, Charles Barkley, and Chris Webber—as well as members of law enforcement and the military, Bryant details the collision of post-9/11 sports in America and the politically engaged post-Ferguson black athlete.”

 

Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster by Stephen L. Carter

“Moving, haunting, and as fast-paced as a novel, Invisible tells the true story of a woman who often found her path blocked by the social and political expectations of her time. But Eunice Carter never accepted defeat, and thanks to her grandson’s remarkable book, her long forgotten story is once again visible.”

Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper

“So what if it’s true that Black women are mad as hell? They have the right to be. In the Black feminist tradition of Audre Lorde, Brittney Cooper reminds us that anger is a powerful source of energy that can give us the strength to keep on fighting.”

A Girl Stands at the Door by Rachel Delvin

“In the grassroots struggle to desegregate American schools, girls were the vanguard. In the late 1940s, parents filed lawsuits with their daughters, forcing civil rights lawyers to take the issue to the Supreme Court. After Brown v. Board of Education, girls far outnumbered boys as volunteers. These are the remarkable stories of the girls who saw themselves as responsible for the difficult work of crossing color lines.”

 

Well-Read Black Girl (Anthology) by Glory Edim

“An inspiring collection of essays by black women writers, curated by the founder of the popular book club Well-Read Black Girl, on the importance of recognizing ourselves in literature.”

 

A Perilous Path by Sherrilyn Ifill et al.

“This blisteringly candid discussion of the American dilemma in the age of Trump brings together the head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the former attorney general of the United States, a bestselling author and death penalty lawyer, and a star professor for an honest conversation the country desperately needs to hear.”

 

How Long Till Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemsin

“In the first collection of her evocative short fiction, which includes never-before-seen stories, Jemisin equally challenges and delights readers with thought-provoking narratives of destruction, rebirth, and redemption.”

 

Becoming by Michelle Obama

“In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.”

 

We Matter: Athletes and Activism by Etan Thomas

“In We Matter, Thomas strives to show the influence professional athletes can have when they join the conversation on race, politics, and civil rights. ”

 

The Life of Frederick Douglass: A Graphic Narrative of a Slave’s Journey from Bondage to Freedom by David F. Walker et al.

“A graphic novel biography of the escaped slave, abolitionist, public speaker, and most photographed man of the nineteenth century, based on his autobiographical writings and speeches, spotlighting the key events and people that shaped the life of this great American.”

 

Black Fortunes by Shomari Wills

“By telling the little-known stories of six pioneering African American entrepreneurs, Black Fortunes makes a worthy contribution to black history, to business history, and to American history.”—Margot Lee Shetterly, New York Times Bestselling author of Hidden Figures

 

Let it Bang: A Young Black Man’s Reluctant Odyssey Into Guns by RJ Young

“Let It Bang is an utterly original look at American gun culture from the inside, and from the other side—and, most movingly, the story of a young black man’s hard-won nonviolent path to self-protection.”

 

Junior Readers and Up

Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome

“With vibrant mixed media art, nonfiction superstars Lesa Cline-Ransome and Coretta Scott King Honor winner James E. Ransome share the inspirational story of two tennis legends who were fierce competitors on the courts, but close sisters above all.”

 

Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop by Alice Faye Duncan and R. Gregory Christie

“This historical fiction picture book presents the story of nine-year-old Lorraine Jackson, who in 1968 witnessed the Memphis sanitation strike–Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final stand for justice before his assassination–when her father, a sanitation worker, participated in the protest.”

 

Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham

“Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness is a a picture book that invites white children and parents to become curious about racism, accept that it’s real, and cultivate justice.”

 

Hammering for Freedom by Rita Lorraine Hubbard and John Holyfield

“Born into slavery in Chattanooga, Tennessee, William “Bill” Lewis learned the blacksmith trade as soon as he was old enough to grip a hammer. He proved to be an exceptional blacksmith and earned so much money fixing old tools and creating new ones that he was allowed to keep a little money for himself. With just a few coins in his pocket, Bill set a daring plan in motion: he was determined to free his family. Winner of Lee & Low?s New Voices Award, Hammering for Freedom tells the true story of one man?s skill, hard work, and resolve to keep his family together.”

 

Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham et al.

“How can Irene and Charles work together on their fifth grade poetry project? They don’t know each other . . . and they’re not sure they want to.

Irene Latham, who is white, and Charles Waters, who is black, use this fictional setup to delve into different experiences of race in a relatable way, exploring such topics as hair, hobbies, and family dinners. Accompanied by artwork from acclaimed illustrators Sean Qualls and Selina Alko (of The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage), this remarkable collaboration invites readers of all ages to join the dialogue by putting their own words to their experiences.”

 

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy by Tony Medina & 13 Artists

 “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy by Tony Medina offers a fresh perspective of young men of color by depicting thirteen views of everyday life.”

 

Don’t Touch my Hair by Sharee Miller

“An entertaining picture book that teaches the importance of asking for permission first as a young girl attempts to escape the curious hands that want to touch her hair.”

 

Black Women Who Dared by Naomi M. Moyer

“Beautiful, colorful illustrations tell the inspirational stories of ten black women and women’s collectives from 1793 to the present.”

 

Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights by Rob Sanders and Jared Andrew Schorr

“Through sparse and lyrical writing, Rob Sanders introduces abstract concepts like “fighting for what you believe in” and turns them into something actionable.”

 

Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renee Watson

“Betty Before X is a powerful middle-grade fictionalized account of the childhood activism of Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X’s wife, written by their daughter Ilyasah Shabazz.”

 

Young, Gifted and Black by Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins

“Meet 52 icons of color from the past and present in this celebration of inspirational achievement—a collection of stories about changemakers to encourage, inspire and empower the next generation of changemakers.”

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Did I miss any great titles that came out in 2018? Please let me know and I will add them to the list!