Books Written by Black Authors or About Black Americans

Here is a short list of books that may interest those who enjoy reading about Black American history and life through the eyes a few Black Americans.  It is also an opportunity for those of you who just love read.  The list starts with the stories of the first Black people to arrive in the new world and finishes with my favorite book of all time.  There are of course thousands of more books to choose from, but these few are some I would recommend everyone read.  Every book listed is a non-fiction account of the life of Blacks in America pre civil rights era, or during the transition from institutional racism. 

Please take note that these are just a select few examples used as a representation for the situation and history of Black folks in this country.  For instance Claude Brown, the author of Manchild grew up in Harlem, a place known for its great contribution not only to the Black community but also to American society as a whole.  With that said please enjoy these selections and if you choose Manchild in the Promised Land be prepared to have an extremely hard time putting the novel down.  Enjoy!

• The Slave Ship: A Human History by Marcus Rediker
• This Species of Property: Slave Life and Culture in the Old South by Leslie Howard Owens
• Narrative of the Life of Fredricke Douglass: An American Slave by Fredrick Douglas
• Makes Me Wanna Holler : A Young Black Man in America by Nathan McCall
• Manchild in the Promised Land by Claude Brown