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  • General Recommendations
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In Our Own Words: Black American Lives

Celebrate Black American lives through these personal experiences and observations from fantastic Black authors.

User from Jefferson County Public Library

13 items

  • Sharks Don't Sink

    Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist

    Graham, Jasmin,
    From academia to activism, Graham's book is an excellent blend of memoir and biology, as well as a story of changing your field to fit you rather than changing yourself for a job.
    Book, 2024New York : Pantheon Books, [2024] — 597.3092 GRAHAM
  • His novels brought him acclaim and his debates brought his recognition, but it's in his essays where Baldwin's voice comes through like fire.
    Book, 2021Boston, Massachusetts : Beacon Press, [2021] — 814.54 BALDWIN
  • One of several hilarious and affecting essay collections about race, gender and pop culture from celebrated stand-up comedian and WNYC podcaster Robinson, this volume has a confessional vibe that's laugh-until-you-cry good.
    Book, 2021[New York] : Tiny Reparations Books, [2021] — 818.602 ROBINSON
  • Intense, lyrical and vivid, Rankine delves into the contemporary American racial and human psyche through essays, images and poetry.
    Book, 2014Minneapolis, Minnesota : Graywolf Press, [2014] — 811.54 RANKINE
  • Crossing the Line

    a Fearless Team of Brothers and the Sport That Changed Their Lives Forever

    Rosser, Kareem,
    Compelling and conversational, the author's story of becoming a champion polo player takes readers from his childhood in West Philadelphia to his time on the first all-Black interscholastic polo championship team and beyond.
    Book, 2021New York : St. Martin's Press, [2021] — 796.353 ROSSER
  • A poetry collection that celebrates Black culture and centers queer friendship and community with tons of quotable and heartfelt moments.
    Book, 2020Minneapolis, Minnesota : Graywolf Press, [2020] — 811.6 SMITH
  • NPR correspondent and "New York Times" bestselling author Alexander delivers a powerful and provocative collection of poetry exploring the racial experience in modern-day America.
    Book, 2020Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, [2020] — 811.608 ALEXANDER
  • The Dead Don't Need Reminding

    in Search of Fugitives, Mississippi, and Black Tv Nerd Shit

    Randall, Julian,
    Essays on the author's life, his great-grandfather's history and making sense of the present and future as an artist come together in this vulnerable and inventive narrative.
    Book, 2024New York : Bold Type Books, [2024] — 306.0973 RANDALL
  • A Little Devil in America

    Notes in Praise of Black Performance

    Abdurraqib, Hanif, 1983-
    Poet and author Abdurraqib crafts a five-part look into Black performance, from music to comedy to magic. If you want a read that blends pop culture and personal stories, this razor-sharp collection is perfect.
    Book, 2021New York : Random House, [2021] — 791.0899 ABDURRAQIB
  • Told through the author's own evolving understanding of the subject over the course of his life comes a bold and personal investigation into America's racial history and its contemporary echoes.
    Book, 2015New York : Spiegel & Grau, [2015] — 305.8009 COATES
  • Three Girls From Bronzeville

    a Uniquely American Memoir of Race, Fate, and Sisterhood

    Turner, Dawn,
    An immersive and often heartbreaking portrait of life in the historic Bronzeville section of Chicago.
    Book, 2021New York : Simon & Schuster, 2021. — 977.311 TURNER
  • More Than Enough

    Claiming Space for Who You Are (no Matter What They Say)

    Welteroth, Elaine, 1986-
    A fascinating story of finding your voice and carving your path, this memoir tells Welteroth's journey to becoming editor-in-chief of "Teen Vogue" magazine in 2017.
    Book, 2019[New York] : Viking, [2019] — B WELTEROTH E WELTEROTH