February is Black History Month. The Black Cultural Center and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion have many events planned through the month. Here is a list of books recommended by librarian Allyson Mower for this month.
“Caste” | Isabel Wilkerson
If you’re looking for a solid introduction to and masterful critique of how social hierarchies operate and negatively influence life in America and elsewhere, this book will not let you down (and neither does Wilkerson’s “The Warmth of Other Suns”). Check it out here.
“The Vanishing Half” | Brit Bennett
This book is a good as everyone says: the plot moves you along so effortlessly it’s as if this story has always meant to be, the twin sisters actions are complicated yet understandable, and Jude redeems them all as one of the best characters who manages life and all its annoying aspects with ease. Check it out here.
“Kindred” | Octavia Butler
Imaginative, best-selling sci-fi novel about a modern-day descendent being pulled back in time by her slave-owning ancestor for the purpose, she slowly discovers, of ensuring that her family-line continues, a mission she rightfully struggles with as she witnesses (and experiences) the violent world her enslaved ancestors lived through. Check it out here.
“Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race” | Beverly Tatum
Through the lens of recent history of the Black experience in America, explore the role one’s racial, ethnic, and cultural identity plays in establishing a just society. Check it out here.
“The Water Dancer” | Ta-Nehisi Coates
An inventive social and historical novel that follows the main character’s complicated journey of self-discovery with a fantastical twist. Check it out here.