UPDATED: 1:00 a.m. ET, Sept. 6, 2021 —
National Read A Book Day, which falls on Monday, couldn’t come at a better time.
Not only is the start of the school year upon us, what with students loading their backpacks with books and other study materials. But it is also a time when there is no shortage of books addressing certain unavoidable topics like race that fuel conversations in the classroom and at home.
MORE: 5 Books Addressing Race That Every Teen Should Read
And while there are many ways to stay informed in the age of the internet, opening up a book and reading it is a true throwback that provides experiences that aren’t always accessible online.
All of which is why at NewsOne, we believe that the child who reads is the child who leads. In keeping with that idea, we decided to take a look at the state of reading for Black youth.
MORE: 15 Acclaimed And Unapologetically Black Authors
Research has found that the proportion of young people who are daily readers drops has dropped dramatically in recent years. According to some studies, since 1984, the percentage of 13-year-olds who are weekly readers dropped from 70% to 53%. Even worse, the percentage of 17-year-olds who are weekly readers fell from 64% to a startling 40%. And the percentage of 17-year-olds who never or hardly read tripled during the same period, from 9% to 27%. It’s jarring news.
MORE: Read A Book Day: 15 Acclaimed And Unapologetically Black Authors
We tapped our brother and sister sites Hello Beautiful and The Urban Daily to get their reading recommendations. Here are dozens of titles they said had an impact on them and that every Black youth should read.
50 Books Every Black Teen Should Read was originally published on newsone.com
1. “Assata: An Autobiography” by Assata Shakur
“Assata: An Autobiography” by Assata Shakur
2. “Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison
“Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison
3. “Visions for Black Men” by Na’im Akbar
“Visions for Black Men” by Na’im Akbar
4. “The Coldest Winter Ever” by Sister Souljah
“The Coldest Winter Ever” by Sister Souljah
5. “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama
“Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama
6. “Sag Harbor” by Colson Whitehead
“Sag Harbor” by Colson Whitehead
7. “Monster” by Walter Dean Myers
“Monster” by Walter Dean Myers
8. “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
“Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
9. “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston
“Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston
10. “When Chickenheads Come Home To Roost” by Joan Morgan
“When Chickenheads Come Home To Roost” by Joan Morgan
11. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” as told to Alex Haley
“The Autobiography of Malcolm X” as told to Alex Haley
12. “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison
“Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison
13. “Interiors: A Black Woman’s Healing…in Progress” by Iyanla Vanzant
“Interiors: A Black Woman’s Healing…in Progress” by Iyanla Vanzant
14. “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison
“The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison
15. “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker
“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker
16. “Blues People” by Amiri Baraka
“Blues People” by Amiri Baraka
17. “Our Kind of People” by Lawrence Otis Graham
“Our Kind of People” by Lawrence Otis Graham
18. “Picking Cotton” by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino
“Picking Cotton” by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino
19. “What is the What” by Dave Eggers
“What is the What” by Dave Eggers
20. “Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center” by bell hooks
“Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center” by bell hooks
21. “Soledad Brother” by George Jackson
“Soledad Brother” by George Jackson
22. “Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young Black Man in America” by Nathan McCall
“Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young Black Man in America” by Nathan McCall
23. “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Diaz
“The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Diaz
24. “Good To Great” by Jim Collins
“Good To Great” by Jim Collins
25. “Purple Cow” by Seth Godin
“Purple Cow” by Seth Godin
26. “Down These Mean Streets” by Piri Thomas
“Down These Mean Streets” by Piri Thomas
27. “Flyy Girl” by Omar Tyree
“Flyy Girl” by Omar Tyree
28. “Summer Of My German Soldier” by Bette Greene
“Summer Of My German Soldier” by Bette Greene
29. “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry
“A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry
30. “A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn
“A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn
31. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
32. “Miles: The Autobiography” by Miles Davis
“Miles: The Autobiography” by Miles Davis
33. “Invisible Life” by E. Lynn Harris
“Invisible Life” by E. Lynn Harris
34. “Kaffir Boy” by Mark Mathabane
“Kaffir Boy” by Mark Mathabane
35. “Kindred” by Octavia Butler
“Kindred” by Octavia Butler
36. “Letter to My Daughter” by Maya Angelou
“Letter to My Daughter” by Maya Angelou
37. “Manchild in the Promised Land” by Claude Brown
“Manchild in the Promised Land” by Claude Brown
38. “Mis-Education of the Negro” by Carter G. Woodsen
“Mis-Education of the Negro” by Carter G. Woodsen
39. “If Beale Street Could Talk” by James Baldwin
“If Beale Street Could Talk” by James Baldwin
40. “Nile Valley Contributions To Civilization” by Tony Browder
“Nile Valley Contributions To Civilization” by Tony Browder
41. “I Am Not Sidney Poitier” by Percival Everett
“I Am Not Sidney Poitier” by Percival Everett
42. “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell
“Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell
43. “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki
“Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki
44. “Roots” by Alex Haley
“Roots” by Alex Haley
45. “Sula” by Toni Morrison
“Sula” by Toni Morrison
46. “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho
“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho
47. “Who Am I Without Him?” by Sharon Flake
“Who Am I Without Him?” by Sharon Flake
48. “Twelve Years a Slave” by Solomon Northup
“Twelve Years a Slave” by Solomon Northup
49. “Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine” by Bebe Moore Campbell
“Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine” by Bebe Moore Campbell
