10 Black Characters In Books Who Taught Me Something About Life
Black characters we can all learn something from
Growing up, many of the books I read were about white people. White people facing impossible odds. White people finding love. White people saving the day.
I didn’t read my first Black book where Black characters were featured prominently and made to do Black things until I was well into my teens. My first introduction to established Black characters came in the form of a short novel called Things Fall Apart. A novel about pre-colonial life in Africa and the life and legacy of a man named Okonkwo. The book was “required reading” for my highschool so I wasn’t particularly interested in reading it to begin with. But, looking back, I’m glad I did.
I’ve since read countless Black books. Tearing through stories where Black people face impossible odds, find love and even save the day. There’s so much we can learn from the stories of fully realized Black characters in books who introduce readers to a new lens with which to look at Blackness, and new lessons to carry into life.
Here are some of my favorite Black characters from books, and what they taught me about life.
Atticus Turner from “Lovecraft Country” by Matt Ruff
Ruff’s horror novel sees Atticus Turner, a Black war veteran, as he battles against gruesome monsters ripped directly from the pages of H.P. Lovecraft’s most famous works in 1950s Chicago. Atticus faces his share of monsters both real and fantastic throughout the novel as he contends with virulent racism and a horde of Shoggoths. Through his journey, we come to realize that the real monsters aren’t the ones with fangs and long claws, but the ones who wear hoods, terrorizing Black folks under the cloak of night.
Atticus taught me that sometimes you have to save yourself. That when there’s no one to come to your rescue, you have to get smart, be clever and face whatever challenge life’s thrown at you head on.
Black Panther from “Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Black Panther is back, brought to life this time by the prolific Ta-Nehisi Coates who foist the Wakandan king into a civil war that threatens to shake the fictional kingdom to its core. As Black Panther contends with superhuman terrorists, King T’Challa must keep a watchful eye on his throne, as some of his allies plot to usurp his rule. The graphic novel sees Black Panther backed into a corner with only his wits, might and resilience to save him.
Black Panther taught me how to balance impossible odds. Stay vigilant, act quickly and trust yourself to make the right call.
GH Washington from “Leave The World Behind” by Rumaan Alam
GH and his wife, Ruth, are on their way home to their Brooklyn apartment when the world ends. The apocalypse is precipitated by a nationwide blackout that forces the elderly couple out of New York and on the road to their vacation home in the country. They arrive, and are greeted by the renters of the home, an ordinary white family, who are understandably surprised to see them. GH and Ruth convince the family to let them stay until whatever is happening is over. As the world inches closer to annihilation, the novel begins peeling back the layer of GH giving us insight into his storied past and general feelings on their precarious present.
GH taught me never to shy away from my accomplishments. A little self-aggrandizement is OK. Be bold in your statements, confident in your delivery.
Gloria Davenport from “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones
The wrongful incarceration of her husband at the hands of a white woman leaves Gloria Davenport bereaved and inconsolable. As the years pass, she finds solace in the arms of a childhood friend. Their rekindled friendship soon blossoms into something more, and she finds her life tipping toward an inflection point. Will she choose to pursue this new relationship, forsaking her vows? Or, will she stand by her husband during his sentence?
Gloria taught me that love is fickle. There is no true “one” for anyone, just “one” for a given moment. You can find your true love again and again, as long as you keep your heart open.
Inan Olúborí from “Children of Blood and Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi
In Orisha, magic is outlawed. So, when the crown prince of Orisha begins to develop magical abilities, things get, well, complicated. In this first book of Tomi Adeyemi’s groundbreaking trilogy, Inan must reconcile his new identity with his heritage, and contend with deadly forces both inside and outside of his castle’s walls. Further complicating things is an imminent civil war between the suppressed “Maji” and Orisha’s royal army that threatens to tear the kingdom apart at the seams.
Inan taught me that your circumstances don’t define you. You can be born into royalty or poverty, but it’s ultimately you that controls your destiny. You who will write your future.
Iris from “Red at the Bone” by Jacqueline Woodson
Iris is the mother of Melody, a young girl in Brooklyn who turns 16 at the start of Red to the Bone. The novel shifts through time, to explain how Iris’s decisions when she was 16 led to the events of the present. Iris’s story is used to poke holes in the facade of Black wealth and civility, and the conservative opinion many Black Americans have on the subject of teen pregnancy. Through her eyes, we’re made to see the face of the Black elite in all its messy, blemished glory.
Iris taught me that your actions can have consequences that extend far beyond you. You might end up making a mistake that reverberates through generations, costing you meaningful relationships with your family as a result.
Jude Vignes from “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Benett
The subject of cruel derision at school and somewhat of a pariah at home, Jude grows up in the fictional town of Mallard, Louisiana with little self-confidence. She travels to California for college, looking for her life’s purpose and finding a new love interest in Resse, a transgender man living in secret, instead. The two become entangled in a transcendent relationship that will take them on a passionate journey to self-discovery.
Jude taught me how to let hurt go. Sometimes you won’t be able to confront your abuser, and that’s OK. But don’t let your pain prevent you from seeing all the good that’s right in front of you.
Lelah Turner from “The Turner House” by Angela Flournoy
The youngest of 13 children, Lelah Turner is having trouble thinking of herself as anything but a “recovering gambling addict,” at the start of Angela Flournoy’s debut novel. When she strikes up a dalliance with an old fling, her outlook on life changes. Suddenly, absolving her past transgressions doesn’t seem so impossible. But, not if her mother’s declining health and a disagreement over what to do with the family house have anything to say about it.
Lelah taught me that you are more than your vices. Acknowledge your past, and use it as motivation to pave the way for your future.
Okonkwo from “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
Cowardice and shame. Two things that prevent Oknonkwo, famous wrestler in Umofia, from ever truly stepping into his manhood. Despite his status as a husband and father, there are some things he simply can’t and won’t face. Things that ultimately lead to his self-exile in part two of the novel, returning home in part three to discover that the world he once knew has become something else entirely. Now, a broken and scared man, he must decide if he will finally own up to his past transgressions.
Okonkwo taught me what it means to be stagnant. To feel as though you’re wasting away, neglecting your potential. From him, I learned how to not live my life.
Scythe Volta from “Scythe” by Neal Shusterman
While there are no specific races in the world of Scythe, Volta is said to be of “Afric” leanings, meaning that according to today’s standards, he would most likely be Black. In Scythe, Scythe Volta is a reluctant member of Scythe Goddard’s (the main antagonist of the series) cabal of the new order, bloodthirsty scythes. When he begins to question Goddard’s philosophy and method of “gleaning,” (the preferred term to describe killing in Scythe) he finds himself at a crossroads. Will he abandon his own values and morality in favor of adopting a more merciless approach? Or, will he stand against the tyrannical Scythe Goddard?
Scythe Volta taught me that doing the right thing isn’t always easy. It takes sacrifice and sometimes turning your back on your way of life entirely.
Black characters in literature can teach us a lot about this messy thing called life, and how we can make the most of our time here. In this way, works of Black fiction become self-help books, autobiographies are made into roadmaps for living a fulfilled life. Consider checking out a Black story for your next read. You might be surprised at what you find.
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