5 Books By Black Men You Should Read During Black History Month

Books by Black Men for the culture

My free time is limited. And even when I’m not working, I try to make sure I’m doing something productive. That means reading books that I enjoy, books that teach me something about life, books that take me to new places, etc. I’ve come to learn that my definition of a good book is variable. What one book may lack in plotting, they make up for with strong dialogue, dynamic characters. Finding a good book to read in my free time has proved challenging, but not impossible.

In January I wrote about five Black books everyone should read. Check that out below.

In honor of Black History Month, I’m revisiting that concept and bringing you five books by Black men that are essential reads for this month and beyond. We’ll start with one of my favorites.

Everywhere You Don’t Belong by Gabriel Bump

Bump makes his debut with this satirical semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story. Claude lives with his grandmother on the South Side of Chicago in the early 2000s. His world is awash with gang violence, poverty and overall dysfunction. He certainly doesn’t have the “perfect” life and if you were to add up everything good and bad that happens to him throughout the novel (+10 points for falling in love, -20 for getting your heart broken) you’d likely end up with a sum loss. Despite his circumstances, he manages to keep his head above water, compartmentalizing his parent’s abandonment and the many friends he’s lost, to simply live life.

When an innocent Black boy is killed in the South Side in a manner that feels as though it’s been ripped directly from today’s headlines, Claude finds himself trapped on all sides, as rioters wreak havoc on the city. It’s an incident that leaves Claude shaken and confused, and later causes him to attend college in Missouri. Without giving too much away, Claude’s decision to attend school in Missouri comes with some unforeseen consequences and changes his life forever.

Readers who enjoy coming of age stories and dark comedies will love this book. It’s a Black book that carries the tremendous weight of depicting life on the South Side with ease. The story is layered, and doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of life in Chicago making it a powerful, albeit sobering, read.

“Deacon King Kong” by James McBride

From the author of The Color of Water and The Good Lord Bird comes Deacon King Kong. A story about what happens when a drunk revered shoots the biggest dope dealer on the block in 1960s Brooklyn. The story is funny, featuring a cast of characters who lead distinct lives and a few hilarious moments.

Most of the novel takes place on one street, but the world McBride has created still feels expansive. It’s like he’s created a street that never ends, no matter where you turn there will always be more brownstones to see, more characters to meet. As much as I wanted to know what would become of Sportcoat, I found myself more drawn to the supporting cast of characters than anything while reading. I’ve never been one to say “I would love to live in this book’s world” or anything like that, but if given the chance, I might consider spending the day on Sportcoat’s street.

Readers who enjoy Black period pieces will enjoy this book. The main plot of Deacon King Kong couldn’t have happened at any time but the 60s. And the novel’s setting succeeds in selling the story’s conceit. I should also mention that many of the themes explored in the novel from the Black church, alcoholism and corruption are discussed in novel ways and I found my initial perceptions of these concepts were challenged constantly while reading.

“Black Buck” by Mateo Askaripour

HMH books describes Black Buck as a combination of Sorry to Bother You and Wolf of Wall Street, but Black-er in this debut novel from Mateo Askaripour. Darren, the main character, is working as a manager for a Starbucks in New York when the novel begins, and his knack for selling coffee soon finds him on the fast track at a tech startup. To advance his career, he develops the persona of “Buck” and engages in risky, questionable behaviors all in service of “making the sell.”

Don’t be fooled. While this novel is satirical, it’s got a dark side too, and puts Darren in some deeply compromising positions. Everything feels intentional though, and in service of advancing a profound message about the importance of maintaining your identity as you climb the corporate ladder. Also, Askaripour is a resident writer on Medium, and has written some pretty deep personal essays on the platform. You can find one of my favorites from him here.

Readers who enjoy darkly comedic books will love this novel. Darren’s experiences are distinctly Black and reminiscent of what many Black professionals likely feel at their jobs. For this reason, the novel succeeds in being relatable, transformative and engrossing all in one.

“The Water Dancer” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates’ first work of fiction takes place in the Antebellum South where Hiram, a slave with a photographic memory and the supernatural ability to transport both himself and others across large bodies of water, becomes an important fixture in the Underground Railroad. Hiram faces difficulties remembering the face of his mother throughout the novel, and his failings in recalling her face speak to broader themes about loss of lineage and heritage due to slavery.

Coates worked on this novel for a decade before its release, so it’s imbued with various easter eggs and nods to actual historical events and figures that I found fascinating while reading. Plus, the big reveal at the end is well executed and left my jaw on the floor. Ultimately, it’s a smart book that will surprise you on a number of fronts.

Readers who enjoy dramas about slavery and the Underground railroad will enjoy this book. Hiram is a complex narrator. And, as we peel back layers of his character and discover how his identity has impacted him, we begin to get a better sense about what it might have been like for Black slaves in the 19th century.

“Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson

Most people may have either heard about or already read this book, but I’m including it on the list because it’s a great read and a story everyone should hear. In it, Bryan Stevenson, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, tells the story of Walter McMillan, a wrongfully convicted Black man who was on Death Row for the murder of Ronda Morrison in Alabama from 1987–1993. Stevenson took on McMillian’s case pro bono, and succeeded in overturning his original conviction.

Stevenson’s memoir primarily focuses on his relationship and work with McMillian, but discusses other cases either he or a colleague worked on that dealt with wrongful convictions and/or the death penalty. It’s an eye-opening book, that sheds some light on the failings and covert racism of our current punitive systems. The book was adapted into a feature film in 2019 starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx as Stevenson and McMillian respectively, which I would definitely recommend checking out on HBO Max once you finish the book.

Readers who are interested in social justice issues, and activism will enjoy this book. It speaks to the reality many Black people face once they enter the criminal justice system and helps to contextualize the problems that faults of our current prison industrial system. In short, it’s a good read to make you more “woke.”

Finding a book written by a Black man is like searching for a needle in a haystack that’s constantly being moved and placed somewhere else by some outside force. The publishing industry rarely makes room for works by contemporary Black writers, especially Black men, so I’ve been lucky enough to have found these gems in the rough. These aren’t the only writers you should consider this Black History Month though. There’s plenty out there from famous contemporary Black writers like Walter Mosely, Colson Whitehead and Paul Beatty. Once you know where to look, the tricky part becomes figuring out what you’ll read first.