7 BRILLIANT BLACK HISTORY MONTH BOOKS TO READ THAT WILL HAUNT YOU LONG AFTER YOU'RE FINISHED

Reading for Black History Month isn’t just about looking back – it’s about expanding our understanding in the present. These Black History Month Books to read in 2026 have lessons we all can use- in laughter, heartbreak, resilience, and joy.

Some of the books I will recommend here are from a module I took in my first term at University which was titled Black History, and my reading list consisted of books coined by black authors describing experiences that often haunted the pages they are written on.

So, I wanted to share a few books that have stayed with me long after I turned the last page. They’re not all heavy or academic, some have made me laugh, some have made me cry.

These are stories I will never forget.

This post is all about Black History Month Books to read.

[Other Post you may enjoy- How to read more when you work a 9-5 – ByIzzyLily]

Books to Read this Black History Month

1. To kill a mockingbird- Harper Lee

I actually read this when I was 11 as part of a book club [i’ve always been a reader], I remember how much I enjoyed it even then, and how clearly it struck something in my mind. As a child this was my first taste into Black History Month books, and a heart wrenching piece of writing that should be on EVERYBODIES tbr.

2. I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS- Maya Angelou

Angelou captures the feeling of being bought up black in America’s suburbia. Her true account of her experiences shine a light on her troubles of racism and sexual abuse, and struggle for autonomy as a growing girl.

3. HOOd feminism- Mikki Kendall

Kendall calls out the gaps in mainstream feminism and brings focus to issues [like housing, food security, and education] that affect women of colour most. It’s sharp, eye-opening, and makes you want to do better, not just know better.

4. The Color purple- Alice Walker

Told through letters and rich, emotional storytelling, The Color Purple follows Celie, a Black woman in the early 1900s American South, as she finds her voice and strength after years of abuse and silence. It’s a heart-breaking yet hopeful journey of sisterhood and survival.

5. beloved- Toni Morrison

Morrison’s masterpiece follows Sethe, an escaped enslaved woman haunted, literally and figuratively, by the past she cannot forget. It’s haunting, lyrical, and unforgettable, asking what freedom really means when the past refuses to let go.

6. The Hate U Give- Angie Thomas

When Starr witnesses the police shooting of her best friend, she’s thrust into the spotlight between her poor Black neighbourhood and her wealthy, mostly white school. It’s gripping, emotional, and timely – a story about finding your voice when silence feels safer.

7. Black Skin, White Masks- Frantz Fanon

In this ground-breaking work, Fanon explores how colonialism and racism shape identity, psychology, and self-perception. It’s an intense but essential read, the kind that challenges you to rethink everything you’ve been taught about race, power, and belonging.

[Other Posts you may like- How to get out of a reading slump – ByIzzyLily]

7 BRILLIANT BLACK HISTORY MONTH BOOKS TO READ THAT WILL HAUNT YOU LONG AFTER YOU’RE FINISHED