Diverse literature is more essential than ever in today’s current climate. Books are some of the best tools for developing tolerance and empathy, and few books are as rich and nuanced as those penned by Black women. From memoirs to epics to essential sociological investigations, we’ve rounded up over 100 of the most important works written by Black female authors over the past century, extending from Africa to the Caribbean to America and from the pre-Civil War era to the distant future. If you’re looking to diversify your reading list this year, here are books by Black women that we consider to be essential reading.
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— Additional reporting by Lauren Harano, Haley Lyndes, and Tembe Denton-Hurst