Recs if you like Brown Girl, Brownstones...

Essential literature by African American authors that changed the world, but somehow none of us were expected to read in school. Note: Most of these are available for free from Project Gutenberg.

Enjoy my newest lit series, ‘Reading the World’, in an attempt to diversify your own reading and broaden horizons, I have included a mix of genres. Sensitive topics often lie ahead as history, social and political issues are usually the centre of this writing. Enjoy!

List of 12 books of Black classics to read in 2026.

Compiled by: ArriChaiReads