 Quicksand
by Nella Larsen
Brave, bold, and brilliant, Larsen's autobiographical portrait of a biracial woman's quest for self-identity and acceptance offers a cautionary tale of an individual lost between two cultures.
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| |  The Marrow of Tradition
by Charles W. Chesnutt
A landmark in the history of African-American fiction, this gripping 1901 novel unfolds against the backdrop of the post-Reconstruction South, climaxing in a race riot based on an actual 1898 incident.
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 Tales of Conjure and The Color Line: 10 Stories
by Charles Waddell Chesnutt
Ten wonderful stories by pioneer of African-American fiction: "The Goophered Grapevine," "Po' Sandy," "Sis' Becky's Pickaninny," "The Wife of His Youth," "Dave's Neckliss," "The Passing of Grandison," more. Witty, charming, insightful.
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| |  Iola Leroy, or, Shadows Uplifted
by Frances E. W. Harper
This 1892 work was among the first novels published by an African-American woman. Its striking portrait of life during the Civil War and Reconstruction recounts a mixed-race woman's devotion to uplifting the black community.
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 The Poems of Phillis Wheatley: With Letters and a Memoir
by Phillis Wheatley
At the age of 19, Phillis Wheatley was the first black American poet to publish a book. Her elegies and odes offer fascinating glimpses of the beginnings of African-American literary traditions. Includes a selection from the Common Core State Standards Initiative.
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| |  Brown Girl, Brownstones
by Paule Marshall
Set in Brooklyn during the Depression and World War II, this 1953 coming-of-age novel centers on the daughter of Barbadian immigrants. "Passionate, compelling." — Saturday Review. "Remarkable for its courage." — The New Yorker.
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| |  The Blacker the Berry
by Wallace Thurman
The first novel to openly address color prejudice among black Americans, this moving tale unfolds amid the Harlem Renaissance in an enduringly relevant examination of racial, sexual, and cultural identity.
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 Not Without Laughter
by Langston Hughes
Poet Langston Hughes' only novel, a coming-of-age tale that unfolds amid an African-American family in rural Kansas, explores the dilemmas of life in a racially divided society.
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| |  The House Behind the Cedars
by Charles W. Chesnutt
Originally published in 1900, this groundbreaking novel by a distinguished African-American author recounts the drama of a brother and sister who "pass for white" during the dangerous days of Reconstruction.
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 Our Nig: Sketches from the Life of a Free Black
by Harriet E. Wilson
Seminal autobiographical novel describes the life and struggles of an orphaned mulatto, recounting her exploitation by employers and an opportunistic husband. Essential for students of African-American history and culture.
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| |  Black No More
by George S. Schuyler
A satirical approach to debunking the myths of white supremacy and racial purity, this 1931 novel recounts the consequences of a mysterious scientific process that transforms black people into whites.
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 Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil
by W. E. B. Du Bois
The distinguished American civil rights leader first published these fiery essays, sketches, and poems nearly 80 years ago in various periodicals. This volume has long inspired readers with its militant cry for reforms for black Americans.
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| |  The Souls of Black Folk
by W. E. B. Du Bois
This landmark in the literature of black protest eloquently affirms that it is beneath the dignity of a human being to beg for those rights that belong inherently to all mankind.
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| |  The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass
by Frederick Douglass
Amazing, firsthand account vividly recounts Douglass' early years, his physical abuse and deprivation, a dramatic escape to freedom, and his crusade for full civil rights for former slaves.
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 My Bondage and My Freedom
by Frederick Douglass
Born a slave, Douglass became outspoken force in antislavery movement. The best of Douglass's autobiographies. Graphic description of slave life.
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| |  Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
by Frederick Douglass
The impassioned abolitionist and eloquent orator provides graphic descriptions of his childhood and horrifying experiences as a slave as well as a harrowing record of his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom. A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.
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 Narrative of My Escape from Slavery
by Moses Roper
This 1838 autobiography recounts the experiences of a North Carolina slave who was sold or traded until his escape to New England. Roper's moving reminiscences offer a powerful account of life in bondage.
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| |  Three Narratives of Slavery
by Sojourner Truth, Harriet Jacobs, Mary Prince
Straightforward, yet often poetic, accounts of the battle for freedom, these memoirs by three courageous black women vividly chronicle their struggles in the bonds of slavery, their rebellion against injustice, and their determination to attain equality.
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| |  Up from Slavery
by Booker T. Washington
Washington (1856-1915) rose to become the most influential spokesman for African-Americans of his day. In this eloquently written book, he describes events in a remarkable life that began in bondage and culminated in worldwide recognition.
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| |  Voices from the Great Black Baseball Leagues: Revised Edition
by John B. Holway, Frank Ceresi
The foremost historian of the "blackball" era spent nearly 10 years researching this acclaimed oral history, interviewing 17 outstanding players including Cool Papa Bell, Buck Leonard, and Willie Wells. Over 80 vintage photographs.
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 Joe Louis: Black Champion in White America
by Chris Mead, Chris Mead
This "stunning" (Kirkus Reviews) biography of the popular pugilist recounts his triumphant and often tragic tale against the background of America in the 1930s and '40s. Includes 14 photographs.
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