Mission Complete: 20 Books by Black Women
If you’re unfamiliar with Ms. Forte’s (Instagram: @melanatedreader) #20BooksByBlackWomen challenge, I encourage you to read 20 books by Black Women next year (and squeeze in a few of these before year’s end)!
A reader’s perspective is enriched by what they choose to read and my, oh my, the little Black girl in me needed reading challenges similar to this one to force me to see my Blackness reflected back. Do I read to fill voids and blasé blah? Yes, but it’s one of many methods I use to nurture the parts of me that need the most attention and my bookish eye this year said, “Girl, let’s work on the foundation of your sense of self.” Intentionally reading books written by Black Women from all genres reminded me of the profound nature of Black womanhood.
I dived head first into the messiness of navigating adult relationships while reading books like Wahala by Nikki May & Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn. I took a trip all up and through the young adult section where I re-discovered strength through characters like Bree Matthews in the Legendborn series, and found peace in the nostalgia of Black love itself in Ebony Ladelle’s debut Love Radio. Generational trauma and historical significance in books like Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe and Perish by Latoya Watkins reminded me of my love for historical fiction. There were a few books that didn’t do what I expected them to do - but they did give me the opportunity to reflect constructively.
Participating in the #20BooksByBlackWomen challenge allowed me to look at ALL that goes into writing books that we leisurely consume. I often see people say, “I don’t even know what the author looks like”, and I’m taken aback because why isn’t that important? Shouldn’t we at least take time to know the mind behind the craft that we enjoy so much, even if it’s reading the Author’s Notes and Acknowledgement sections? I even decided to make it a habit to check out their social platforms and author interviews to gain a deeper understanding of how their Black womanhood led them to tell these stories.
After the first few months of 2022, choosing my next read by a Black Woman became second nature - simply effortless. I read more than 20 books by Black Women in 2022, so I’ve created an ongoing Bookshop List and Amazon List for you all to shop when all your heart wants is a book by a Black Woman to hold.
It’s time to start looking at which challenges to participate in next year, so comment with any that you plan to tackle or that you think I should complete in 2023!
Disclaimer: The BookShop and Amazon links are my affiliate links. This means that I receive a percentage for recommending these titles to you. As I run this blog for free, this helps support me in doing what I love. Thank you!