Celebrating Black Voices: Stories That Reshape, Reclaim, and Revolutionize Literature

This is the way the world ends. . .for the last time. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world’s sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER In The Warmth of Other Suns, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson delivers a sweeping, beautifully written account of the Great Migration—one of the most transformative, yet untold, stories in American history. Between World War I and 1970, six million Black Americans fled the oppressive South in search of a better life in the North and West. Through the lives of three unforgettable individuals—Ida Mae Gladney, George Starling, and Robert Foster—Wilkerson humanizes this mass exodus, capturing their treacherous journeys, struggles, and triumphs. Winner of multiple prestigious awards and hailed as one of The New York Times’s Five Best Books of the 21st Century, The Warmth of Other Suns is a modern classic that redefines the American experience.

WINNER of the NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • New York Times Top 10 Best Book of the Year • Selected as One of the Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times In Sing, Unburied, Sing, two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward delivers a stirring portrait of a family navigating love, loss, and legacy in rural Mississippi. Thirteen-year-old Jojo grapples with what it means to become a man under the shadow of complicated fathers—his Black grandfather, Pop; his absent White father, Michael; and the ghost of a boy from Mississippi’s brutal past. As Jojo’s mother, Leonie, struggles with addiction and grief, the family embarks on a road trip to Parchman Farm, the infamous state penitentiary. Along the way, ghosts—both literal and metaphorical—haunt their journey, unraveling the ties that bind them. Rich with lyrical language and heart-wrenching honesty, Sing, Unburied, Sing is a modern classic that resonates with hope and heartbreak.

Already a major international bestseller, An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi offers a groundbreaking, much-needed retelling of Africa’s rich legacy—from prehistory to the present—through the voices of Africans themselves. For too long, Africa’s story has been overshadowed by Western narratives of slavery and colonialism or ignored altogether. Now, Badawi sets the record straight, guiding readers through the continent’s dazzling civilizations, powerful queens and kings, medieval empires, and the struggles and triumphs of conquest and independence. Based on research across 30 countries and interviews with historians, archaeologists, and local storytellers, this epic, sweeping history finally gives Africa its rightful place in our global story. “Equal parts gripping and galvanizing… a book that feels both long-overdue—and wholly worth the wait.” —British Vogue

#1 New York Times Bestseller · Winner of the William C. Morris Award · Printz Honor Book · Coretta Scott King Honor Book · National Book Award Longlist Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter navigates two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the elite prep school she attends. But her delicate balance shatters when she witnesses her unarmed childhood best friend, Khalil, fatally shot by a police officer. Khalil’s death becomes a national headline. Some call him a thug, a drug dealer, a gangbanger. Protesters flood the streets demanding justice, while police and local criminals threaten Starr and her family. Starr is the only person who knows the truth about what happened that night. But speaking up could upend her community—and endanger her life. With 8 starred reviews and praised as “absolutely riveting” by Jason Reynolds, The Hate U Give is a powerful, unforgettable novel about courage, injustice, and finding your voice.

A Good Morning America Buzz Pick • Named a Best Book of 2021 by Barack Obama, The Washington Post, NPR, and more In 1970s New York, Opal is an unapologetic Afro-punk pioneer, fierce in both her music and activism. When British singer-songwriter Neville Charles discovers her at a Detroit bar, they form an iconic interracial rock duo that captivates audiences—until a shocking act of protest at a rival band’s concert leads to violence and their sensational breakup. Decades later, as Opal and Nev consider a reunion tour, music journalist S. Sunny Shelton dives into their turbulent history. But Sunny uncovers a dark, unexpected secret that threatens to unravel everything the duo built—and the lives they’ve tried to rebuild. The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is a provocative, electrifying novel that weaves music, politics, and personal truths into an unforgettable story of fame and fallout.

Now an Apple TV+ Series starring Lakeith Stanfield · Winner of multiple awards, including the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel · One of TIME’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time When Apollo Kagwa’s father vanished, he left behind only a box of books and haunting dreams. Now a father himself, Apollo’s life unravels when his wife, Emma, begins acting strangely. What seems like postpartum depression quickly spirals into horror as Emma commits an unthinkable act—and disappears with their child. Apollo’s desperate search for his family leads him through the shadowy corners of New York, a forgotten island, and forests where immigrant legends still breathe. Along the way, he confronts ancient myths, buried secrets, and the terrifying truth about his family. The Changeling is a mesmerizing dark fairy tale of love, loss, and madness, hailed by The New York Times and Oprah Magazine as a must-read modern classic.

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • Winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Fiction • Winner of the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize In eighteenth-century Ghana, two half-sisters are born into separate villages, unaware of each other’s existence. One marries an Englishman and lives in the palatial halls of Cape Coast Castle. The other is captured during a village raid, imprisoned in the same castle, and sold into slavery. Homegoing traces the parallel paths of these sisters and their descendants over eight generations—from the Gold Coast to Mississippi plantations, from the American Civil War to Jazz Age Harlem. Yaa Gyasi’s extraordinary debut is a powerful exploration of slavery’s lasting impact on both those who were taken and those who stayed behind. Named one of Oprah’s Best Books of the Year, Homegoing is a sweeping, unforgettable novel that illuminates the enduring legacy of captivity and resilience.

Finalist for the National Book Award • New York Times Bestseller • One of The New York Times Best Historical Fiction of the Year On a Deep South plantation, Isaiah and Samuel have only each other. In the barn, amidst the cruelty and violence of their enslavement, they find refuge—transforming the hollowed space into one of love, intimacy, and hope. But when a fellow enslaved man seeks favor by preaching the master’s gospel, the plantation’s fragile harmony fractures. Isaiah and Samuel’s forbidden love, once a quiet sanctuary, becomes a dangerous threat. With lyricism reminiscent of Toni Morrison, Robert Jones, Jr.’s The Prophets is a stunning debut that gives voice to both the enslaved and the oppressors, exploring the devastating weight of inheritance, the resilience of community, and the transformative power of love. Named one of The New York Times Notable Books of the Year, this is a story of beauty, pain, and truth you won’t forget.

Pulitzer Prize Winner • New York Times Bestseller In Beloved, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison delivers a haunting, unforgettable tale that transforms the brutal history of slavery into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. Sethe was born into slavery and escaped to Ohio, but freedom remains elusive. Haunted by memories of Sweet Home—the farm where unspeakable horrors occurred—Sethe’s new home is also plagued by the ghost of her nameless baby, whose tombstone bears a single word: Beloved. As the past seeps into the present, Sethe must confront the trauma that refuses to be buried. Beloved is a spellbinding masterpiece, a searing exploration of memory, motherhood, and the enduring scars of slavery. With a new afterword by the author, this novel is a cornerstone of American literature.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is Maya Angelou’s groundbreaking debut memoir—a poetic, powerful modern classic that resonates with readers around the world. Sent with her brother to live with their devout grandmother in a small Southern town, young Maya endures the pain of abandonment and the sting of bigotry. At eight, back under her mother’s care in St. Louis, Maya faces a traumatic assault that leaves lasting scars. But through years of hardship and prejudice, Maya discovers her own strength. In the streets of San Francisco, she learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, and the power of words can set her free. Beloved worldwide, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a luminous testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Sixteen tales. Bestselling and award-winning authors. One powerful collection that redefines the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic. Evoking the spirit of Beyoncé’s Lemonade for a teen audience, A Phoenix First Must Burn brings together stories that span from retold folktales to futuristic societies, centering Black women and gender nonconforming individuals in worlds of love, betrayal, strength, and resistance. Witches and scientists, priestesses and rebels, sisters and lovers—the heroines in these pages blaze with brilliance and complexity, reflecting truths that resonate across time and space. From authors hailed as Octavia Butler’s literary heirs, this collection is a mesmerizing journey that you won’t forget. A Phoenix First Must Burn is where magic meets identity, and every story burns bright with power.

Bethany C. Morrow’s A Song Below Water is a captivating modern fantasy that blends Black girl magic, friendship, and self-discovery against the backdrop of today’s racism and sexism. In a world that fears and silences sirens, Tavia must keep her powers hidden to survive. Meanwhile, her best friend Effie battles family secrets and literal demons from her past. The two girls navigate the trials of junior year in Portland, Oregon—until a high-profile siren murder trial rocks the nation, and Tavia’s magical voice slips out at the worst possible moment. As danger closes in, the girls must rely on the unbreakable bond of sisterhood to protect themselves from a world that wants to drown them. “It’s beautiful and it’s brilliant.” —Jason Reynolds “An enthralling tale of Black girl magic.” —Dhonielle Clayton

Instant New York Times Bestseller • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by Teen Vogue Deka has always feared the blood ceremony that will decide her fate in her village. Praying for red blood to finally belong, she’s devastated when her blood runs gold—the color of impurity. Facing a fate worse than death, Deka is offered a choice: submit to her village’s cruelty or join the emperor’s army, fighting alongside other girls like her. These girls, called alaki, are near-immortals with rare powers, and they are the empire’s only defense against a deadly threat. But as Deka trains for battle, she discovers dark secrets about the empire, the city, and even herself. The Gilded Ones is a bold, feminist fantasy packed with action, magic, and self-discovery—perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther.