Black History Month : What to Read

A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making-from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy.

In her memoir, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her; from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the White House. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, telling her full story as she has lived it, in her own words and on her own terms.

In the 150 years since the end of the Civil War and the Thirteenth Amendment (the abolition of slavery), the story of race and America has remained a brutally simple one, written on flesh. It is the story of the black body, exploited to create the country's foundational wealth, violently segregated to unite a nation after a civil war and still disproportionately threatened, locked up and killed in the streets.

Teeming with life and crackling with energy - a love song to modern Britain, to black womanhood. Follows the lives and struggles of twelve very different characters. Mostly women, black and British, they tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the years.

'I write about being a Black American woman, however, I am always talking about what it's like to be a human being. This is how we are, what makes us laugh, and this is how we fall and how we somehow, amazingly, stand up again' Maya Angelou

Jeremy Black's compelling text provides a thematic account of British history centering on the twentieth century. To the traditional, chronological account of historic events, Black adds long-range thematic chapters reflecting the full range of topics. These include political structures, ideologies, wars and international relations, economic history, social history as well as consumerism, media and mass communication

When Korede is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. She should probably go to the police but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede isn't prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other.

Sephy is a Cross: she lives a life of privilege and power. But she's lonely, and burns with injustice at the world she sees around her. Callum is a nought: he's considered to be less than nothing, a blanker, there to serve Crosses, but he dreams of a better life. They've been friends since they were children, and they both know that's as far as it can ever go. Noughts and Crosses are fated to be bitter enemies, love is out of the question. Then, in spite of a world that is fiercely against them, these star-crossed lovers choose each other.

Across photography, sculpture and painting, a new wave of Black artists is challenging persistent tropes in art and wider society to depict a richer portrait of the lives of Black people from all corners of the globe. As We See It brings together 30 image-makers creating visually refreshing narratives on Black cultural identities, and exploring what Blackness brings to the making and viewing of art.

This concise yet comprehensive reference book provides an overview of the Black Lives Matter movement, from its emergence in response to the police-involved deaths of unarmed black people to its development as a force for racial justice in America.

The most complete and affordable single-volume reference of African American culture available today, this almanac is a unique and valuable resource devoted to illustrating and demystifying the moving, difficult, and often lost history of black life in America.

Tells stories of barrier-breaking pioneers in all fields-arts, entertainment, business, civil rights, education, government, inventing, journalism, religion, science, sports, and more.

For as long as people have been migrating to London, so has their music. An essential link to home, music also has the power to shape communities in surprising ways.

This book recounts a little-known history of an estimated 2,000 children born to black GIs and white British women in world war 11. Stories from over 50 of these children, alongside many photographs, reveal the racism and stigma of growing up in what was then a very white country.

Black People in the British Empire is a challenge to the official version of British history. It tells the story of Britain's exploitation and oppression of its subject peoples in its colonies, and in particular the people of Africa, Asia and Australasia.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history of British seafarers of African descent from the Tudor period to the present day.