February is Black History Month. This is a time to celebrate and reflect on the past, through the eyes of people of color. We celebrate Black Americans who are famous in social reform (Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King), political activism (Malcolm X, Barak Obama), music (BB King, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin), sports (Althea Gibson, Muhammed Ali, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams), visual arts (Romare Beardon, Faith Ringgold), performing arts (Morgan Freeman, Queen Latifah), dance (Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Katherine Dunham, Alvin Ailey) science and technology (George Washington Carver, Mae C. Jemison), humanitarian causes (Ruby Bridges, Medgar Evers) and business entrepreneurs (Madam C. J. Walker, Daymond John). For us at the Marianas Writers Movement, we especially honor those Black authors, poets, essayists, and philosophers who have shared with us the stories and ideas that weave the tapestry of our written and living history.
The famous and not-yet-famous
Literature is rich with Black authors and poets. Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Zora Neal Hurston, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Richard Wright, Alex Haley, August Wilson, Colson Whitehead and many others are well-recognized for their contributions. There are so many more, both historical and contemporary Black authors who do not have the same level of fame but whose contributions are significant. We want to read their works, too. P Djeli Clark, Alyssa Cole, Ernest J. Gaines, Akwaeke Emezi, Rivers Solomon, Sister Souljah, Rita Woods.
The ugly side of literature
Literature is a place where Black freedom, ideas, culture, and heart is easily found. But it is also, unfortunately, a place full of landmines of racism, bigotry, and hate. For example, in the horror genre, the entire compendium of literature has been infected with the racism of H.P. Lovecraft. His speculative and horror fiction, his tropes, and his approach are deeply entrenched. During Black History Month, please read this article to understand and locate the currents of racism in Lovecraftian horror: “Lovecraftian horror-and the racism at its core-explained” by Aja Romano, 8/18/2020. https://www.vox.com/culture/21363945/hp-lovecraft-racism-examples-explained-what-is-lovecraftian-weird-fiction If you have a strong stomach, I recommend that you follow the link in the article to take the test of whether it is Hitler or Lovecraft who wrote various quotations. It is truly inspirational that Black authors continue to write in the horror and speculative fiction genres, despite the contours of the road. Black authors are more often now tackling directly the legacy of racism their genre bears. The Ballad of Black Tom, by Victor LaValle, is a striking example—one I haven’t yet read, and one that is not yet in our JKPL. On my TBR list.
Recommendation lists
If you’re looking for more examples of recommended literature from Black authors, there are plenty to choose from. I found these video recommendations inspirational. I encourage you to check them out, or do your own exploration this month and all year long.
Cynthia Amoah “6 Black Writers You Should Know…” https://youtube.com/watch?v=eSaiN6cthKs
Chris Coursey “Top 10 Books for Black History Month” https://youtube.com/watch?v=JWUj7lvG3Qc
Chocolate Covered Pages “Black Historical Fiction Book Recommendations” https://youtube.com/watch?v=PTHWAd07z1A
Krishana Davis “10 of the Best Thriller, Horror Books by Black Authors” https://youtube.com/watch?v=F3UjC_6lJtE
Let us know
Feel free to leave comments on what you’re reading, what you recommend, and what your thoughts are for this Black History Month. Reading is the first step to becoming a writer, so we’re here to encourage you to keep reading!
#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistoryMonth2023