Diversity among major entertainment outlets has made great leaps in the past few years. Unfortunately, it is no secret that white authors and protagonists continue to oversaturate the book industry.
Articles such as one from the renowned organization The New York Times, explore the racial pay gap and lack of color among published authors. A study in relation to this article found that in popularized fiction books published from the 1950s to 2018s, 95 percent of the authors were white. To further emphasize this disparity: 60 percent of the population is comprised of white people and currently make up about 80 percent of published writers.
Another issue of high importance is diverse representation of book characters. By the age of seven, children begin consuming books at a fast pace and begin retaining detail from them. Ultimately, what children want most is to be able to envision themselves in these epic tales of adventure- to be the protagonist. Incorporating skin tones, hair textures, body types, and cultures of all kinds is just one of many steps in assisting readers in this process.
Accentuating Black authors and promoting the inclusion of Black characters, I have compiled a list that I hope will inspire some to further explore these people/literary works.
Authors
Toni Morrison
The first black woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature deserves every reader’s (and non-reader’s) attention. Morrison’s work continuously explores the black American experience, conformity, standards, and conflict on a variety of levels and circumstances. Morrison possesses a substantial collection of prestigious honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Pulitzer Prize. The latter is a distinction secured by her 1987 novel, Beloved, based on a true story of a runaway slave. In addition to adult literature, Morrison penned various plays and children’s books. One of the most influential American writers, Morrison’s literary bibliography is a significant contribution to society and should not only be examined but enjoyed.
“If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.” – Toni Morrison
Angie Thomas
Author, activist, speaker, producer… Angie Thomas is an extremely prolific, Black public figure. Her 2017 debut and breakout novel, The Hate You Give, is a New York Times bestseller and highly decorated, winning several awards/honors including the American Library Association’s William C. Morris Debut Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.
Thomas currently has four other published fiction books including Concrete Rose, Blackout, and On the Come Up– each of which follow young, black protagonists navigating life, loss, and love. The author also opens up to fellow aspiring writers in Find Your Voice on the writing process from developing story ideas to defining settings to constructing characters.
“I look at books as being a form of activism. Sometimes they’ll show us a side of the world that we might not have known about” – Angie Thomas
For more information on Angie Thomas and her work, visit her website.
Books
River Sing Me Home
Eleanor Shearer
A heartbreakingly beautiful historical fiction debut novel set in 1834- slavery is now legally abolished. Newly-freed mother Rachel sets out to search for her five children. Her journey for answers proves dangerous as she treks through the Caribbean. Shearer explores the determination of a mother and its testament of love for her children. Described by nearly every review as “powerful, moving, and a must-read”, the Good Morning America, Book Club pick surely won’t disappoint.
Token
Beverly Kendall
After experiencing a misguided promotion in the name of increasing diversity, Kennedy Mitchell and her best friend become founders of Token, a public relations agency that aims to assist “diversity-challenged” companies, organizations, and public figures. Token proves to be highly sought after- so much so that her ex-boyfriend is enlisting Kennedy’s help as his company becomes immersed in hot water. Ironically, Kennedy quickly finds herself in her own PR scandal. The contemporary romance novel focuses on second chances, equity, inclusion, and diversity.
As You Walk On By
Julian Winters
A young-adult, contemporary coming of age and LGBTQIA+ romance that follows seventeen-year-old Theo Wright. Under the assumption that with his plan (heavily influenced by the expectations of his father) of getting into his dream school on an athletic scholarship, his future is set, Theo turns his attention to having an exceptional prom night. But after his botched promposal fails- at his crush’s party- he finds himself locked away in an empty bedroom reeling and questioning who he really is. As the night progresses, he’s joined by various classmates seeking to avoid the expectations the party demands of them- one of which happens to be an old friend of Theo’s and soon, perhaps something more… Award-winning writer, Julian Winters brings to life a moving story of a young queer black man.
