7 Phenomenal Black Authors To Read

Authors create worlds known or not that allow you as the reader to be consumed by every word. Or the good ones do at least and if you say there are no good writers, profound even in the present then you clearly haven't read in a long time. However, new or old all their words provide insight and wisdom. This month is dedicated to that very concept.

Black writers throughout history have given us their souls in the form of words. That combined with the mass amount of racism that ran rampant, I'm surprised they got anything done. Every author on this list I have personally read myself or have been highly recommended by a plethora of people. The numbers on this list do not constitute any kind of ranking, all these authors are phenomenal.

1. bell hooks (1952-2021) Or otherwise known as Gloria Jean Watkins was a Kentucky native and stark advocate for Black feminism. She spent her days writing about everything from race, class, oppression, feminism, Black womanhood, and more. She was known for her powerful arguments and the inspiration that ensues immediately after reading her words. Doctor of Literature and Professor she loved to command a room to discuss a good story. hooks was one-of-a-kind! She spent her days going on regular speaking engagements to discuss what it meant to be a Black feminist.

Book Recommendation: Ain't I a Woman

2. Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) A revolutionary author who knew how to make an appearance and make it known that she was the star. A profound writer born in Alabama but spent most of her fundamental time in Florida. She lived a life full of privilege as she grew up in a successful Black town on five acres of land. Her mother died when she was 13 and the life of comfort she knew disappeared. At 26 she faked her age to enroll back into high school and eventually graduated from Barnard College. She spent the rest of her time writing and producing everything from essays to novels.

Book Recommendation: Mules and Men

3. James Baldwin (1924-1987) Was always a bright mind and displayed academic brilliance very early on in life. He spent most of his time in school involved in writing, editing for school magazines and yearbooks. Even composing a few works, he was adored by students and teachers alike. It wasn't until after schooling he dealt with real prejudice and racism, especially from his fellow workmen. By the time he was 24 he moved to Paris where he explored his sexuality and published many works. Baldwin is known for his essays and exploratory tales about Black men who are navigating society as bisexual or gay.

Book Recommendation: Notes of a Native Son

4. Langston Hughes (1901-1967) Grew up in a number of Mid-Western cities but would later move to New York for school and become the leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes traveled to England after dropping out of Columbia and before returning to Lincoln University where he pledged Omega Psi Phi. He got his first big break in 1921 being published in The Crisis, the NAACP's official magazine. When he wrote, he wanted to portray the real Black experience in America, unlike his peers. He spent a lot of time examining the lives of Black people and critiqued the endless debate about skin color. The pictures he paints with his words are meant to amplify the multi-faceted and unique souls that inspired him daily.

Book Recommendation: Poetry for Young People

5. Amiri Baraka (1934-2014) A true intellect having studied at a number of universities but never taking on a degree. Baraka studied philosophy and religious studies, which were the foundation for a lot of his writing. After making the rank of Sergeant in the military he was dishonorably discharged after being accused of communist leanings by a commanding officer. He then founded with his wife, Totem Press where he published works for many authors. It wasn't until the assassination of Malcolm X that he changed his name to Amiri Baraka. That is also when he left his wife moved to Harlem and founded BARTS. He was an activist, author and grand thinker whose works cover topics such as music, love, race, capitalism and of course Black people.

Book Recommendation: Tales of the Out and the Gone

6. Audre Lorde (1934-1992) Was born in New York City where she spent most of her days as a self-proclaimed "black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet," and activist. Her parents were focused on keeping the family business alive post-Great Depression, so she spent most of her time alone. Her first poem was published in Seventeen Magazine after being rejected by her school's paper. She went to college briefly in Mexico before returning to New York to attend Hunter College and later Columbia University. She was very involved in gay culture and often frequented Greenwich Village. She founded two organizations Women's Coalition of St. Croix and Sisterhood in Support of Sisters (SISA) in South Africa, both in the pursuit of aiding women in trouble. Her work explores race, sexuality, womanhood, love, and all thing under the sun.

Book Recommendation: Collected Poems

7. Ntozake Shange (1948-2018) Came into this world as Paulette Linda Williams, she was born in New Jersey to a surgeon and psychiatric social worker. The guests of her family home would include W.E.B. Du Bois, Miles Davis, Chuck Berry, and more always encouraged her to follow her dreams as an artist. Her time at a non-segregated school was filled with racism and contempt that later fueled her work. She attended Barnard and the University of Southern California where she got her masters. She produced her first big play in 1975 and it became her most well known. Shange explores mental health, love, despair, race, and imagination throughout her work.

Book Recommendation: For Colored Girls

Don't be afraid to travel to worlds unknown.