Celebrate Black History Month with some books by African-American authors in the library’s OverDrive collection.Flyboy in the Buttermilk by Greg Tate
From one of the most original, creative, and provocative culture critics comes an eye-opening collection of essays and tales about American music and culture. Under the guise of writing about a single subject, Greg Tate's essays in Flyboy in the Buttermilk branch out from his usual and explore social, pop cultural, political, and economic subjects. Taking on a wide diversity of topics—from the rise of hip-hop; the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat; the music of Miles Davis, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Bad Brains, and many others; to the crisis of the Black intellectual and the irony of the GOP recruiting Black Americans— Tate writes in a brave and distinctive voice that is angry, joyous, anxious, and funny.
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
Satirical novel about a young Black man named Darren who is recruited from his Starbucks job into a high-pressure tech sales company, where he reinvents himself as a ruthless salesman named "Buck" to navigate systemic racism and corporate culture, ultimately leading to a critique of ambition, race, and the American dream
Black Friend: Essays by Ziwe
From the writer crowned one of the smartest, funniest voices in modern America, this hotly anticipated debut collection of essays offers "a precious glimpse into how Ziwe's uniquely fearless mind functions" (New York)
Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class by Blair L.M. Kelly
A historical study that reclaims the central role of Black workers in American history, arguing they are the nation’s most engaged working class. Combining personal family history with archival research, Kelley spans 200 years to highlight the resilience of laundresses, Pullman porters, domestic workers, and postal employees.
Off the Charts by Zee Reneé
A novel following Jersei Lane, who, after a long relationship, finds a new spark with school counselor Vayce Denver.
A Black Queer History of the United States by C. Riley Snorton
The first-ever Black history to center queer voices, this landmark study traces the lives of LGBTQ+ Black Americans from slavery to present day.
Come and Get It by Kiley Reid
It's 2017 at the University of Arkansas, and Millie Cousins—a super-senior resident assistant at Belgrade Dormitory—just wants to graduate, get a job, and buy a house. So when Agatha Paul, a writer and visiting professor itching for her next big topic, offers Millie an easy yet unusual opportunity for them to help each other further their own interests, Millie naturally jumps at the chance. But Millie's starry-eyed hustle quickly becomes jeopardized by a lonely transfer student, unruly residents, and illicit intrigue. Both Millie and Agatha are forced to question just how much of themselves they are willing to trade to get what they want.
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
A novel set in 1920s-30s Pottstown, Pennsylvania, focusing on the immigrant Jewish and African American residents of the Chicken Hill neighborhood. The story centers on Chona and Moshe Ludlow, who run a community grocery store and hide a deaf Black boy, Dodo, from state authorities, highlighting themes of community solidarity, resilience, and resistance against bigotry.
Redwood Court by DéLana R. A. Dameron
1990s-set coming-of-age novel following Mika Tabor, a young Black girl growing up in a close-knit, working-class suburb of Columbia, South Carolina. Told through intimate vignettes, it chronicles her family's resilience, intergenerational stories, and the joy found within a community navigating the American South.
Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead
1970s Harlem-set noir sequel to Harlem Shuffle, following furniture store owner and ex-fence Ray Carney. Across three 1970s vignettes, a desperate attempt to get Jackson 5 tickets forces Carney back into the criminal underworld, forcing him to navigate crooked cops, blaxploitation film shootings, and city corruption.
What the Fireflies Know by Kai Harris
Coming-of-age novel about 11-year-old Kenyatta "KB" Bernice, who is sent to live with her estranged grandfather in Lansing, Michigan, after her father dies of a drug overdose. Over a transformative summer, KB grapples
The Devil Three Times by Rickey Fayne
Genre-bending, multi-generational saga spanning 175 years of a Black Southern family. It follows Yetunde, who makes a pact with the Devil on a slave ship, leading him to protect her descendants across eight generations as part of his quest to return to heaven.
Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings
Sociologist Sabrina Strings argues that modern fatphobia is not primarily about health, but rather deeply rooted in anti-Black racism, Protestantism, and slavery. Strings traces how Western society developed a, pro-thin, anti-fat ideology starting in the 18th century to align with white, elite, Protestant ideals.
Palaver by Bryan Washington
A story focusing on the tense, emotional reconciliation between an estranged, unnamed Jamaican American mother and her gay son living in Tokyo. When the mother arrives unannounced from Houston after a decade of estrangement, they navigate their fractured relationship, personal histories, and newfound affection, set against the backdrop of Tokyo's gay scene and the holiday season
Bibliotherapy in the Bronx by Emely Rumbler
Explores the healing power of literature, detailing the author’s 14+ years using books for therapy in marginalized communities. The book showcases how reading acts as a tool for emotional transformation, trauma healing, and self-discovery through case studies and personal stories.
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
Collection of humorous, candid essays exploring Irby’s life as a famous blogger, screenwriter, and someone navigating a body with chronic illnesses like Crohn’s. She covers topics from, embarrassing health incidents, to Sex and the City rewatches, to navigating social awkwardness with her signature self-deprecating wit.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
A YA novel-in-verse following two teenage girls, Camino Rios in the Dominican Republic and Yahaira Rios in New York, who discover they are half-sisters after their father dies in a plane crash. The story explores their parallel lives, grief, and the revelation that their father lived a double life.
Marsha by Tourmaline
Tourmaline weaves personal narrative, extensive research and interviews to thoughtfully explore the magnetic life and legacy of the Black trans activist, actress and artist, Marsha P. Johnson
Love You a Little Bit by Kasha Thompson
Country music star Francesca "Fancy" Palmer escapes a cheating boyfriend and returns to her quiet Tennessee hometown. There, she reconnects with her old friend, Edison Birch, a local nursery owner who has secretly adored her for years. As they rekindle their relationship, Fancy must navigate the tension between her fame and a slower life, finding a deep, second-chance romance amidst small-town charm.
Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char Adams
A history of Black-owned bookstores in the U.S. as centers of resistance, community, and activism. The book chronicles how these spaces, from 1834 to the Black Lives Matter era, functioned as radical, often-targeted hubs for liberation and literary culture.