More books are now being sought that showcase a variety of cultures. It’s a great opportunity to expand readers’ viewpoints, question their assumptions, and make them more empathetic to different cultures.
With this new focus, previously overlooked stories—often with protagonists of color— are gaining well-deserved recognition. Notably, books featuring black protagonists are gaining popularity among an expanding audience.
Books with Black Protagonists
Below is a list of books with black protagonists that explore the varied identities, perspectives, and experiences of black people.
1. You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Liz Lighty dreams of leaving her small, fancy town. Her skin color, financial situation, and awkwardness just won’t make her shine there.
But when her original plan to escape fails, her only hope is the scholarship set aside for her school’s prom king and queen. There’s just one more problem: Mack, her new friend, crush, and rival for prom queen.
2. Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
Kiara and her brother, Marcus live in a rundown apartment, having dropped out of high school due to family troubles. But while Marcus pursues his dream of being a rapper, Kiara struggles to find work, pay their rent, and also care for the abandoned child next door.
She takes up nightcrawling, a job she never imagined having but now desperately needs. Things get worse when she becomes a key witness to a massive scandal involving the Oakland Police Department.
3. Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’O
Sulwe is dark-skinned—darker than anyone in her family and maybe everyone else. All she wants is to be beautiful and accepted. Then a magical moment sends her on a journey of self-acceptance and being comfortable in her skin.
4. Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Stephen is a first-generation Londoner born to Ghanaian immigrants. He’s about to begin university and wants to pursue his passion, music. His father, however, has other plans.
The family is fractured when he ultimately decides to follow his passion but fails to get into the course he wants. Now Stephen must pull himself together and find the peace and freedom he longs for.
5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Aibeleen is a maid who has spent her life raising white children. Her friend, Minny, has a sharp tongue that regularly gets her into trouble. Skeeter, a young woman who has just graduated from university, aspires to be a writer.
All three’s lives are forever entangled when Skeeter, disturbed by the racial injustices she sees, decides to write a book from the point of view of the maids.
6. The Vanishing Half by Britt Benett
At sixteen, twins Desiree and Stella Vignes run away from their small town to New Orleans. Their paths diverge soon after. One marries a black man and has a child while the other passes herself off as white while keeping her past a secret from her husband.
Still, despite the dramatic difference in their lives, they soon intersect as their daughters impossibly meet each other in California.
7. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Celie, a young African American girl, endures a life of abuse and despair. While her sister, Nettie, escapes to a new life in Africa, Celie is left behind to eventually marry a brutal husband.
To lessen her pain, she begins writing letters addressed to God. Spanning 20 years, the letters reveal her journey to discovering her inner strength and self-worth.
8. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
After church, CJ and his grandma always take the bus across town. Curious and observant, he bombards his grandma with questions and his dissatisfaction with various aspects of their life. Every question is met with wisdom as his grandmother teaches him how to find joy and wonder in even the simplest things.
9. Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
Despite coming from a criminal family, Ray Carney tries to earn an honest living as a furniture salesman. Occasionally though, he’ll fence stolen goods, especially the ones that cousin Freddie brings.
When Freddie’s big heist goes wrong, Ray finds himself with an entirely new and shady clientele. He must now find a way to navigate his double life, maintain his honest reputation, and keep his family safe.
10. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates writes a letter to his adolescent son, explaining how fear controlled most of his life as a black man. He talks about visiting Europe, where he experiences freedom from that fear.
And yet, Europe is not his home. He dives into America’s violent racial history, its ongoing impact on black people, and the questions being frequently ignored by this legacy of racism.
11. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah is born in apartheid South America to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother. At the time, such a union was illegal and punishable by five years in prison.
Kept hidden for most of his earlier years, he finally tastes freedom after South Africa’s liberation from tyrannical rule. Born a Crime is his story of finding his place in a world where his existence was never meant to be.
What other books with black protagonists have you read? Share them in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 10 Books With Older Protagonists
- 8 of the Worst Character Types in Fiction
- 12 Books Where the Main Character Dies
- 12 Books with Strong Female Leads
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
