(Akiit.com) With Black History Month having just passed, it’s given plenty of time to pause for thought. There are so many African Americans who have contributed to enriching our lives. In honour of Black History Month, below you’ll find a list of some of the best books written by scholars and exceptional writers. The books provide an in-depth Black history that will fill any readers with every emotion, from anger to pure joy.
- The Slave Ship by Marcus Rediker
This is certainly a rollercoaster read. You may have to hang on to your hats for this one because the writing and story will blow you away. It’s an eye-opening account of what it was like to be enslaved on a ship that had one duty – to carry Africans across the Atlantic in
chains.
- Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington
In some ways, the full title (which I haven’t given here) will give the book story away. Horrific and appalling, this book gives an insight into the days when African American bodies were used in medical experiments. Without permission and without remorse, medical companies took the bodies and used them to ‘better our knowledge of medicines’.
- Assata an Auto Biography by Assata Shakur
When it comes to Black History and movements, names like Malcolm X are always at the forefront of our minds. However, how black women fared in the days of Black oppression is very rarely spoken about on a larger scale. This book is for you if you’re interested in how women coped with oppression on all sides – from whites and their own families.
Whether you’re reading these books because you’re taking a Black History class or you’re just interested in the subject, they’re pure gems to add to your collection. If you’re interested in providing a third party review of cashcrate, you could earn the money to buy all the books that take your fancy.
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Can you imagine leaving everything you know behind? Is the future brighter or more dangerous? Wilkerson tells the story of the great migration from the South. Her writing is beautiful, inspiring and hopeful. You can take a sneak peek at what’s inside here.
- Blues People by Leroi Jones
Who doesn’t love the blues? It’s the kind of music that can reach right down into your soul and take a hold of you for life. Play some blues music and grab yourself a copy of this book to learn all about the effect of this music in Black American History.
The history of Black Americans is sad, shocking and beautiful all at once. If it teaches us anything, it teaches us that hope is hard to kill. You can rise from the ashes of oppression and create a better tomorrow. The fight isn’t entirely over but books like these remind us of how far the world has come and to step out in faith when you believe things should change.
Staff Writer; Rosa Long