Here's a list of some of my favorite works of literature written by African and African-American authors:
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
This book is one of my all-time favorite works. Hurston not only brings you into the story, she makes you experience the journey of her female protagonist.
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
Alice Walker is one of my favorite authors which is why she appears twice on this list. "Everyday Use" is a short story about the importance of culture.
"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr.
This is the most moving piece of contemporary correspondence I have ever read.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
This epistolary novel is a shocking and moving story of two sisters. Walker's intentionally graphic language is vital to the impact of the story.
"The Atlanta Exposition Address" by Booker T. Washington
This speech proves why Washington is one of the most well-known orators of American history.
Narrative on the Life of Frederick Douglass by Himself
This is one of my favorite novels. Douglass is real and raw in his writing.
The Dream Keeper by Langston Hughes
This collection of poems truly captures the heart of Harlem Renaissance poetry.
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
This play is a telling story of an African-American family fighting racism of a white suburb.
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
The Green Mile has nothing on this work by Gaines. A Lesson Before Dying probes the relationship between two African-American men, one educated, the other illiterate, and marked for death.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The most well-known contemporary African writer and his most well-known work.
"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty
This short story is a beautiful tale on the dedication of family.
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