7 Book By Black Women For Everyone

'I am Not Your Baby Mother' - is one of my favourites

Everyone has their favourite authors, many of us don't choose our books based on authors but based on the genres we are interested in.

SLAY IN YOUR LANE by Yomi Adegoke & Elizabeth Uviebinene

This book is known as the principal book for every black British woman to read as it delves into the understanding of being a black British woman and the microaggression that black women face and how to deal with it. It explores the history, statistics and lifestyle to get you educated and understand the impacts of white supremacy on black women. The authors have also launched a podcast discussing and sharing the aftermath of the success of the book.

Available here on: Amazon

WHY I AM NO LONGER TALKING TO WHITE PEOPLE ABOUT by Reni Eddo-Lodge

An emotionally charged book, focusing on the educational system that is designed to be pro division. This book breaks down the racial micro and elements of macro aggressions and stereotypes and provides an understanding of the correlation between class and race.

available here on: Amazon Waterstones

I AM NOT YOUR BABY MOTHER by Candice Brathwaite

The book truly represents how many black mothers’ experiences and obstacles they have had to face due to prejudice and discrimination. This is a book that everyone should read to get an insight into this group of women dealing with motherhood. It removes cliche of what being a British mother the media portrays.

The author is also the founder of Make Motherhood Diverse.

Available here on: Amazon Waterstones

"Such a funny, thoughtful book. A book I didn’t even know I needed to read. I don’t tend to read mummy bloggers books because, quite simply, they aren’t very interesting to me anymore and follow pretty similar paths. Candice Brathwaite stands out, not just for being a black woman, but also for ‘spilling the tea’ on whatever it is she talks about, whether that be secrecy in the black community about mental health issues, or the white supremacy of the mummy blogosphere. Please don’t think you need to be BIPOC to enjoy this."

QUEENIE by Candice Carty Williams

The Sunday Times bestseller book. The character of the book has been described as the black Bridget Jones This book is a diary illustrating a black woman living in south London journey through career and dating. This book despite it being fiction, it discusses existing businesses and areas of London where she lives making the character all the more relatable. Be prepared for funny, charming and poignant stories.

Available here on: Amazon Waterstones

This is Us: Black British Women and Girls, by Kafayat Okanlawon and Marai Larasi

The portrayals of a black woman between the ages of 4–86, this gripping book illustrates the lives of women across multiple generations through a collection of Poetry from strangers, acquaintances, friends and family. This book is more than just for reading, it is a representation of the truth, brutality and sisterhood. It was an honour to be able to read this book and grasp and respect the amount of time and effort it may have taken to gather transcribe the individual’s biographies.

Reading this book felt so personal as if someone has cut several pivotal chapters of my life and put the pieces together. It Raw and awakening stories keeps you gripped and provides a front and centre no filter approach of being a black British woman

Available here on Amazon and Waterstones

Young, Female, and Black, by Heidi Safia Mirza

Black women in western countries are faced from birth with all factors of a fundamentally unequal society, we do well in school, ambitious and hard workers professionally yet the rate in successful, stable situations don’t quite match with what is deserved.

I find this book compelling, through extensive research by British, American and Caribbean scholars, it provides an uplifting reminder and debunks the status quo myths that black women consistently underachieve in education or the labour market and instead reexamines our misunderstandings and defines what is meant by educational underachievement through the lens of black families and in particular black womanhood in Britain.

Available on Amazon and Blackwells

Black Women For Beginners Book, by Saundra Pearl Sharp

The title is exactly that, a timeline of all the strengths and shortcomings of this group of Women and their versatility as warriors, healers, teachers, mothers, queens and liberators on all seven continents and how they have managed to sustain despite hurdles and hindrances. These stories are too be celebrated and shared.

Available here at Amazon

These books have been impactful for various areas of my life and essence in my adulting years. As a black woman, I grew up minimal knowledge of the triumphs of a woman who resembled me and since my coming of age years, I have been doing a lot of catching up with my new found resources. I think these books are pivotal and profound for all in order to eliminate ignorance and naivety.