Exploring Black History Month Via Books Part 1

Supporting Black Authors through exploring their books and hearing their stories feels like something meaningful to do for Black History Month. I plan to read a combination of nonfiction, fiction, and short works. Each Friday in February I plan to post here about what I have read. I hope some of these stories pique your interest and inspire you to support black creators this month.

1. Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World by Wil Haygood (Nonfiction)

This was a fascinating look at the intersections of black films about black characters, how white films have portrayed black characters, and how Hollywood, racism, and civil rights have intertwined over the past 100 years. 

I learned about so many films I never heard about and gained a deeper understanding about why certain movies and certain awards meant so much to so many. I also learned that several people I had herd of vaguely actually were in movies. 

This book is a reminder about why we need to really look at our institutions and explore who is marginalized, who is being kept out, and what stories are not being awarded (or even deeper what stories are not being allowed to be told in the first place)

 

2.  Ironheart, Vol. 1: Those With Courage by Eve L. Ewing (Short Work: Graphic Novel)

Ok I loved this graphic novel for a whole host of reasons. I really love the character of Ironheart and as someone who has lived in Chicago for a while I love love love that we get a superhero too. 

3. Bluest Nude by Ama Codjoe (Short Work: Poetry)

This was a collection of clearly very personal poems about what it feels like to be alive in a world that is complex and what love in all it forms (self love, other love, past love, future love, ...) can look like.