10 Non-Fiction Books by Women of Colour Everyone Needs To Read…

In Rage Becomes Her, Chemaly uses scientific research, in-depth interviews, and personal experiences to investigate why we expect and even force women to keep their anger silent and rage intact. But more than that, she makes a case for why that pattern needs to be broken. This book changed the way I feel about my own anger and the messages I give to my son and daughter about expressing their anger based on their gender and the world’s expectations.

There’s a reason that Audre Lorde’s work has stood the test of time. It’s been almost a quarter of a century since Audre Lorde’s essays and speeches in Sister Outsider entered 20th-century literature. But her words are unforgettable, lyrical, and still relevant today. From racism, homophobia, and classism this collection speaks words to the truths that plague our existence as Black women. I wrote down at least 20 quotes from this collection and I suspect I will revisit it to catch what I missed the first time.

When people think of Bell Hooks they normally recommend her book ‘All About Love.’ And yes, I did enjoy that book, but I also recognize that book isn’t for everyone. 

In ‘Ain’t I a Woman,’ this landmark work of history and theory challenges every accepted notion about the nature of Black women’s lives. Ain’t I A Woman provides a comprehensive historical and social analysis of the ways black women have been marginalized by both white feminist movements and civil rights movements run by Black men. This book examines the impact of sexism on Black women during slavery, the historic devaluation of Black womanhood, Black male sexism, racism within the recent women’s movement, and Black women’s involvement with feminism. A must-read for anyone who wants to educate themselves on feminist theory.

“The problem with gender is that it prescribes how we should be rather than recognizing how we are. Imagine how much happier we would be, how much freer to be our true individual selves, if we didn’t have the weight of gender expectations.”

This book is short, sweet, and a much-needed look at gender expectations precisely in the context of African and American culture. I read this book in mere hours but I must say that it stuck with me.  This book presents some basic arguments for Feminism through a straightforward culturally sensitive lens. Adichie challenges the notion and the very word of feminism addressing some major themes such as the socialization of children, concepts of masculinity/femininity, and community structure. 

A beautifully written and poignant read, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ is the autobiography of poet and activist Maya Angelou. This book is a poetic account of the author’s life up until age 17. Named for the caged-bird image that Lawrence Dunbar used in his poem “Sympathy,” the book honestly reveals the cruelty, indignity, and injustice that confined African Americans in the 1930s and ’40s — the cage — but also celebrates black people’s spirit, humor, and courage. Reading Dunbar’s poem may offer further insight into this book.