50+ Books by BIPOC Authors Coming Out in September

As we prepare to let go of summer, I mourn a little. Drinking wine while reading on my patio has been my favourite summer pastime. But at least as summer gives way to fall, September 2024 promises to be a powerful month for new book releases by Black and BIPOC authors.

Here the six books at the top of my list this month. But the full list of upcoming titles span diverse genres, from historical fiction to science fiction, offering gripping stories and fresh perspectives.

Here are the six books at the top of my list…

Who’s That Girl: A Memoir by Eve – September 17

This book has been on my radar for months, I love Eve, not only her music but the way she’s evolved as a woman. This fearless, empowering, and inspirational memoir takes a look at the hip-hop sensation. Eve explores her rise to stardom as a female MC, her lasting legacy on pop culture and music, and her incredible yet enduring struggle balancing her personal life with her professional one.

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell – September 10

In this exquisite speculative novel set in a world where white people no longer exist, college professor Charlie Brunton receives a call from his estranged daughter Sidney, setting off a chain of events as they journey across a truly “post-racial” America in search of answers.

Lovely One: Memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson – September 3

In this inspiring, intimate memoir, the first Black woman to ever be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court chronicles her extraordinary life story.

With this unflinching account, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson invites readers into her life and world, tracing her family’s ascent from segregation to her confirmation on America’s highest court within the span of one generation.

Habits for Healing: Reclaim Your Purpose, Peace, and Power by Nakeia Homer – September 17

I love Nakeia Homer’s words and books. In this latest collection, Homer analyzes the premise of what impacts you doesn’t have to define you. Turning concepts like boundaries and self-care into practical rituals that can transform your life Habits for Healing is the next inspiring step on your mental health journey.

Colored Television by Danzy Senna – September 3

This is a dark comedy about second acts, creative appropriation, and the racial identity–industrial complex.

Tías and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us by Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez – September 10

In Tias and Primas, the follow-up to her acclaimed debut For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts, Mojica Rodríguez explores these archetypes. Fearlessly grappling with the effects of intergenerational trauma, centuries of colonization, and sexism, she attempts to heal the pain that is so often embodied in female family lines.

Here are additional diverse books coming out this month that you should add to your list:

Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers
Karaoke Queen by Dominic Lim
Thriving Postpartum Embracing the Indigenous Wisdom of La Cuarentena by Pānquetzani
A Place Between Waking and Forgetting by Eugen Bacon
Abolish Rent: How Tenants Can End the Housing Crisis by Tracy Rosenthal; Leonardo Vilchis
Blood on the Brain by Esinam Bediako
Real Ones a novel by Katherena Vermette
A Sunny Place for Shady People Stories by Mariana Enriquez
Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough by Prithi Kanakamedala
The Whole Man: 40 Spiritual Reflections from Black Men on the Head, Heart, Hands, and Soul by Rasool Berry, Dr. Maliek Blade, Jerome Gay
Lakshmi’s Secret Diary by Ari Gautier

Vengeance Feminism: The Power of Black Women’s Fury in Lawless Times by Kali Gross
Shine Bright Anyway: 90 Affirmations That Declare You Are Enough When the World Says You’re Not by Faith Broussard Cade
Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit
The Light Between Us by Elaine Chiew
She Changed the Nation: Barbara Jordan’s Life and Legacy in Black Politics by Mary Ellen Curtin
Yonder Come Day: Exploring the Collective Witness of the Formerly Enslaved by Jasmine L. Holmes
The Dating Countdown by N.G. Peltier
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma
The Most Famous Girl in the World by Iman Hariri-Kia
Whenever You’re Ready by Rachel Runya Katz
Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari
The Ending Fire Trilogy #3 by Saara El-Arifi
Caring Well: 90 Self-Care Devotions for the African American Caregiver by Jeanne Porter King
A Confident Cook: Recipes for Joyous, No-Pressure Fun in the Kitchen by Tamron Hall and Lish Steiling
The Love Habit: Daily Self-Care Practices for a Happier Life and Healthier Relationships by Rainie Howard
Staying Power: A Guided Journal to Living Changed, Connected, and Confident by Sarah Jakes Roberts
Kaleidoscope by Brenda L. Thomas
White Boy/Black Girl: What Our Differences Can Teach Us, One Honest Conversation at a Time by Adaeze and Chad Brinkman
The Little Book of E by E. Ethelbert Miller
Carl Weber’s Kingpins: Queens 3 by Erick S. Gray
Murder in Berkeley Square by Vanessa Riley
Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton
We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado
We’re Alone Essays by Edwidge Danticat
Countess by Suzan Palumbo
Armed with Good Intentions by Wallo267
Guava and Grudges by Alexis Castellanos
Faeries Never Lie: Tales to Revel In edited by Zoraida Córdova
First in the Family: A Story of Survival, Recovery, and the American Dream by Jessica Hoppe
Ida in Love and in Trouble by Veronica Chambers
Now You Owe Me by Aliah Wright
Strive: 8 Steps to Find Your Awesome by Venus Williams
Guide Me Home by Attica Locke
Magically Black and Other Essays by Jerald Walker
Before the Mango Ripens by Afabwaje Kurian
A Novel Christmas by Charity Shane
Christmas in Spite of You by K.C. Mills
The Fallen Fruit by Shawntelle Madison
Represent: The Unfinished Fight for the Vote by Michael Eric Dyson and Marc Favreau
Out of My Dreams by Sharon M. Draper
It Happened One Homecoming by Cheris Hodges
Elevator Pitch by Evelyn Leigh
Endgame by Ola Tundun
At the Waterfall: A multiracial forced proximity romance by Smardline Sufra
Rage: On Being Queer, Black, Brilliant… and Completely Over It by Lester Fabian Brathwaite
I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America by Don Lemon
Sideshow: Living with Loss and Moving Forward with Faith by Rickey Smiley

Here are diverse children’s books coming out in September

Ayo’s Adventure: Across the African Diaspora from Afro to Zulu by Ain Heath Drew
The Oracle’s Door: Prequel to Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott
Halima, Superhero Princess by Emily Joof
My Hair Can by Matt Forté, Illustrated by Sophia Green
Crowning Glory: A Celebration of Black Hair by Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Clutch Time: A Shot Clock Novel by Justin A. Reynolds
Kwame Crashes the Underworld by Craig Kofi Farmer
Dear Dad: Growing Up with a Parent in Prison — And How We Stayed Connected by Jay Jay Patton and Antoine Patton
Fortunes & Frenemies (Wildseed Witch Book 3) by Marti Dumas
What’s Yours Is Mine? by Faith Knight
The Idea in You: A Picture Book by Questlove, Illustrated by Sean Qualls
The Boldest White: A Story of Hijab and Community by Ibtihaj Muhammad, Illustrated by Hatem Aly
Black Star by Kwame Alexander
Stacey Speaks Up by Stacey Abrams aka Selena Montgomery, Illustrated by Kitt Thomas