A list of recommended readings—all written by women—that shed light on the richness and complexity of the Black experience in the United States
Author: Keisha N. Blain
Keisha N. Blain, a Guggenheim and Carnegie Fellow, is professor of Africana studies and history at Brown University. She is the author of several books—most recently of the National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Until I Am Free: Fannie Lou Hamer’s Enduring Message to America and Wake Up America: Black Women on the Future of Democracy.
Justice and the Meaning of the Tubman $20
A white supremacist and sexist society has consistently relegated Black women to the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. Harriet Tubman, dubbed “the Moses of her people,” was no exception. She gave so much to the nation, yet in the years following the Civil War, Tubman struggled financially.
From persistent economic and housing insecurity to the highest infant mortality rates in the nation, Black women shoulder many of the same challenges Tubman endured in her lifetime. Let us work towards making these injustices a priority by the time Tubman appears on the redesigned $20.
Eight Recommended Books by Women to Understand the Uprisings
Award-winning historian Keisha N. Blain shares some of the most vital books to read on race.
“In this moment, Americans of all walks of life must confront this tragic and painful history if we ever hope to overcome racism and inequality.”
Required Reading: Ten Books on Black Women’s History
For women’s history month, award-winning historian Keisha N. Blain shares some of her favorite books on Black women’s history.
Op-ed: An Open Letter to the Producers and Directors of Who Killed Malcolm X?
Historians Jeanne Theoharis, Keisha N. Blain, and Ashley Farmer on the exclusion of women scholars (and activists) in the six-hour series on Malcolm X.
The Ms. Q&A: Barbara Smith Looks Back on a Lifetime of Black Feminist Struggle
Barbara Smith is one of the most influential Black feminists of our time. In this exclusive interview, she looks back on her activist career—and forward to what must come next.