Black Classic Reading List

ANGELOU, MAYA
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

ARMSTRONG, WILLIAM H
Sounder

BALDWIN, JAMES
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Another Country
Going to Meet the Man

BAMBARA, TONI CADE
Gorilla, My Love

BARAKA, AMIRI (LEROI JONES)
The Amiri Baraka Reader

BROOKS, GWENDOLYN
Blacks

BUTLER, OCTAVIA
Kindred
Fledgling

CHILDRESS, ALICE
Trouble in Mind

COOPER, ANNA JULIA
A Voice from the South

CRUSE, HAROLD
The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual

CULLEN, COUNTEE
On These I Stand

DELANY, MARTIN R.
Blake; Or the Huts of America

DOUGLASS, FREDERICK
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (1845)
The Heroic Slave

DOVE, RITA
Thomas and Beulah

DU BOIS, W.E.B.
The Souls of Black Folk

DUMAS, HENRY
Play Ebony, Play Ivory

ELLISON, RALPH
Invisible Man

EQUIANO, OLAUDAH
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa

EVANS, MARI
I Am the Black Woman

FULLER, CHARLES
A Soldier’s Play

GAINES, ERNEST J.
Lesson Before Dying
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
A Gathering of Old Men

GARVEY, MARCUS
Message to the People

GRIMKE, CHARLOTTE FORTEN
The Journals of Charlotte Forten Grimke

HALEY, ALEX
Roots

HANSBERRY, LORRAINE
A Raisin in the Sun

HARPER, FRANCES E. W.
Complete Poems

HARPER, MICHAEL
Images of Kin: New and Selected Poems

HIMES, CHESTER
If He Hollers Let Him Go

HUGHES, LANGSTON
Mulatto
The Big Sea , selected poems
The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain
Nation 23 (June 1926): 69294
The Best of Simple

HULL, GLORIA T., PATRICIA BELL SCOTT, AND BARBARA SMITH, eds.
But Some of Us Are Brave

HURSTON, ZORA NEALE
Mules and Men
Their Eyes Were Watching God

JACOBS, HARRIET
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

JOHNSON, JAMES WELDON
The Autobiography of an ExColored Man
God’s Trombones

KENNEDY, ADRIENNE
Funnyhouse of a Negro

LARSEN, NELLA
Quicksand
Passing

LORDE, AUDRE
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name

MCKAY, CLAUDE
Home to Harlem

MORRISON, TONI
Beloved
Sula
Song of Solomon

MOSLEY, WALTER
47
Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned
The Man In My Basement

NAYLOR, GLORIA
The Women of Brewster Place

PETRY, ANN
The Street

REED, ISHMAEL
Mumbo Jumbo
New and Collected Poems 19642006

SANCHEZ, SONIA
I’ve Been a Woman: New and Selected Poems

SCHUYLER, GEORGE S.
Black Empire

SHANGE, NTOZAKE
for colored girls who have considered suicide /when the rainbow is enuf

TOOMER, JEAN
Cane

WALKER, ALICE
The Color Purple

WALKER, DAVID
David Walker’s Appeal, in Four Articles

WALKER, MARGARET
For My People
Jubilee

WASHINGTON, BOOKER T.
Up from Slavery

WHEATLEY, PHYLLIS
Selected poems
Complete Works

WIDEMAN, JOHN EDGAR
Brothers and Keepers

WILLIAMS, CHANCELLOR
The Destruction of Black Civilization

WILLIAMS, JOHN A.
The Man Who Cried I Am

WILSON, AUGUST
Fences
The Piano Lesson

WRIGHT, RICHARD
Native Son
Black Boy

X, MALCOLM & ALEX HALEY
The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Prepared by Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari, author of The African Book of Names (HCI, 2009) and Lifelines: The Black Book of Proverbs (Broadway Books, 2009) (both available wherever books are sold). For more information, or to download this document, visit drhodari.com. You have permission to copy and distribute this document as long as this entire footer remains visible and intact. Copyright ©2011 Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari. All rights reserved.

Blurb

Kalamu ya Salaam, New Orleans writer/educator

"These are proverbs about life, not about race. Here are memorable truisms full of wit and wisdom. These are pithy...

2014-03-07T14:53:10+00:00

"These are proverbs about life, not about race. Here are memorable truisms full of wit and wisdom. These are pithy proverbs anyone can understand and powerful proverbs everyone will be able to use."

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/kalamu-ya-salaam-new-orleans-writereducator/

Nitanju Bolade Casel, of Sweet Honey in the Rock

"When I am attentive in my living, I learn....but to be given all these lessons of ancestral wisdom through Lifelines...

2014-03-07T14:53:48+00:00

"When I am attentive in my living, I learn....but to be given all these lessons of ancestral wisdom through Lifelines is a sacred honor. If I had any doubts as to where new inspiration and direction for my composing would be found, I can rest assured that it is within this brilliant gift. Asante sana."

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/nitanju-bolade-casel-sweet-honey-rock/

Tony Medina, author of I and I: Bob Marley

"Lifelines is a rich and fascinating exploration into the vast well of African wisdom throughout the centuries. The authors have...

2014-03-07T14:54:11+00:00

"Lifelines is a rich and fascinating exploration into the vast well of African wisdom throughout the centuries. The authors have superbly culled and categorized an exquisite array of ancestral insight and knowledge. This book not only reflects Africa’s intellectual contribution to humanity, but it inspires and encourages self-reflection while educating one on history, geography, and social customs. Lifelines provides the necessary perspective and clarity we need in these complex times."

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/tony-medina-author-bob-marley/

Opal Palmer Adisa, author of I Name Me Name

"Lifelines is an indispensable gem to have wherever you are. But most importantly, it is the life-line our youths need...

2014-03-07T14:56:01+00:00

"Lifelines is an indispensable gem to have wherever you are. But most importantly, it is the life-line our youths need to buffer their rough edges. What a marvelous gift the authors have compiled for us. Nuff Respect."

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/opal-palmer-adisa-author-name-name/

Betty DeRamus, author of Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad and Freedom by Any Means: True Stories of Courage and Cunning on the Underground Railroad.

"These black proverbs will make you laugh, nod in agreement, remember your grandparents’ wise sayings or simply mutter a heartfelt...

2014-03-07T15:00:06+00:00

"These black proverbs will make you laugh, nod in agreement, remember your grandparents’ wise sayings or simply mutter a heartfelt “amen.” Crammed with pithy advice, Lifelines sheds wisdom on just about every situation from childbirth to adultery to choosing friends. Hallelujah and pass the proverbs."

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/betty-deramus-author-forbidden-fruit-love-stories-underground-railroad-freedom-means-true-stories-courage-cunning-underground-railroad/

Blurb

Betty DeRamus, author of Freedom by Any Means and Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad

“There is a lot more to Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari’s book than its list of more than 5,000 African names....

2014-03-07T14:26:46+00:00

“There is a lot more to Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari’s book than its list of more than 5,000 African names. The book is also about the meaning of names, the power of names to change us, the role of names in connecting people to their histories, the expectations that names inspire, and the way names reflect the cultures that create them. On every level, this book succeeds.”

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/406/

Tony Medina, author of My Old Man Was Always on the Lam and I and I, Bob Marley

“Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari captures the essence of African cultural identity and expressivity with this wonderfully rich treasure trove of...

2014-03-07T14:27:31+00:00

“Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari captures the essence of African cultural identity and expressivity with this wonderfully rich treasure trove of African names that are at the root of African creativity and intellect. The African Book of Names is a testament of affirmation, confirmation, and reclamation, both transformative and empowering, returning us to our ancestral home.”

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/407/

Lori Robinson, author of I Will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse

“Askhari Johnson Hodari is to be congratulated and celebrated for simplifying African Americans’ process of reconnecting with a most fundamental...

2014-03-07T14:47:15+00:00

“Askhari Johnson Hodari is to be congratulated and celebrated for simplifying African Americans’ process of reconnecting with a most fundamental aspect of who we are—our names. The African Book of Names has the potential to serve as a catalyst for understanding and embracing our heritage more fully than ever before.”

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/lori-robinson-author-will-survive-african-american-guide-healing-sexual-assault-abuse/

Kalamu ya Salaam, New Orleans writer/educator/moviemaker

“We love to come up with unique names for our children—I even know a ‘Uniquequa.’ Dr. Hodari has now provided...

2014-03-07T14:47:43+00:00

“We love to come up with unique names for our children—I even know a ‘Uniquequa.’ Dr. Hodari has now provided us with a book of unique names that have meaning. To name is to claim. Let’s claim our future by giving our children meaningful names.”

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/kalamu-ya-salaam-new-orleans-writereducatormoviemaker/

Michele R. Wright, author of Dear Success Seeker

“Most impressive is the way The African Book of Names remarkably and ingeniously resonates the life, history, culture, and spirit...

2014-03-07T14:48:17+00:00

“Most impressive is the way The African Book of Names remarkably and ingeniously resonates the life, history, culture, and spirit of Africa from all corners of the continent. And the icing on the cake is the included two-hundred-year naming calendar. This book is a ‘must-read’ masterpiece.”

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/michele-r-wright-author-dear-success-seeker/

Did You Know?

Sierra Leone's capital city Freetown was founded by freed slaves in the 1790's. They settled near an old cotton tree...

2014-03-07T16:49:54+00:00

Sierra Leone's capital city Freetown was founded by freed slaves in the 1790's. They settled near an old cotton tree that is still alive today and one of the city's main tourist attractions. Imagine what that tree has seen...

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/sierra-leones-capital-city-freetown/

Butterflies have two compound eyes consisting of thousands of lenses, yet they only see the colors red, green and yellow.

2014-03-07T17:04:39+00:00

Butterflies have two compound eyes consisting of thousands of lenses, yet they only see the colors red, green and yellow.

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/butterfly-eyes/

The world's biggest hospital is in Soweto. In terms of land area, South Africa's Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital is the...

2014-03-07T16:50:26+00:00

The world's biggest hospital is in Soweto. In terms of land area, South Africa's Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital is the biggest hospital in the world, as it stands on 173 acres of land (as of 2009).

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/worlds-biggest-hospital/

Giraffes have no vocal cords.

2014-03-07T17:06:12+00:00

Giraffes have no vocal cords.

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/giraffes-vocal-cords/

Africa is more than three times the size of the United States. The United States fits into Africa 3.3 times.

2014-03-07T16:51:01+00:00

Africa is more than three times the size of the United States. The United States fits into Africa 3.3 times.

http://drhodari.com/testimonials/africa-3-times/

Askhari Johnson Hodari

Black Classic Reading List

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Blurb

Kalamu ya Salaam, New Orleans writer/educator

Nitanju Bolade Casel, of Sweet Honey in the Rock

Tony Medina, author of I and I: Bob Marley

Opal Palmer Adisa, author of I Name Me Name

Betty DeRamus, author of Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad and Freedom by Any Means: True Stories of Courage and Cunning on the Underground Railroad.

Blurb

Betty DeRamus, author of Freedom by Any Means and Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad

Tony Medina, author of My Old Man Was Always on the Lam and I and I, Bob Marley

Lori Robinson, author of I Will Survive: The African-American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse

Kalamu ya Salaam, New Orleans writer/educator/moviemaker

Michele R. Wright, author of Dear Success Seeker

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