Helloooo! I’ve been following blackgirlslits for awhile now and I was wondering if you guys could help me with something. As a Black Woman, I’ve often found myself struggling to really embrace and fall in love with my blackness. I have dark skin and internalized a lot of the bullying that came with it. What are some good books that came help me combat this? Any and all suggestions are welcome! Thank you guys!
Hey Anon! Thanks for the question! And sorry for the VERY late response. I wanted to do a bit more research into this and get suggestions from others before replying so I hope you see this! (Please let me know if you do!)
I actually know exactly how you feel! I too have struggled myself to love and accept my blackness and my dark skin and it is especially difficult when the media seems to be showing propaganda to the world that would suggest otherwise.
(The books that came to mind for me in response to this)
✨The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake (My grandmother gave me a copy of this to read when I was growing up and I remember loving it so much! It’s more of a middle-grade/YA read but I think the message to love the skin you are in can be read at any age. I think if I had to pick one, this would be one of my favorite books, and I am definitely in need of a reread of this soon! The 20th anniversary edition of this was just published not too long ago too!)
✨ For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange (I’ve only seen the film adaptation for this play but I believe this is an excellent story of the strength and resiliency of the black woman, those of any shade, age, or circumstance.)
✨The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips (This one is a bit on the sadder side; haven’t read it but I think this may be a cautionary tale to say the least.)
✨The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (I don’t think this list would be complete without this book or any Toni Morrison book period).
✨Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams (This is a relatively new middle-grade release but I have heard nothing but good things about it and the synopsis for this alone sounds exactly like the book you are looking for!)
(Victoria thought these would make great reads)
✨ The Color Purple by Alice Walker (A classic! The main character struggles and suffers a lot but still finds her way to a happy ending.)
✨Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (This was a popular suggestion!)
✨Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat (A collection of short stories.)
(I posed this question to our Instagram followers and these are the responses to your question that I received; I hope you don’t mind that I shared your question with them)
✨Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves edited by Glory Edim (This is actually another suggestion of mine. I’m currently reading this and I highly recommend it! It tells of the experiences of several already acclaimed and some up-and-coming black women writer’s experiences as they first encountered themselves in literature. This book will also give you even more suggestions for books by black authors to read!)
✨The Black Woman: An Anthology edited by Toni Cade Bambara (Another suggestion by me. I first heard about this book when Victoria posted a photo of her hauling it a while back. I think this will lead to some revelations about life, society, and living as a darker skinned black woman as well.)
✨Naked: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips, and Other Parts edited by Ayana Byrd (This is a collection of essays with contributions by some famous African-American woman exploring their relation to their bodies.)
✨ 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter (This is high up on my tbr list! I heard this is a cute “chick-lit” type tale and that it reminds people of 13 Going on 30! The person who suggested this said this is such a great book that is perfect for addressing the issues posed in your question.)
✨ The Blacker The Berry by Wallace Thurman (I think this is the only book on this list by a black man but the person who suggested this said this stays true to emotions of internalized self-doubt, self-hatred, and that it delves deep by exploring the prejudice behind skin color in the Black community as a whole.)
✨I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (Again this list would not be complete without the late and great Angelou. She has written a ton of amazing memoirs.)
✨Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes (Not a huge fan of her tv shows lol but maybe her book is good.)
✨God Help the Child by Toni Morrison (Another book written by the queen of black literature.)
✨What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey (Not gonna lie, didn’t know that she wrote a book lol (a few books in fact)…adding this to my tbr now!)
✨In the Meantime: Finding Yourself and the Love You Want by Iyanla Vanzant (If this book is a intense, deep, and emotional as her tv show is then this book has to be good lol!)
I would also recommend Becoming by Michelle Obama (who wouldn’t recommend the memoir published by our forever first black first lady?) and Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adayemi and Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (both are the first book in a sci-fi/fantasy series that features a bad-ass dark skinned black girl who comes into her own in bravery and prevailing despite her differences from others; they also are the unexpected faces/leaders of a rebellion).
Again my sincerest apologies for the delay in my responding to your question but I hope this helped 💖!
