Reading List for Black History Month

Growing up, I was an avid reader who loved to explore and stretch my limits in both fiction and non-fiction. My time at UW-Madison allowed me to dive deeper into a broader variety of fiction and that included a study of Black American authors. This experience was profound for me because I was a suburbanite — my first experience and knowledge of slavery was through Alex Haley's Roots and my history books. It's billed on the website as "the book that changed America" and I absolutely agree with this statement. Watching those atrocities on film… It still appalls me that we'd stoop to treating other human beings that way.

Regardless, there is a deep history — a recent series of events and struggles — for those considered "black" in American society. Mind you, it's easy to paint someone "black" and lump them into a single category, but that's only the color of someone's skin. That does not reflect that person's culture and family history therein. If anything, I hate the word "black" because it feels like just another stereotype. I say "I'm Italian!" and what immediately jumps to your mind. Super Mario Brothers? Snooki? Yeah, you get my drift. I'm definitely not a Jersey girl.

For myself, I have found that the only way I can be tolerant of other people is to listen to what they have to say — through their words, their pictures, their art, and even their food. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone. White, gay, Black, handicapped, Native American, female, Christian, Chinese, male, Muslim, whatever. I don't know if I'm smart enough to learn everything there is to know from what these stories have to offer, but I'll keep on collecting (and writing) them and hope I absorb something about what it means to be human.

For Black History Month, here is a collection of stories that greatly impacted me.

Go Tell It On The Mountain – Written by James Baldwin. The experience I had with this semi-autobiographical story helped build my main character's tragedy and the gospel song for "Tomorrow's Precious Lambs" in The Zombie Feed Volume One .

Our Nig: Sketches of the Life of a Free Black – Written by Harriet Wilson. An autobiographical slave narrative that addresses many cultural implications including bi-racial relationships and indentured servitude at the time.

Their Eyes Were Watching God – By Zora Neale Hurston. Spent a lot of time discussing what this particular story meant for female empowerment. It's on several required reading lists for Black American fiction.

Brown Girl, Brownstones – This story was about Barbadian immigrants who moved to New York and was written by Paule Marshall. It's often billed as a coming-of-age story, but I remember being drawn to this because of the cultural focus on being an immigrant in a strange city.

Sula – By Toni Morrison. A tale of friendship between girls over many years in spite of how their lives diverge and converge again. Perfect for any woman who has either felt like the "good girl" or the "pariah."

Hunting for additional options? Visit the Smithsonian's List of Black History Teaching Resources or check out the Norfolk Public Library's Reading and DVD List (PDF).

Mood: Contemplative.

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: One.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Went for a walk!

Yesterday's Projects: Game, Short Story

In My Ears: Enya. Yep, it's a zen kind of a day.

Game Last Played: Grepolis

Movie Last Viewed: Another Earth

Book Last Read: More research material.

Latest Artistic Project: Crystal cluster bracelet in silver

Latest Release: Strange, Dead Love for Vampire: the Requiem