Reading Black Mississippi

February is Black History Month, which makes it a great time to visit the bookshelves and refocus your reading on some of the great Black authors out there. There are a ton of Black Mississippi authors--historical and modern--just waiting for you to discover them. Their perspectives on Mississippi life and culture are must-reads, but you might not know where to start if you're not familiar with the local writing scene. These suggestions cover a multitude of writing styles and genres, so you ought to be able to find something in your favorite areas to get yourself started. 

Children's:

J. Dillard

Freddi Williams Evans

Jesse J. Holland

Linda Williams Jackson 

Margaree King Mitchell

Jess Mowry

Clifton Taulbert

Angie Thomas

Mildred D. Taylor

 

Comics:

Tim Fielder

John Jennings 

Fiction:

Margaret Walker Alexander

William Alexander Attaway

Kiese Laymon

George Washington Lee 

Olympia Vernon

Jesmyn Ward

John Alfred Williams

Richard Wright

Al Young

 

Memoir:

W. Ralph Eubanks

William Johnson

Anne Moody

Natasha Trethewey

Richard Wright

 

Nonfiction:

Freddi Williams Evans

Jesse J. Holland

Kiese Laymon

George Washington Lee

Sterling D. Plumpp

Clifton Taulbert

Jesmyn Ward

Ida B. Wells-Barnett

 

Plays: 

William Alexander Attaway
Endesha Ida Mae Holland

Beah E. Richards

 

Poetry:

Margaret Walker Alexander

A.H. Jerriod Avant

Samuel Alfred Beadle

Virgia Brocks-Shedd

Derrick Harriell

Angela Jackson

Etheridge Knight 

Sterling D. Plumpp

Beah E. Richards

Natasha Trethewey

Jerry W. Ward, Jr.

Claude Wilkinson

Richard Wright 

Al Young

Billie Jean Young

Ahmos Zu-Bolton II 

These authors are just the tip of the iceberg: Mississippi has so many incredible Black authors waiting for you to read their books. Check them out at your local library and your local independent book store! 

Elisabeth Scott

Reference Librarian