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African American History Books

Discover the unfiltered stories, cultural achievements, and defining moments that shaped African American history.

African American history is central to understanding the United States. From slavery and segregation to sports breakthroughs, cultural renaissance, biblical scholarship, poetry, and the rebuilding of Black Wall Street, these books provide powerful insight into struggle, strength, and transformation.

Explore our African American History Books collection and engage with voices that shaped the nation.

Why Study African American History?

African American history resources help readers:

  • Understand slavery, segregation, and civil rights

  • Explore cultural and literary expression

  • Study economic empowerment movements

  • Recognize athletic and social pioneers

  • Reclaim overlooked historical narratives

Black history is American history.

Reframing the American Story

Some works challenge traditional narratives and highlight underrepresented contributions.

Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America presents a bold reinterpretation of American history centered on Black experience, resistance, and achievement.

Reexamining history broadens national understanding.

Black Wall Street & Economic Empowerment

The Greenwood District of Tulsa became a symbol of Black economic independence.

Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District explores the rise, destruction, and rebuilding of Tulsa’s Greenwood community following the 1921 massacre.

Economic resilience remains a defining theme in African American history.

Sports & Breaking Barriers

Athletics often reflect broader civil rights struggles.

Larry Doby in Black and White: The Story of a Baseball Pioneer chronicles the life of Larry Doby, one of Major League Baseball’s earliest Black players, who broke color barriers shortly after Jackie Robinson.

Sports history highlights courage in the face of discrimination.

Faith & Biblical Identity

Religion has played a central role in African American cultural life.

Blacks in the Bible: Volume I: the Original Roots of Men and Women of Color in Scripture explores interpretations of biblical texts through the lens of African and African-descended identity.

Spiritual scholarship has long supported cultural affirmation.

Poetry & Cultural Expression

Art and poetry have served as powerful vehicles for voice and identity.

Obsidian Sun: A Poetry Compilation of Fiery Blackness: A Poetry Compilation of Fiery Blackness presents poetic reflections on identity, struggle, and empowerment.

Literary expression preserves emotional and cultural truth.

African American History as Living Legacy

African American History Books support:

  • Civil rights education

  • Economic history study

  • Sports and cultural biography

  • Spiritual identity exploration

  • Artistic and poetic expression

Understanding this history strengthens awareness of ongoing social change.

Featured African American History Books

Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America
A bold reinterpretation of American history centered on Black voices.

Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District
A study of economic achievement and tragedy in Tulsa’s Greenwood community.

Larry Doby in Black and White: The Story of a Baseball Pioneer
A biography of a barrier-breaking MLB player.

Blacks in the Bible: Volume I: the Original Roots of Men and Women of Color in Scripture
A faith-centered exploration of identity and scripture.

Obsidian Sun: A Poetry Compilation of Fiery Blackness
A poetic celebration of Black identity and expression.

How to Choose the Right African American History Book

Let your focus guide your selection:

  • Civil rights & reinterpretation: broader historical narratives

  • Economic history: Greenwood and Black entrepreneurship

  • Sports pioneers: barrier-breaking biographies

  • Faith & scripture: biblical identity studies

  • Cultural expression: poetry and creative works

African American history spans politics, faith, culture, and innovation.

Summary

African American History Books illuminate strength, struggle, and achievement.

  • Focused on truth-telling and cultural reclamation

  • Grounded in biography, scholarship, and art

  • Designed to deepen historical awareness

From Tulsa’s Black Wall Street and Major League Baseball integration to reinterpretations of American history, biblical scholarship, and poetic expression, these books offer structured insight into the enduring impact of African American communities.

Explore African American History Books and engage with stories that continue to shape the nation.

FAQs

Why is African American history important?
It is foundational to understanding the political, cultural, and economic development of the United States.

What was Black Wall Street?
The Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known for its thriving Black-owned businesses before the 1921 massacre.

Who was Larry Doby?
A Major League Baseball pioneer who broke the American League color barrier.

Does African American history include literature and poetry?
Yes. Cultural expression is a central part of historical identity.

Is faith important in African American history?
Yes. Religious traditions have played a major role in community resilience and civil rights leadership.

6246 Results

6246 Results

Suffrage Reconstructed: Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in the Civil War Era
Suffrage Reconstructed: Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in the Civil War Era

Suffrage Reconstructed: Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in the Civil War Era

$56.99
Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow City Volume 41
Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow City Volume 41

Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow City Volume 41

$104.99
Church Ladies: Untold Stories of Harlem Women in the Powell Era
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Church Ladies: Untold Stories of Harlem Women in the Powell Era

Church Ladies: Untold Stories of Harlem Women in the Powell Era

$22.99
$23.95
Finding Charity's Folk: Enslaved and Free Black Women in Maryland
Finding Charity's Folk: Enslaved and Free Black Women in Maryland

Finding Charity's Folk: Enslaved and Free Black Women in Maryland

$142.99
Georgia Free Persons of Color, Volume III: Baldwin, Columbia, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Taliaferro, and Thomas Counties, 1799-1865
-5%
Georgia Free Persons of Color, Volume III: Baldwin, Columbia, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Taliaferro, and Thomas Counties, 1799-1865

Georgia Free Persons of Color, Volume III: Baldwin, Columbia, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Taliaferro, and Thomas Counties, 1799-1865

$23.99
$25.25
Without Regard to Sex, Race, or Color: The Past, Present, and Future of One Historically Black College
-27%
Without Regard to Sex, Race, or Color: The Past, Present, and Future of One Historically Black College

Without Regard to Sex, Race, or Color: The Past, Present, and Future of One Historically Black College

$26.99
$36.95
An Officer's Story: A Politico-Military Journey
An Officer's Story: A Politico-Military Journey

An Officer's Story: A Politico-Military Journey

$28.99
African Footballers in Sweden: Race, Immigration, and Integration in the Age of Globalization
African Footballers in Sweden: Race, Immigration, and Integration in the Age of Globalization

African Footballers in Sweden: Race, Immigration, and Integration in the Age of Globalization

$54.99
The New Government Plantation
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The New Government Plantation

The New Government Plantation

$43.99
$46.99
Better Homes of South Bend: An American Story of Courage
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Better Homes of South Bend: An American Story of Courage

Better Homes of South Bend: An American Story of Courage

$23.99
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Black Print Unbound: The Christian Recorder, African American Literature, and Periodical Culture
Black Print Unbound: The Christian Recorder, African American Literature, and Periodical Culture

Black Print Unbound: The Christian Recorder, African American Literature, and Periodical Culture

$59.99
Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War
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Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War

Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War

$12.99
$17.99
Pillars of Cloud and Fire: The Politics of Exodus in African American Biblical Interpretation
Pillars of Cloud and Fire: The Politics of Exodus in African American Biblical Interpretation

Pillars of Cloud and Fire: The Politics of Exodus in African American Biblical Interpretation

$37.99
Under the Strain of Color: Harlem's Lafargue Clinic and the Promise of an Antiracist Psychiatry
Under the Strain of Color: Harlem's Lafargue Clinic and the Promise of an Antiracist Psychiatry

Under the Strain of Color: Harlem's Lafargue Clinic and the Promise of an Antiracist Psychiatry

$60.99
King Maker: Applying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Leadership Lessons in Working with Athletes and Entertainers
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King Maker: Applying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Leadership Lessons in Working with Athletes and Entertainers

King Maker: Applying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Leadership Lessons in Working with Athletes and Entertainers

$12.99
$17.99
Black Troops: At the Battle of New Orleans
Black Troops: At the Battle of New Orleans

Black Troops: At the Battle of New Orleans

$17.99
Freedom's Frontier: California and the Struggle over Unfree Labor, Emancipation, and Reconstruction
Freedom's Frontier: California and the Struggle over Unfree Labor, Emancipation, and Reconstruction

Freedom's Frontier: California and the Struggle over Unfree Labor, Emancipation, and Reconstruction

$39.99
Free Boy: A True Story of Slave and Master
Free Boy: A True Story of Slave and Master

Free Boy: A True Story of Slave and Master

$121.99
Better than the Best: Black Athletes Speak, 1920-2007
Better than the Best: Black Athletes Speak, 1920-2007

Better than the Best: Black Athletes Speak, 1920-2007

$121.99
Crescent City Girls: The Lives of Young Black Women in Segregated New Orleans
Crescent City Girls: The Lives of Young Black Women in Segregated New Orleans

Crescent City Girls: The Lives of Young Black Women in Segregated New Orleans

$40.99
Georgia Free Persons of Color, Volume I: Elbert, Hancock, Jefferson, Liberty, and Warren Counties, 1818-1864
-5%
Georgia Free Persons of Color, Volume I: Elbert, Hancock, Jefferson, Liberty, and Warren Counties, 1818-1864

Georgia Free Persons of Color, Volume I: Elbert, Hancock, Jefferson, Liberty, and Warren Counties, 1818-1864

$31.99
$33.75
Whose Harlem Is This, Anyway?: Community Politics and Grassroots Activism During the New Negro Era
Whose Harlem Is This, Anyway?: Community Politics and Grassroots Activism During the New Negro Era

Whose Harlem Is This, Anyway?: Community Politics and Grassroots Activism During the New Negro Era

$117.99
Mary McLeod Bethune in Florida: Bringing Social Justice to the Sunshine State
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Mary McLeod Bethune in Florida: Bringing Social Justice to the Sunshine State

Mary McLeod Bethune in Florida: Bringing Social Justice to the Sunshine State

$23.99
$31.99
The Politics of War Commemoration in the UK and Russia
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The Politics of War Commemoration in the UK and Russia

The Politics of War Commemoration in the UK and Russia

$98.99
$99.99
Race and Real Estate: Interracial Conflict and Co-Existence in Harlem, 1890-1920
Race and Real Estate: Interracial Conflict and Co-Existence in Harlem, 1890-1920

Race and Real Estate: Interracial Conflict and Co-Existence in Harlem, 1890-1920

$131.99
Knowledge of The Gods
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Knowledge of The Gods

Knowledge of The Gods

$15.99
$21.99
Cuba's Racial Crucible: The Sexual Economy of Social Identities, 1750-2000
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Cuba's Racial Crucible: The Sexual Economy of Social Identities, 1750-2000

Cuba's Racial Crucible: The Sexual Economy of Social Identities, 1750-2000

$29.99
$32.00
Carolina in Crisis: Cherokees, Colonists, and Slaves in the American Southeast, 1756-1763
Carolina in Crisis: Cherokees, Colonists, and Slaves in the American Southeast, 1756-1763

Carolina in Crisis: Cherokees, Colonists, and Slaves in the American Southeast, 1756-1763

$39.99
Writing Reconstruction: Race, Gender, and Citizenship in the Postwar South
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Writing Reconstruction: Race, Gender, and Citizenship in the Postwar South

Writing Reconstruction: Race, Gender, and Citizenship in the Postwar South

$51.99
$52.50
America The Black Point of View - An Investigation and Study of the White People of America and Western Europe and The Autobiography of an American Gh
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America The Black Point of View - An Investigation and Study of the White People of America and Western Europe and The Autobiography of an American Gh

America The Black Point of View - An Investigation and Study of the White People of America and Western Europe and The Autobiography of an American Gh

$20.99
$21.95
American Slavery As It Is
American Slavery As It Is

American Slavery As It Is

$43.99
Mobilizing New York: Aids, Antipoverty, and Feminist Activism
Mobilizing New York: Aids, Antipoverty, and Feminist Activism

Mobilizing New York: Aids, Antipoverty, and Feminist Activism

$44.99
Race, Religion, and the Pulpit: Rev. Robert L. Bradby and the Making of Urban Detroit
Race, Religion, and the Pulpit: Rev. Robert L. Bradby and the Making of Urban Detroit

Race, Religion, and the Pulpit: Rev. Robert L. Bradby and the Making of Urban Detroit

$43.99
A Calculus of Color: The Integration of Baseball's American League
A Calculus of Color: The Integration of Baseball's American League

A Calculus of Color: The Integration of Baseball's American League

$43.99
The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. V: The United States, 1859-1865
The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. V: The United States, 1859-1865

The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. V: The United States, 1859-1865

$164.99
The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. III: The United States, 1830-1846
The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. III: The United States, 1830-1846

The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. III: The United States, 1830-1846

$164.99
The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. II: Canada, 1830-1865
The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. II: Canada, 1830-1865

The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. II: Canada, 1830-1865

$164.99
The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. I: The British Isles, 1830-1865
The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. I: The British Isles, 1830-1865

The Black Abolitionist Papers: Vol. I: The British Isles, 1830-1865

$164.99
The Underground Railroad in Michigan
The Underground Railroad in Michigan

The Underground Railroad in Michigan

$32.99
The Southern Exodus to Mexico: Migration Across the Borderlands After the American Civil War
The Southern Exodus to Mexico: Migration Across the Borderlands After the American Civil War

The Southern Exodus to Mexico: Migration Across the Borderlands After the American Civil War

$54.99
Unveiling the Past: A History of Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church Volume Two 2003-2013
-8%
Unveiling the Past: A History of Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church Volume Two 2003-2013

Unveiling the Past: A History of Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church Volume Two 2003-2013

$22.99
$25.00
The Making of A Slave Or Soul Transformation
The Making of A Slave Or Soul Transformation

The Making of A Slave Or Soul Transformation

$6.99
Defying Jim Crow: African American Community Development and the Struggle for Racial Equality in New Orleans, 1900-1960
Defying Jim Crow: African American Community Development and the Struggle for Racial Equality in New Orleans, 1900-1960

Defying Jim Crow: African American Community Development and the Struggle for Racial Equality in New Orleans, 1900-1960

$44.99
Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington
Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington

Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington

$17.99
12 Years a Slave: Large Print
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12 Years a Slave: Large Print

12 Years a Slave: Large Print

$17.99
$19.99
To Write in the Light of Freedom: The Newspapers of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Schools
To Write in the Light of Freedom: The Newspapers of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Schools

To Write in the Light of Freedom: The Newspapers of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Schools

$121.99
Power to the Poor: Black-Brown Coalition and the Fight for Economic Justice, 1960-1974
Power to the Poor: Black-Brown Coalition and the Fight for Economic Justice, 1960-1974

Power to the Poor: Black-Brown Coalition and the Fight for Economic Justice, 1960-1974

$40.99