To kick off Black History Month, it’s important to remember that while we now loudly and proudly say “Black Lives Matter,” many of our elders died or were incarcerated for their activism. Mumia Abu-Jamal, arguably one of the nation’s most famous political prisoners, has long spoken out against racialized poverty and police brutality, earning him the title of “the world’s best-known death-row inmate” by The New York Times. This memoir offers a front-row seat into one of the most vilified racial justice organizations in American history from the perspective of the then-teenager who helped found the Philadelphia branch of the Black Panther Party.

Rosemary Bray tells a story of being bussed into a predominantly white, wealthy school where the contrast between her and her peers was beyond stark. In a moment of scarcity, Bray began taking money out of her classmate’s wallets until she was caught by a faculty member. Instead of expelling her, the school began giving Bray an allowance to meet her needs. Unafraid of the Dark insists we reimagine what it means to look out for the welfare of our most marginalized community members and what is possible when we do.

Many self-help and business books tell readers how to get ahead in the workplace without ever mentioning how difficult it is for Black people and people of color to show up authentically and find success in white spaces. Hutchinson’s How to Talk to Your Boss About Race is both a hilarious how-to guide as well as a memoir about her own experience as a Black woman insistent upon a truly inclusive work environment. Hutchinson told ELLE.com, “The book isn’t just about how to have a conversation with your boss, it aims to prepare you to change a culture as an individual even if you feel disempowered.”

Do Better is a guide in every sense of the word. Each chapter gives you personal anecdotes to connect to, questions to reflect on, and action steps to take. This is one of the best books to read as an ally, but it’s also an essential read for Black people who are looking to deepen their discussions about white supremacy.

Cicely Tyson is and always will be an American icon. In her memoir, the Bronx-born actress shares about her formative years, giving readers a front-row seat to her six decades on Broadway and in Hollywood.

Mariame Kaba did the unimaginable when her book on abolition— published through a non-profit, independent publisher with little-to-no marketing—became an instant New York Times bestseller. It’s a testament to how valued she is as a true thought-leader in the space of public safety, gender justice, and prison-industrial complex abolition.

Robert Jones Jr. is a writer who wields his pen more so as a wand, creating magic on each page. Here, he transports us to the antebellum South, but not for the typical slavery rendition we’re used to. Jones doesn’t sugarcoat the violence of plantation life but juxtaposes it brilliantly with the love of two enslaved Black men. In doing so, he reminds us that queer Black people not only exist now, but always have.

Black girlhood is under attack as Black girls are forced to grow up quickly in response to the racist and sexist environments they are forced to endure. In botts-ward’s collection of poetry, she bares her soul so readers can either see themselves and heal—or understand the intersecting experiences of Black women.

Abolition is not a new ideology and practice, yet its recent entrance into mainstream conversations has stirred up a lot of angst around what it means and what its implementation would mean for society at large. In this book, four of the nation’s leading racial and gender justice thinkers have joined together to talk about how abolition can be a solution to gender-based violence and support survivors far more than our current criminal legal system.

This book is shaking the nation, leading to major debates about what children are—or aren’t—learning in schools. It should not be controversial to learn the true origin story of this nation and how the vestiges of slavery permeate our society. As a matter of fact, it should be required reading.

This heartbreaking novel allows you to follow one couple’s journey through wrongful conviction, class differences, and self-discovery. It truly illuminates the toll it takes on an entire extended family when one person is incarcerated.

Zora Neale Hurston has written some of the most celebrated works by any American author, and this posthumous collection of essays spans several decades of her work, depicting years of Black history, and thus American history.

When we talk about Blackness in America, it’s easy to think about cities like New York, Baltimore, Detroit, Chicago, and Atlanta. But what of middle America? In this novel, Wilkinson reminds us that Black people live in rural communities too and have unique perspectives on land, community, and love.

Many hear the slogan “defund the police” and only consider what’s taken away. Purnell reminds us that by divesting from aspects of our society that aren’t working, we will finally have the resources to invest in areas that have gone ignored for far too long. This book will open up your sociopolitical imagination and leave you optimistic about what is possible when we commit to safety for all.

Jacqueline Woodson is undeniably one of the greatest writers of our time, and in Red at the Bone, she explores the historical trauma that’s passed on from generation to generation, allowing us to understand Black families—our motivations, our triumphs, and our survival—that much better.

Isabel Wilkerson has mastered the art of writing lengthy books that readers fly through. In Caste, she tells the story of racialization in America through in-depth research and beautifully woven narratives. It serves as both a historical analysis and a cautionary tale against downplaying the insidious ways that racial hierarchies are established.