The best way to combat the erasure of Black Trans*, Black Women, Black Girls is to integrate centering their narratives into your daily praxis. One way to do that, is to intentionally consume art, music and literature created by and about Black Trans* Women, Black Women and Black Girls. The media we consume has a profound impact on the range of possibilities we can imagine. Therefore, centering Black female narratives in our reading habits should be a central practice for anyone trying to envision a world in which Black Women are respected, honored, supported and loved.

Now, I am by no means an expert on literature, let alone Black Women writers. So I cannot even offer you an overview of some the best Black Women writers. What I can do is share with you some of my favorites and a few books, websites and articles on my reading list. Please feel free to add your own in the comments. I imagine I will be updating this list as I am alerted to and reminded of fantastic writers that were left off by accident or ignorance.

My Favorite Black Women Writers [In no particular order]

1. Nikki Giovanni
2. Gwendolyn Brooks
3. Octavia Butler
4. Toni Morrison
5. Alice Walker
6. Audre Lorde
7. Zora Neale Hurston
8. Jessie Redmon Fauset
9. Melissa Harris Perry
10. Eve Ewing
11. Bell Hooks
12. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

On My Reading List

1. Janet Mock “Redefining Realness”
2. Sadie Smith “White Teeth“
3. Isabel Wilkerson “Warmth of Other Suns“

Blogs/Articles/Websites

1. Danielle Stevens “Dear Black Women, Femmes & Girls: A Love Letter For Us“
2. Alicia Garza “A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement“
3. Trudy Gradient Lair
4. Kinfolks Quarterly
5. Dominique Hazzard “#BlackLivesMatter“
6. For Harriet
7. Audre Lorde “Uses of the Erotic As Power“