We are rocking and rolling through another list of recommended reads!! This month is dedicated to telling “Her” story as we celebrate Women’s History Month! Much like every month I try to mix it up to include graphic novels, coming-of-age stories, diasporic and world literature, stories of the American dream, romance, and historical fiction. Nothing like adding a few more literary reads to your library!!
Check out March’s List Below:
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts ~Rebecca Hall
Maame ~Jessica George
Queenie: Godmother of Harlem ~Elizabeth Colomba
The Middle Daughter ~Chika Unigwe
Behold the Dreamers ~Imbolo Mbue
The Sun is Also a Star ~Nicola Yoon
Such a Fun Age ~Kiley Reid
Twice As Hard : The Stories of Black Women Who Fought to Become Physicians, from the Civil War to the 21st Century ~Jasmine Brown
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!
“Where there is a woman there is magic.” — Ntozake Shange
We are back for the new year!! And you know the recommendations don’t stop!! Got a fresh new slate of literary goodies to fill your book shelves!! I’m bringing you all the heat with this list!! Feel free to share with your friends!!
Check out January’s list below:
Boys Come First ~Aaron Foley
Land of Love and Drowning ~Tiphanie Yanique
On the Roof Top ~Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
American Spy ~Lauren Wilkinson
Grace ~Natashia Deón
The Keeper ~Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes
The Stars Beneath Our Feet ~David Barclay Moore
Beasts of Prey ~Ayana Gray
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!
“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations…If you adopt their attitudes, then the possibility won’t exist because you’ll have already shut it out…You can hear other people’s wisdom, but you’ve got to re-evaluate the world for yourself.” —Mae Jemison
In preparation for the November 11th release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel partnered with three artists across the United States and asked them to create murals to connect to the film!
The cities featured include Los Angeles, Chicago, and Harlem. Check them out below:
Looking for your next adventure, family vacation, or weekend getaway, check out these exhibition and museum openings, art installations, cafes and markets below:
Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898-1971(On view at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures now through April 9th, 2023): An exhibition spotlighting Black artists who shaped American filmmaking from 1898-1971. Some of the things that you will be able to see include one of Louis Armstrong’s trumpets, screenings Oscar Micheaux’s silent films, Lena Horne’s gown from the 1943 Stormy Weather musical, the Nicholas Brothers’ tap dancing shoes, and so much more!!
The Sphere at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in March 2021
Representin’ for the Midwest… Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market a casual cafe and market that serves the greater Chicago community through “a well-crafted menu of healthy and soulful offerings.” The cafe and market which reflects upon the life of George Washington Carver also includes a greenhouse bar, art gallery, farm table, and outdoor garden.
LEGO is celebrating 90 years of fun and joy with a new installation called, “Fly Away Isles” (The Brotherhood Sister Sol) designed by Harlem community Black and Latinx childred in collaboration with artist Hebru Brantley.Fly Away Isles serves as a dual space of both an art installation and fun play space for children. It’s located at 140 Hamilton Place in Harlem, NY. The installation will remain on display to the public through November 5th, 2022 with a street mural on display through July 2023.
Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial (Washington, DC) [Artist: Robert Berks] This is the first statue erected on public land in Washington, DC to honor and African American and woman. The bronze statue was unveiled on the anniversary of her 99th birthday, July 10, 1974. It is located in Lincoln Park (East Capitol Street and 12th Street NE, Washington, DC)
Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statue (Riverfront Esplanade, Daytona Beach, FL) [Master Sculptor Nilda Comas]…This is a bronze replica of the marble one which is housed in Statuary Hall in Washington DC.
The Jackie Robinson Museum : “The Jackie Robinson Museum seeks to bring people from all walks together to commune and appreciate each other’s humanity and diverse experiences. We create a forum for debate and discussion, reflecting the ways in which we as a society can make progress by working together to solve difficult social issues and by appreciating how one life can make a difference”(TJRM Mission Statement). The museum will include a series of interactive exhibits, rare artifacts and memorabilia. It is set to open to the public on September 5th.
Almost let this one slip pass me, but wanted to make sure I shared this exciting event happening this week!! The 10th Annual Black Comic Book Festival starts on this Thursday January 13th and its VIRTUAL!!
Artwork by Micheline Hess
The2022 Black Comic Book Festival marks a decade of bringing together animators, Blerds, bloggers, cosplay lovers, fans, families, illustrators, independent publishers, and writers to celebrate Black comic books and graphic novels and provides a platform to get the works directly to readers. This annual event features panel discussions, workshops, cosplay showcases, and highlights the work of creators from across the country.
And guess what all the events are Free.99!! Gotta love that!!
Check out the schedule of events here:
Thursday, January 13
Lifting as We Climb: A Black Comic Book Festival Story | 12 PM: Black Comic Book Festival cofounders: John Jennings, Jonathan Gayles, Deirdre Hollman. Moderated by Kadiatou Tubman (Schomburg Education).
Graphic History: Telling Our Histories through Comics and the Archives | 2 PM: Guests: Dr. Rebecca Hall (Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts; Scholars-in-Residence program) and David Walker (The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History). Moderated by Bridgett Pride, Reference Librarian, Schomburg Center.
S.T.E.M in Comics – Bridging the Gap of Current and Future Technologies in Art and Comics | 4 PM: Guests: Newton Lilavois (Motor City Comic Con), Naseed Gifted (PBS Media, LLC), Dedren Snead (SUBSUME), Ryan Benjamin (DC Comics/Sony), and Emeka Chiedu. Moderated by TJ Sterling (Rae Comics).
Friday, January 14
Afrofuturism: The Past, Present, and Beyond | 12 PM: Guests: John Jennings (Black Comic Book Festival cofounder), Tim Fielder (Infinitum: An Afrofuturist Tale, DieselFunk Studios), Ytasha Womack (Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci Fi & Fantasy Culture), Reynaldo Anderson (Afrofuturism 2.0: The Rise of Astro-Blackness). Moderated by Julian Chambliss (Cofounder of Consortium for Critical Diversity in a Digital Age Research).
Black in Anime: Creators Coloring Outside the Lines | 2 PM: Guests: Arthell Isom (dartshtajio anime studio), Johnny O’Bryant (Noir Caesar), Shanice Penn (Freelance anime illustrator), Sozo Maika (Digital illustrator). Moderated by TJ Sterling (Rae Comics).
The Future of Black Comics Inside and Outside of the Academy | 4PM: Guests: Qiana Whitted, Rebecca Wanzo, and JoAnna Davis-McElligatt. Moderated by Dr. Jonathan Gray.
Saturday, January 15
How to Draw Black Superheroes & Comics | 11 AM: Guest: Tim Fielder (Infinitum: An Afrofuturist Tale, DieselFunk Studios)
Creating Powerful Women in Comics | 1 PM: Guests: Robyn Smith, Jamila Rowser, Shawnelle Gibbs, Shawnee Gibbs
The Comic Book Spectrum: Curating Safe and Brave Spaces | 3 PM: Guests: Cindy Cortez (Sonic Boombox), Robyn Warren (Geek Girl Strong), Clairesa Clay (Blerd City Comic Con), and Chauna C. Lawson (HBCU Con). Moderated by Regine Sawyer (Lockett Down Productions).
Comic Books & Big Screens: How Comic Creators Are Making Their Way Through Film and TV | 5 PM: Guests: Prentice Penny (Insecure), David Crownson (Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer), Sebastian Jones (Stranger Comics), and URAEUS (Museum of UnCut Funk). Moderated by TJ Sterling (Rae Comics).
For more information regarding registrations, the panels, workshops, and cosplay show click here!!
Also for those that are in the Harlem, NY area you may want to also check out the new exhibition, Boundless: 10 Years of Seeding Black Comic Futures, which will be on display at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture beginning January 14th!!
Boundless: 10 Years of Seeding Black Comic Futures, will document the festival’s evolution through photographs, memorabilia, creator highlights, comic book reading stations, and clips from past festival programs. The Schomburg Center’s collection of comic books and graphic novels dating back to the golden age of comic books will be deployed to illuminate the long history of Black comics and sequential art creators, and the ongoing motivations to render humor, struggle, irony, and futurism steeped in a Black aesthetic.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture-NYPL (Harlem, NY)
2021 is just about over, but not before I share a few of my pop culture faves!! I wanted to compile a list of few of favorite shows, movies, comic books, documentaries, short films, podcasts, and soundtracks that made an impact on me in a major way this year!!
These are a few of my favorite things from 2021…Check them out below*:
Comic Books/Graphic Novels
Eve (Victor LaValle, Boom! Studios)
Far Sector (N.K. Jemisin/Jamal Campbell, DC Comics)
Nubia and the Amazons (Stephanie Williams/Ayala Vita, DC Comics)
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts (Rebecca Hall/Penguin Books)
Run: Book One (John Lewis/Andrew Aydin/Nate Powell/L. Fury, Abrams Books)
Podcasts: True-crime reigned supreme in this category!! Gotta love a good mystery.
Jemele Hill is Unbothered
Suspect
Over My Dead Body
Dr. Death
Movies
The Harder They Fall (Netflix): An ode to Westerns done in style!!
No Time To Die: Ahhh where will the Bond legacy go next
Candyman: Thank you Nia Dacosta for this beautiful piece of horror!!
Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings: 10/10
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Zola: A movie that offers A LOT of different perspectives regarding one weekend!
The Unforgivable (Netflix)
Army of the Dead/Army of Thieves (Netflix)
Gunpowder Milkshake (Netflix): More action films with women leads especially those of color is definitely needed!!
Raya and the Last Dragon
Judas and the Black Messiah
King Richard
Concrete Cowboy (Netflix): I’m a sucker for a good western and some Black history!
Cruella: Who says you can’t like villains!
Dune
The Tomorrow War (Prime Video)
Red Notice (Netflix): Ryan Reynolds…That’s all I gotta say!
Outside the Wire (Netflix)
Short Films
Us Again (Disney+)
Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma
Twenty Something (Disney+)
Bao (Disney+)
For the Birds (Disney+)
Loop (Disney+)
How to Raise a Black Boy
Documentary
My Name is Pauli Murray
Summer of Soul (Hulu)
Pride (Hulu)
This is Pop (Netflix)
Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali (Netflix)
Mary J. Blige’s My Life (Prime Video)
Television Shows
Insecure (HBO Max): That last episode… (chef’s kiss)….The end of an era…Sunday nights will never be the same… (le sigh) #DayOne
The Wonder Years (ABC): Nostalgia, Comedy and the Black Experience
The Underground (Prime Video): Powerful, Visual American History Lesson
Invincible (Prime Video)
Wheel of Time (Prime Video): Definitely up there with Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings
The White Lotus (HBO Max): I have never been so drawn into a show that made me laugh, cringe, drop my jaw, and so much more…Everything is not always what it seems…
Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu): I do believe what happened actually took place in real life, which is pretty scary if it did…
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Love Life (Season 2) (HBO Max): I LOVE #BLACKLOVE and ALL its many layers!
Queen Sugar (OWN Network): Another show that when it comes to a close, I will truly miss this show!! #DayOne
Arcane (Netflix): Definitely looking forward to the next season! Fun to watch!
The Falcon and Winter Soldier (Disney+): My fave of the Marvel series on Disney+ so far…They pulled out all kinds of surprises!!
What If…? (Disney+): Still missing Chadwick Boseman
Run the World (Starz): Love seeing Black female friendships and when cities become actors (I see you Harlem!)
Succession (HBO Max): All I can say is just watch it!!
Reservation Dogs (Hulu): Please more of this!!
Evil (Paramount+): Catholicism is a whole different beast (pun intended)
Blood and Water (Netflix): Had to represent SA!!
Cruel Summer (Hulu): Shout out to my sista-friend Lesley Bonner for this one!! Talk about being drawn in!! It’s all about the little details!
Soundtracks (Television and Film) (I did this instead to avoid having to narrow it down to one artist/group or album)
The Harder They Fall
Insecure (I owe a great deal to this soundtrack, I became aware and a fan of so many new artists because of each seasons soundtrack!!)
Judas and the Black Messiah
Coming 2 America
Cruella
BMF
Queen Sugar
Tom & Jerry (Now this one surprised me!! But trust me on this one!)
FREEDOM…LIBERATION…BLACK RESISTANCE…BIRTH… It is interesting that these words came to mind as I was compiling this month’s list, because I honestly did not have any particular intention. This list was just meant to be, I guess you could say… There’s a lot of amazing literary energy that is coming from each of these texts whether it celebrating an iconic freedom fighter, showcasing the crime fiction genre, chronicling Black resistance via picture and verse.
Let’s just say this we got another set of heavy hitters this month, a few of them I have been anxiously (and patiently) waiting to be released!!
Remember to make sure you pre-order, add to your cart, or run to your local bookstore and grab a copy or two!! So with that said check out this month’s book recommendations below:
Black Future Feminist 