BLKboard Book of the Month
The BLKboard Collective aims celebrate Black writers, Black lives, Black stories, and Black imagination. We explore these narratives as a launching point for education, celebration, discussion, and awareness of Black stories and storytellers. We also broaden this scope to the greater BIPOC community to celebrate and explore the full breadth of the human experience as a person of color.
Each month we will choose one book we LOVE and would like to share with you. Once you finish, feel free to reach out to let us know what you think!
Our pick for March
Americanah
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
As teenagers in Lagos, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are fleeing the country if they can. The self-assured Ifemelu departs for America. There she suffers defeats and triumphs, finds and loses relationships, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London.
Thirteen years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a blogger. But after so long apart and so many changes, will they find the courage to meet again, face to face?
‘Some novels tell a great story and others make you change the way you look at the world. Americanah does both.’
Guardian
Where can I find the book?
Semicolon Bookstore
This is one of our favorites!
Semicolon Bookstore is not just a bookstore, but a movement to change the narrative of what Black book-buying AND bookselling looks like! With a focus on community and literacy, the Semicolon team takes pride in doing the work, whatever it consists of! Order online or stop by if you’re in the Chicago area!
Your Local Library
The link above will take you to an online search engine to find your local public library! Most local libraries offer online options so you can download the book directly to your e-reader, laptop, or tablet.
Baldwin & Co Bookstore
Baldwin & Co. is an independent bookstore located in New Orleans, LA. Inside, books on mystery, business, history, art, travel, children’s literature and more fill the floor to ceiling shelves. In addition to books, they offer high quality coffee, tea and fresh pastries. It is truly more than a bookstore, it’s a celebration of a growth mindset.
Order online or pick up in store.
Black Owned Bookstores by State
This list by oprahdaily.com compiles 125 Black owned bookstores. Select your state and start scrolling to support locally!