12 Great New Books By BIPOC Women for Black Women Entrepreneurs, Leaders

These 12 new books by Black women can be on your reading list all year.

Black History Month is just one month out of the year but it is necessary to honor and heed the work of Black women forever and always. Now you have a reading list that can take you through every month of the year.

In this collection of 12 recent books by BIPOC women authors, Take The Lead salutes the energy, advice and brilliance of authors producing nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels and more. Their insights on work, entrepreneurship, life, history, art and culture can be inspiration and information for everyone.

“In this collection of 12 recent books by BIPOC women authors, @Takeleadwomen salutes the energy, advice and brilliance of authors producing nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels and more. #blackwriters #blackwomenlead”

From essays to stories, guides and memoir, these books can fill your real and virtual bookshelf, as well as your audio files. Authors are listed alphabetically because in our book, each one of these selections is No. 1

1.    Elizabeth Columba and Aurelie Levy, Queenie: The Godmother Of Harlem. This historical graphic novel shines a light on the real story of Stephanie Saint-Clair, “an infamous criminal and a Harlem legend. Saint-Clair came to New York from Martinique in 1912, eventually finding success as a ruthless queen of Harlem’s mafia and a fierce defender of the Black community.” Perhaps not someone you exactly want to imitate in her work, this racketeer and a bootlegger, “dedicated her wealth and compassion to the struggling masses of Harlem, giving loans and paying debts to those around her.”

2.    Samantha Irby: Quietly Hostile. Available now for pre-order later this spring, this book is a collection of the best-selling essayist and tackles new territory in popular culture. Rave reviews are already in and reviewers say it is a laugh out loud and honest take on what many encounter everyday online and IRL.  

 3.    Tricia Hersey, Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto. The author and founder of The Nap Ministry takes on the need to ensure rest in a life of true leadership and writes about the building blocks of “self-confidence, effective communication, collaboration, and courage--while dealing specifically with stereotypes (avoid the Mammy Trap, and don't become the Angry Black Woman) and the perils of self-victimization (don't assume that every challenge occurs because you are Black or female).” Hersey writes, “Rest saved my life. This is my truth.”

4.    Elizabeth Leiba, I’m Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace. Exquisitely written and bursting with strategies and honest anecdotes and advice, this book is for Black women working their way up in white corporate America. Educator, activist, advocate and author Leiba discusses her own path and urges others to find their voice and their power through authenticity and persistence.

“Elizabeth Leiba, @_Imnotyelling_, is the author of “I’m Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace.” Exquisitely written and bursting with strategies and honest anecdotes and advice, this book is for #Blackwomen working their way up in white #corporate America. ”

 5.    Yvettete Lisa, Ndlovu, Drinking from Graveyard Wells: Stories. "Even in death, who has ownership over Black women's bodies?" This is a key question the author interrogates and discovers in this exceptional collection of stories about African women’s histories in Africa and America. Ndlovu, a Zimbabwean author, ventures into these wide-ranging stories with agility and emotional reflection. Publisher Weekly writes, “These engrossing tales often end abruptly, but leave the reader with much to chew on. There’s much to enjoy in this wide-ranging work.” 

6.  Dr. Tina Opie and Dr. Beth Livingston, Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial and Gender Equity at Work. Opie, an associate professor of management at Babson College, and Dr. Beth Livingston, an associate professor of management at the University of Iowa’s business school, worked on pulling the ideas of this book together for more than a decade. They offer true solutions to the challenges of WOC at work facing inequities and bias. “Even small actions such as voicing support for members of historically marginalized racial groups during a high-stakes meeting, or listening more than you speak if you are from a power-dominant racial group, can mean another step toward equity,” Opie told Entrepreneurship.

“@DrTinaOpie and @BethALivingston, authors of “Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial and Gender Equity at Work,” offer true solutions to the challenges of #WOC at work facing inequities and bias. #SharedSisterhood”

7. Francine Parham, Please Sit Over There: How To Manage Power, Overcome Exclusion, and Succeed as a Black Woman at Work. Former global executive Parham has a lot to tell about how to move up to the C-suite and how to acknowledge and manage the power plays along the way. According to the publisher, “The key skill–one that Black women are rarely taught–is understanding the power dynamics within your organization and learning how to ‘shift the power’ to your advantage. Parham, a former global VP of human resources at Johnson & Johnson along with many other high-level positions, shows how to use your voice, strategically build the right relationships, and support others once you have achieved a powerful position–tools any woman can use to increase her power and ensure a successful, fulfilling career.”

“@Francineparham, “Please Sit Over There: How To Manage Power, Overcome Exclusion, and Succeed as a Black Woman at Work.” Former global executive Parham has a lot to tell about how to move up to the #Csuite and how to acknowledge and manage the #power plays along the way.”

8. Warsan Shire, Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems. In her first collection of poems, this award-winning young poet (who collaborates with Beyonce) offers narrative and autobiographical looks into the experiences of African women. “Her words explore the erasure of African women—while highlighting their beauty potential and limitless possibility. Immersed in worlds both fantastical and familiar, readers find themselves walking alongside these women, grieving their pain, and celebrating their joy, all against the textured backdrop of African histories, languages, and cultures,” according to the publisher.

“@Warsan_shire, “Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems.” In her first collection of #poems, this award-winning young poet (who collaborates with @Beyonce) offers narrative and autobiographical looks into the experiences of #Africanwomen. ”

9.  Ruchika Tulshyan, Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work. At a time when companies, corporations and organizations are scrambling to have effective DEI programs, policies and initiatives, Tulshyan moves beyond the rhetoric to effective leadership and explains how to ensure the best practices have outcome and true impact. The publisher writes, “Tulshyan centers the workplace experience of women of color, who are subject to both gender and racial bias. It is at the intersection of gender and race, she shows, that we discover the kind of inclusion policies that benefit all. Tulshyan debunks the idea of the ‘level playing field’ and explains how leaders and organizations can use their privilege for good.”  

 10. Goldie Taylor, “The Love You Save.”  Journalist, author and activist Taylor writes in this beguiling memoir about her traumatic childhood growing up in East St. Louis, her escapes through books and her splendid survival. Publisher’s Weekly writes, “But school was a refuge for Taylor, and she became inspired by the works of Maya Angelou and James Baldwin, who ‘was a ready salve, meeting me at my point of need.’ Taylor’s narrative is peppered with canny and insightful reflections: ‘For far too many years, I lived as if holding my breath.’ This powerful examination of survival and self-forgiveness is an emotional reckoning.”  

“@Goldietaylor, “The Love You Save.”  Journalist, author and activist Taylor writes in this beguiling memoir about her traumatic childhood growing up in East St. Louis, her escapes through books and her splendid survival. #blackwriters”

11. James White and Krista White, Anti-Racist Leadership: How to Transform Corporate Culture in a Race-Conscious World. Father and daughter authors take on business leaders daring them to be bold and transcend rhetoric to take action to make anti-racism a reality in workplace culture. The publisher writes, “Business leaders ready to take a bold stance to make the world better for employees, for consumers, and for the greater community: Read this book. As leaders, you have the unique ability to reach thousands of employees and millions of consumers. It's time for you to build a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment and, by extension, a more just society.”

“James White and @theKristaWhite, “Anti-Racist Leadership: How to Transform Corporate Culture in a Race-Conscious World.” Father and daughter authors take on #businessleaders daring them to be bold and transcend rhetoric to take action to make anti-racism a reality in #workplaceculture.”

12. Zaria Ware, BLK ART: The Audacious Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art. The visual history of Black artists and muses has been invisible to many, but the author dives into history to explore the enormous impact of Black artists globally to restore the legacy of their influence. The publisher writes, “Quietly held within museums and private collections around the world are hundreds of faces of Black men and women, many of their stories unknown. Captivating and informative, BLK ART is an essential work that elevates a globally dismissed legacy to its proper place in the mainstream art canon. From the hushed corridors of royal palaces to the bustling streets of 1920s Paris—this is Black history like never seen before.”

“ In, “BLK ART: The Audacious Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art,” author Zaria Ware dives into history to explore the enormous impact of #Black #artists globally to restore the legacy of their influence.”

Take The Lead Leadership Tip Of The Week:

“Every single one of (my) opportunities came because I harnessed the power of my real voice.”

Elizabeth Leiba, Professor, Advocate, Activist and Author of I’m Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating The Workplace.