February Challenge: Read a Book by a Black Canadian author.
Given that February is Black History Month, this challenge seems particularly salient to debut this month. During Black History Month, we celebrate the legacy and the daily contributions that Black Canadians have made to society – today and every day. However, these contributions are not always recognized appropriately or equally. For instance, only 11% of books published in the year 2018 were by people of colour (Just How White Is the Book Industry? – The New York Times). Marginalized voices are often left out of high-profile articles and profiles, which impacts their sales figures, and therefore their likelihood of being signed to a publisher in the first place.
But most of us, I’m assuming, aren’t in positions of power where we can impose change. What we can do is, with our reading habits and our choices, make a concerted effort to support these authors – and hope that makes a statement publishers will notice.
With that in mind, the challenge for this month will be: Read a book by a Black Canadian author.
The blog post called February and Forever: Reads for Black History Month has some excellent choices, as does this book list. Here are a few more for you to consider:
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
This Canada Reads 2021 finalist was critically acclaimed almost from release date. This is an interwoven story of three Nigerian women – mother Kambirinachi and her daughters, who are twins. Before giving birth to her daughters, Kambirinachi believes herself to be a malevolent spirit who will cause her family misery. Her daughter Kehinde experiences a traumatic event in her youth, which splinters the family, and so the rest of the story spans three continents, taking place in Lagos, Halifax, London and France.
What Storm, What Thunder by Myriam J. A. Chancy
This is a very personal look at the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and its impact on many different characters throughout this novel. Myriam Chancy did years of research and interviews with survivors of the earthquake, and the results are evident in this searing novel. While natural disasters like this one often dominate the news and headlines, personal stories of those affected, and how they coped and recovered afterwards, are not generally told – which is what makes this story so powerful.
Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia
Now that we’re cycling into the 2020s, there’s been a lot of interest in the ‘Roaring 20s’ – it’s such a rich time for fashion, culture, and prosperity, and I know there have been some hopes that the 2020s will follow the same trajectory. One key event that doesn’t always see the same coverage is the Harlem Renaissance – a time that is considered a golden age for African American culture, arts, and politics. And the Harlem Renaissance is the setting of the mystery novel Dead Dead Girls by Canadian author Nekesa Afia. In here, a young woman is arrested at a speakeasy she often dances at, but is given the opportunity to avoid jail by helping the police solve the murder of several local girls.
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
This is an epic new fantasy series that is also partially inspired by Xhosa culture and history. In this world, some women have the gift to call down dragons, and some men have the gift to transform into super soldiers – and both of these gifts are used in an unwinnable war the Omehi people have been fighting for centuries. But Tau has neither – and no desire to get involved in this war. But when the people closest to him are brutally murdered, he dedicated himself to becoming the greatest warrior his people have known – gift or no gift.
And for more recommendations, check out this Bibliocommons list: VaughanPL: Reading Challenges 2022: Read a Book by a Black Canadian Author.
2022 Reading Challenges:
January: Read a book that brings you joy or makes you laugh.
February: Read a book by a Black Canadian author.