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50th Anniversary of International Literacy Day: “Reading the Past, Writing the Future”

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Fifty years ago, UNESCO launched an international engagement campaign to recognize the efforts and progress made to increase literacy rates around the world. In honor of these efforts and the 50th anniversary of [International Literacy Day], here are 10 favorites on History of Black Writing fall reading list.

Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates’s critically acclaimed book and KU’s Common Book for 2016-2017. Read more about it at 'BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME' NAMED 2016-2017 KU COMMON BOOK red backgroung with yellow text that says "I wrote my first novel because I wanted to read it" by Tim Morrison


Another Brooklyn, Jacquline Woodson’s first adult novel in twenty-years.

 

The Underground Railroad, the newest selection in Oprah’s Book Club.

The Fire This Time, a rich collection of essays edited by Mississippi author Jesmyn Ward.

Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi’s New York Times best seller praised as an “inspiration” by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Here Comes the Sun, Nicole Dennis-Benn’s highly anticpated debut novel set in Jamaica. 

Speak from Here to There, Kwame Dawes and John Kinsella’s collection of exchanged poems in two cycles, “Echoes” and “Refrains.” 

white background with black text that says "when I was about eight, I decided that the most wonderful thing, next to a human being, was a book by Margaret Walker

 

Behold the Dreamers, a fierce examination of one Cameroonian immigrant’s pursuit of the “American Dream” by Imbolo Moue. 

Jubilee, Margaret Walker’s canonical text is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new forward by Nikki Giovanni. Here at HBW we are using the 50th anniversary edition to kick-off a year long series: Mississippi Renaissance. Stay tuned for more details! 

Check out #InternationalLiteracyDay on X.

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50th Anniversary of International Literacy Day: “Reading the Past, Writing the Future”