Best Books with Unforgettable Black main characters for Adults

February is Black History Month, and I was hoping to create this list for a long time now, because all these listed books with black main characters, must be read, without a doubt.

Whether you want to read for diversity, you want to read books that talk about race, or you want to read good literature, these books with black characters will fulfill your wishes. These books speak to you, they will touch your heart, and you will never forget their lives.

Some of these characters highlight the struggles of being black, but many talks about their contemporary lives and everyday hassles that you and I face. But something in common with all of them is that they express their thoughts beautifully. 

I will be adding more books to this list as and when I read more books with unforgettable black protagonists, so stay tuned.

Famous Black Non-fiction books

Born a crime by Trevor Noah

“People love to say, “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” What they don’t say is, “And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.” That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.”

Character – Trevor Noah

Born a Crime is comedian Trevor Noah’s story of growing up during rampant racism. It was illicit for white men to have any kind of relations with black women and vice versa. And Trevor was born coloured, during this time. He had a German father and a black mother, hence the book’s title.

His experiences and the maturity of comprehending a good situation from bad shaped what he is today.  And he shares everything in a way that bring a smile to your face.

Born a Crime is an impactful portrayal of Noah’s life that is full of thrashings, and running from the law. And yet it is a complete book, a captivating memoir and a stimulating reading experience.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

“Now I think it’s one of the most useless questions an adult can ask a child—What do you want to be when you grow up? As if growing up is finite. As if at some point you become something and that’s the end.”

Character name – Michelle Obama

This is Michelle’s story from as young as 18 months to the day after her husband, Former President of the USA, Barack Obama left the Office of President of the United States to reinstate Donald Trump into his place. She recalls how she became what she became and contemplates on the journey ahead of her and her family.

The story is generally but thoughtfully divided into 3 parts – Becoming Me (her journey from a cramped, rented house to becoming a Harvard Law Graduate). Becoming Us (the story of how she met Obama and how they fell in love) and Becoming More (the story after Michelle’s husband became the President of the United States of America).

A potent memoir that reinstates that with firm belief in yourself and your values nothing is impossible.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

“Black people love their children with a kind of obsession. You are all we have, and you come to us endangered.”

Character Name – Ta-Nehisi Coates

Between the world and Me is Ta-Nehisi’s nonfiction book written as a letter to his son explaining how as a black child and then father he always lived in fear. Fear at school, fear in the streets, fear that he might get arrested at any moment by white police officers for no apparent crime or worse yet he might get shot.

He visits Europe once and there he experiences true freedom. Freedom from the fear of being black. But he says he cannot live there permanently because America is his home however unsuitable it may be.  

The narrative searing and of course heart-felt and raises so many valid questions, like will the white supremacy ever end? 

Best Fiction books with black main characters

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson

“Maybe this is all we need sometimes, for someone else to believe in the possibilities you see for yourself.”

Character Name - Stephen

Small Worlds explores the father-son relationship most endearingly and expansively. Stephen is born in London to Ghanaian parents. He is about to begin his university education and wants to pursue music, his passion, but his father wants him to get a degree that will be good for him to get a regular job.

Stephen decides to follow his passion and that breaks the family apart. But unfortunately, he also doesn’t get into the music course he wanted, and his love to leaves him. All these happenings shatter Stevens and leave him sad and lonely. Now Stephen must pull himself together and find a path that leads him to peace and freedom.   

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”

Character Name - Aibileen

Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny the deadly triad. None would believe they’d be pals. A smaller number would tolerate it. But as each woman finds the courage to cross their limitations, they come to rely upon one another. Each is in a quest for reality. And combined they have got a phenomenal narrative to tell.

I cannot indeed begin to portray the learnings of humanity, kindness, and respect that the author portrays. I emphatically recommend this book. I suppose it’s one of the books that I would say lived up to its hype and deserves much, much more.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

“Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe. There is no gift for the beloved. The lover alone possesses his gift of love. The loved one is shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover’s inward eye.”

Character Name - Pecola

This is the tale of Pecola, an African American girl, who according to the author is the unappealing black child in the neighborhood. Pecola only ever wished for one thing – blue eyes. Blue eyes, because she saw children with golden hair, fair skin, and blue eyes get the utmost respect, look the most pretty, and be heaped with attention and commendations.

But the girl was sexually abused by her father and therefore got pregnant. And she did get her blue eyes. But those blue eyes further drove her to lunacy.

The emotion and central sentiment with which the story is written is crystal clear – racism.

The Vanishing Half by Britt Benett

“People thought that being one of a kind made you special. No, it just made you lonely. What was special was belonging with someone else.”

Character Name - Desiree

A surprising story about binary sisters, Desiree and Stella, across 4 decades. They come from a small townlet, Mallard, that's nowhere on the map. One day they decide to run off from this townlet but little do they realize that their lives are about to go on two fully different directions, living fully different lives.
The plot also has some interesting twists as it explores the sway of our past on our present.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

Character Name – Tom Robinson

For readers who love courtroom drama, the case of African American Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white girl, where Atticus Finch is appointed the defense attorney. The people of Finch’s community are displeased that he has picked up the case of a black man. But the bigger challenge is when his kids listen to the gossip and question him about his work.

To kill a mockingbird is a novel I recommend to every reader. It is my favorite book of all time. The growing-up years of Scout and Jem Finch have been captured beautifully in this book. Her brilliance, sense of humor, and the result of her father’s teachings shine through brilliantly in this book.

Books with African-American characters

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

“I don't need you to be mad that it happened. I need you to be mad that it just like... happens.”

Character Name – Emira

Emira works as a babysitter at a well-to-do white family’s place. At her workplace one day when she steps in late at night to help her employer with a family emergency she is accused of kidnapping the white child that she is babysitting. The events thereafter show the dynamics of transactional relationships in a fun and light-hearted way.

The characters are striking and refreshing. The book reminded me so much of another book based on black maids working for white women– The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The book emphasizes that although times have changed the underlying mind-sets haven’t.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. People think pleasing God is all God cares about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.”

Character Name - Celie

This novel won the Pulitzer in 1983 and the National Book award. It's regarded as a contemporary classic as it's an important book that throws light on African- American civilization and literature.

penned in the shape of letters, it's a narrative of two sweet sisters Celie and Nettie. The character depiction is the genuine strength of this book. You'll be drawn to them.

But the themes talked over are painful (abuse, violence against women, racism, etc.), and the way they're argued or written about is really raw and honestly quite disturbing.

Overall I suppose it was a fantastic book, that didn't flinch down from portraying African- American culture the way it stands.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

“If I've thought of my mother as callous, and many times I have, then it is important to remember what a callus is: the hardened tissue that forms over a wound.”

Character Name – Gifty

Gifty, the younger of two kids who had been born accidentally to her parents in Ghana. Gifty first lost her father, in the sense that he left them in America and returned to Ghana only to remarry and have more kids. Next she loses her beloved brother Nana to a drug overdose. Nana, a star athlete, gets hooked to drugs through medicines prescribed due to an ankle injury.

Gifty decides to study neuroscience to understand why her brother could not resist the addiction and why now her mother, who raised two kids in America single-handedly, is now eternally depressed.

Gifty’s quiet nature but firm resolve and her reasoning with God and Science will touch your heart.

Fantasy Books with Black main characters

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

“We are all children of blood and bone.
All instruments of vengeance and virtue.”

Character Name - Zelie

This is the only fantasy novel with black characters that I read and loved. It is based on Nigerian mythology. Zeile, a princess whose mother was ruthlessly killed is bent on having her vengeance along with reviving magic in her kingdom. Inan the crown prince is on her heels and wants to eradicate her and her magic.

An action-packed novel full of adventure and adrenaline with an exciting plot and characters.