Black History Month was founded by Carter G. Woodson in 1926 to recognize the achievements and experiences of Black lives throughout America. The annual celebration occurs in February to include the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, both of whom shaped Black freedom in the United States. Bellingham Public Library honors Black History Month with special displays of a wide variety of related books, films, and music for adults, teens and children. Library staff offer the following personal recommendations for inspiration.
Black History Nonfiction for Adults
So many incredible books have been written about Black experiences. Here’s a great list of nonfiction titles that our librarians have put together to get you started on your journey of exploration and understanding.
Library Staff Recommend:
The Dead Are Gods by Eirinie Carson (eBook only)
“This is a memoir of a friendship, and a friend who dies and leaves devastation and mysteries behind her. This is also a beautiful book about grief, which we all learn about one day. As Eirinie says, ‘Let me stand over you and tell you it is coming.‘ ”
– Karen, Public Services Clerk
“Crucial reading to fully understand Seattle’s history. Taylor’s writing ties the city’s history with national civil rights issues in a masterful way.”
– Audrey, Public Services Clerk
“The American ideal of liberty and justice for all was always precarious, since it depended on the de facto restriction of those rights for so many Americans. Richardson has followed this history through 200+ years, and writes with a clarity and vivid detail that makes it seem easy to understand. This feels like an important book.”
– Karen, Public Services Clerk
Hunger: A Memoir of (my) Body by Roxane Gay
“A raw and unflinching memoir about her own body and view of her body as a result of sexual assault at the age of 12. Using food as a form of protection or safety while slowly emerging from the confines of trauma and social judgement into adulthood. A vulnerable and bracing social commentary on feminism, race, sexuality, and body image.”
– Dani, Library Assistant
The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby
“The Dance Theater of Harlem has an incredibly interesting history! This book narrows in on five Black ballerinas, some who helped found the company, with a mix of interview excerpts and more broad history of the theater. Essential reading for any dancer or dance enthusiast.”
– Audrey, Public Services Clerk
Why Does Everything Have to Be About Race? 25 Arguments That Won’t Go Away by Keith Boykin
“If you’ve ever listened to complaints about Black History month, and wished you had a brief but effective reply, this is the book for you. It’s organized, concise, and enjoyable.”
– Karen, Public Services Clerk
Black History Fiction for Adults
Looking for a great story? Black history matters, and so does representation in fictional stories. Check out this list of recent fiction must-reads from Black authors.
Upcoming Library Program:
Join Adult Services Librarian Katie Bray in the SkillShare Space at the Central Library on Tuesday, February 24 from 5:00 – 5:45 pm for her Top Ten Lists program, featuring “Recent Black Fiction”. Visit the event listing for more information.
Library Staff Recommend:
“A vivid description of Haitian diaspora experience through 15 interconnected stories that describe the trauma of displacement and the resilience of the human spirit.”
– Dani, Library Assistant
Colored Television by Danzy Senna
“In her book Colored Television, Danzy Senna exposes all of her main character, Jane’s, flaws and struggles in a way that is tormenting and incredibly vulnerable. Danzy weaves a non-fiction book about mixed race heroines, being written by Jane, into an all-too-realistic fiction about Senna’s life as a biracial mother, wife, academic and writer. It is wrought with financial instability, consequence avoidance, appropriation, and artistic integrity (and the lack of it) not to mention the raising of a neurodivergent child. The book was faced-paced, tense, and compelling. While the ending felt abrupt and left many of the themes unresolved, the book as a whole was courageous and captivating.”
– Katrina, Head of Public Services
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
“Jemisin is a master of taking a fantasy/sci-fi world and drawing straight lines to real-world prejudice and discrimination. This trilogy has really gorgeous world-building, interesting characters trying to survive the (yet another) apocalypse, and spectacular storytelling that weaves back in on itself in a very satisfying way.”
– Lorena, Public Services Clerk
This powerful retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through the eyes of Jim, now James, will not allow you to read the original in the same way again. Instead of a reckless adventure, it is a harsh struggle toward the unlikely goal of freeing Jame’s wife and daughter. Everett uses humor to uplift and empower his characters (who go to a school where they learn how to deceive their masters into believing them to be unintelligent and unthreatening) and adds satire to cut some of the heavier themes. The ending of the book deviates the most from the original and is packed with surprising secrets and shocking scenes that are thrilling, if a bit dark. Percival Everett has shined a new light on this classic and created a new American hero.”
– Katrina, Head of Public Services
“Octavia Butler uses time travel to explore themes of slavery, kinship, racial power dynamics, and fate in this grim fantasy. The main character, Dana, is jolted back and forth between 19th century, pre-civil war Maryland, and 1976 Los Angeles. She is trapped in the past for long periods of time and forced to come face-to-face with the brutality of the era, the secrets of her own ancestry, and the consequences of her actions on the lives of her family and herself. The book broaches the intersectionality of gender, race, and power, providing a raw and honest (though perhaps less violent) look at slavery as well as the necessity of the enslaved to accept abuse in order to protect the people they loved. Dana experiences conflict, heartbreak, and resilience as she watches her family’s history unfold and tries to wield what influence she has to help them survive and empower them. The book is a powerful reflection on the enduring legacy of slavery and its impact on modern society.”
– Katrina, Head of Public Services
Black History Books for Teens
Visit the Library’s Teen Section to find great reads – both fiction and nonfiction. The staff at the Help Desk are also happy to help you find titles related to Black History Month and more.
Library Staff Recommend:
Surrounded: America’s First School for Black Girls, 1832 by Wilfrid Lupano
“This book taught me about a seminal part of U.S. civil rights history. It is harrowing to ruminate on how people can be so frightened and resistant to the education of children.”
– Lark, Public Services Clerk
White Smoke by Tiffany Jackson
“Marigold’s family situation is tense. Newly blended, and just off the heels of Marigold’s own expulsion from her high school in California, the family decides that taking an opportunity in the Midwest is exactly the fresh start they need. But like their new house, their new town has secrets; and some secrets won’t (and shouldn’t) stay buried.”
– Rosalie, Public Services Clerk
Black History Books for Children
Bellingham Public Library Children’s staff have curated two great lists for Black History Month and they’re filled with fantastic books for kids of all ages. Take a look.
Library Staff Recommend:
Black Hair Can: The Roots of Our Roots by Sylvia Rodríguez
“I adore this book! It is a celebratory and illuminating love letter to the cultural and historic significance of black hairstyles.” Recommended for ages 4 and up.
– Lark, Public Services Clerk
Brown Girl in the Snow by Yolanda T. Marshall
“Food and culture are so intricately linked. This book was a wonderful exploration of how impactful it is to see one’s culture recognized and celebrated by community!” Recommended for ages 4 and up.
– Lark, Public Services Clerk
Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers? by Junauda Petrus
“A picture book for the whole family that celebrates intergenerational wisdom and mutual aid within the Black community and reckons with the need for reform.” – Recommended for ages 4 and up.
– Mandee, Children’s Programming Specialist
“This book is both a fun love letter to books and libraries, and a heartfelt call to action on the very real problem of representation in media. You can enjoy stories about anyone, but everyone should be able to see themselves in a story.”
– Lorena, Public Services Clerk
Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
“A biography of the amazing, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of Rock n’ Roll! With cute papercraft illustrations, this biography covers her love of music from childhood, and how support from her community and the drive to play gave her the energy to become a musical icon as an adult.” Recommended for ages 3 – 7.
– Rosalie, Public Services Clerk
My Daddy is a Cowboy by Stephanie Seales
“This is a touching and joyful story about child-parent bonding and how connection to nature and community uplifts us.” Recommended for ages 4 and up.
– Lark, Public Services Clerk
My Fade is Fresh by Shauntay Grant
“A young girl goes to her local barbershop with only one request: To have the freshest fade on the block! But everyone in the barbershop is determined to be helpful—and everyone has so many different ideas of what looks best, that it’s hard to make sure the barber hears what she wants. But she won’t be stopped—not until she gets the cut she’s been looking for!” Recommended for ages 3 – 7.
– Rosalie, Public Services Clerk
The Night Market by Seina Wedlick
“Reading this was a sensory delight! I would like admission to the next Night Market!” Recommended for ages 4 and up.
– Lark, Public Services Clerk
“As a lover of botany and the history of science, I was delighted to learn about Charles S. Parker! What an incredible person!” Recommended for ages 6 and up.
– Lark, Public Services Clerk
Ruby Finley vs. the Interstellar Invasion by K. Tempest Bradford
“A very fun, very wholesome sci-fi adventure that feels like E.T. met a Disney channel original movie. The neighborhood kids pull off some clever hijinks, the parents are all caring and supportive, and there’s even a fun little twist at the end.” Recommended for ages 8 and up.
– Lorena, Public Services Clerk
Waiting for Hanami by J.P. Takahashi
“When Sai goes to the long-awaited cherry blossom festival to meet her large extended family, she realizes how hard it can be to make connections with people she’s only ever spoken to on the phone, or never even seen before! But together, with her cousin Avi, who is just as nervous as she is, the two find much more in common with each other than they’d ever imagined—and make new ways of connecting and finding joy within their expansive family tree.” Recommended for ages 4 – 8.
– Rosalie, Public Services Clerk
Black History in Film and Music
You can find a wide selection of DVDs featuring Black stories on the Library’s shelves, however, there are even more films available to stream for free on Kanopy. Log in with your library card and take a look at the fantastic films they’re featuring in February for Black History Month.
The Bellingham Public Library also has a large music CD collection, but if you prefer to stream your tunes, check out Freegal. With your library card and PIN, you can access a music collection that includes hundreds of genres for free.
Library Staff Recommend Film:
“The incredible plot, cinematography, soundtrack, and cast has earned this film’s place amongst the best of 2025! Equally successful as a creature feature as it is a visual essay on the experience of being black in 1930s Jim Crow South.”
– Lark, Public Services Clerk
The Watermelon Woman (Also available on Kanopy)
“I love how real this movie feels. Cheryl Dunye directs and stars in this story about a Black lesbian filmmaker researching a Black actress from the 1930’s. It’s funny, genre-defying, and densely layered.”
– Audrey, Public Services Clerk
Music
Library Staff Recommend Music:
Available through Freegal Music:
Both Worlds, *69 by Gangsta Boo
“This is the original Three 6 Mafia member’s debut solo album. Her influence on the rap world is immeasurable!”
Welcome 2 Detroit by J Dilla
“Samples and drum programming were never the same after J Dilla; everything he touched was gold. Check out Dilla Time in the biography section too!”
When I Get Home by Solange
Solange explores her hometown of Houston, Texas and personal family history in this beautiful album. SO many good collaborators featured, and her voice is stunning.”
– Audrey, Public Services Clerk
“From Alabama Shakes frontwoman, a solo album that will crawl inside your DNA.”
– Arbor, Public Services Clerk
Links for More Information
History Channel – Black History Month
AFRO: The Black Media Authority
Story Corps – Black History Month
Northwest African American Museum
Washington Trust for Historic Preservation — The Maritime Underground Railroad of Puget Sound
