The Importance Of Buying Black Literature

With DJ Suede The Remix God’s “Beans, Greens, Tomatoes, Potatoes (UNAMEIT)” trending for Thanksgiving and Mariah Carey ponying up for the Christmas season, the holiday season is upon us. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales open the floodgates for the beginning of holiday shopping. Sales across electronics, clothes, and the like often grab the most social attention, but a potentially little-known fact is that book sales boom around this time of year! 

During the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, bookstores were reporting dire financial returns. More especially, what they were reporting suggested collapse was on the horizon. Granted, this was exacerbated by the market-consuming nature of Amazon. In 2022, however, the tide has changed and American publishers are noting an uptick in book sales. 

Forbes reports that according to Publishers Weekly, in 2021 U.S. print sales increased by 67.8 million. With fiction and nonfiction sales rising by 25.5% and 4.4% respectively, it’s safe to say that books are back in. Pew Research Center findings suggest that adults read about 5 books per annum. At the same time, it’s important to note that the book industry has historically been very white, with a mere 5% of books being written by people of color, not to be conflated with Black authors, according to a New York Times investigation.  

Much like how Black-led films and television series need to break records in order for the powers that be to recognize the value and profitability of Black creative works, the same can be said for books. As such, ahead of the holiday season, consider the following 5 books to add to your holiday shopping list in our efforts to be entertained but ensure more Black authors are published in the future. 

Honey & Spice, Bolu Babalola

I Wish I Knew This Earlier: Lessons On Love, Toni Tone

Boys Come First, Aaron Foley

Walking In My Joy: In These Streets, Jenifer Lewis

Harlem Sunset, Nekesa Afia