black history month

February 2026 Black History Month

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Literatures at the Library

In recognition of Black History Month this February, explore our collection of curated books by Black authors.

Cover of Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People — Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People by Imani Perry (2025).

Cover of Happy Land — Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (2025).

Cover of The Edge of Water — The Edge of Water: A Novel by Olufunke Grace Bankole (2025).

Cover of The Wilderness — The Wilderness: A Novel by Angela Flournoy (2025).

Cover of Misbehaving at the Crossroads — Misbehaving at the Crossroads: Essays & Writings by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (2025).

Cover of The Girls Who Grew Big — The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley (2025).

Cover of Junie — Junie: A Novel by Erin Crosby Eckstine (2025).

Cover of Good Dirt — Good Dirt : A Novel by Charmaine Wilkerson (2025).

Celebrating Black History Month in the Romance Languages

Posted on February 27, 2024February 19, 2026 by Claude Potts

Contemporary Black, African, and African diaspora writers across the world are redefining literature and criticism in French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. Here are some noteworthy books in their original languages recently acquired by the UC Berkeley Library. Translations into English may also be available for some of the better known.

Book cover for La plus secrète mémoire des hommes — La plus secrète mémoire des hommes
Mohamed Mbougar Sarr

Book cover for Stardust — Stardust
Léonora Miano

Book cover for Dans la splendeur de la nuit — Dans la splendeur de la nuit
Dany Laferrière

Book cover for Vou mudar a cozinha — Vou mudar a cozinha
Ondjaki

Book cover for Comme une reine — Comme une reine
Ernis

Book cover for Tribuna negra : origens do movimento negro em Portugal (1911-1933) — Tribuna negra : origens do movimento negro em Portugal (1911-1933)
Cristina Roldão et al.

Book cover for Juan de Pareja: Afro-Hispanic Painter in the Age of Velázquez — Juan de Pareja: Afro-Hispanic Painter in the Age of Velázquez
David Pullins

Book cover for Noire n'est pas mon métier — Noire n’est pas mon métier
Aïssa Maïga et al.

Book cover for DecliNações: Género e nação nas literaturas e culturas africanas de língua portuguesa — DecliNações: Género e nação nas literaturas e culturas africanas de língua portuguesa
Doris Wieser & Jessica Falconi, orgs

Book cover for L'autre langue des femmes — L’autre langue des femmes
Léonora Miano

Book cover for Le stazioni della luna — Le stazioni della luna
Ubah Cristina Ali Farah

Book cover for Notre France noire : de A à Z — Notre France noire : de A à Z
Alain Mabanckou, Pascal Blanchard, et Abdourahman Waberi

Book cover for Désirée Congo — Désirée Congo
Evelyne Trouillot

Book cover for God loves Haiti — God loves Haiti
Dimitry Elias Léger

Book cover for Saharienne indigo — Saharienne indigo
Tierno Monénembo

Book cover for Cœur du Sahel — Cœur du Sahel
Djaïli Amadou Amal

Book cover for La minute mongole — La minute mongole
Nétonon Noël Ndjékéry

Book cover for La linea del colore — La linea del colore
Igiaba Scego

Book cover for Colonisations : notre histoire — Colonisations : notre histoire
Pierre Singaravélou

Book cover for Noir français — Noir français
Carlos Martens Bilongo

Book cover for Trans-afrohispanismos : puentes culturales criticos entre Africa, Latinoamerica y España — Trans-afrohispanismos : puentes culturales criticos entre Africa, Latinoamerica y España
Dorothy Odartey-Wellington, ed.

Book cover for Contesting Race and Citizenship: Youth Politics in the Black Mediterranean — Contesting Race and Citizenship: Youth Politics in the Black Mediterranean
Camilla Hawthorne

Book cover for Le letterature africane in lingua portoghese : temi, percorsi e prospettive — Le letterature africane in lingua portoghese : temi, percorsi e prospettive
Inocência Mata et al., eds.

Please also see the related English literatures post for Black History Month 2024 and the Black History at Cal library research guide.

Exploring the Arts during Black History Month

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Nina Bayley

“The A&AePortal is committed to featuring groundbreaking and authoritative books on African Americans and the arts. Here are some highlights—see what might be helpful in your teaching, coursework, or research!” – from the A&Ae Portal Website.

Explore the Arts and Architecture E Portal from Yale University Press provided to you by UC Berkeley Library. Click the link to see these and other titles about the African American and Black Diaspora.