8 Essential Queer Black History Books

In this comprehensive book, C. Riley Snorton traces the histories of both Black and trans identities, examining their intersections, and the many ways in which history, literature, and pop culture have erased Black trans people from the conversation. He shares stories of Black trans people throughout the 20th century and offers thoughtful analysis of various texts, films, and other media. This book skews academic, but it’s an important and worthwhile read, one worth spending some time with.

This beautiful collection of oral histories includes the stories of over 70 queer Black women living in the South. Johnson’s careful, generous approach allows for the voices of Black queer Southern women to shine through loud and clear. Their stories are about struggle and joy, queer family and community, resistance and faith, power and desire. It’s a rich collection, and a reminder that queer Southerners have always been here, even when, too often, queer history renders them invisible.

For anyone looking for a history-adjacent book, and anyone interested in delving more deeply into the intersections of Blackness, queerness, and feminism, this volume of writing by and about Black lesbians is a must-read. It includes the work of some of the most prominent 20th century Black queer and lesbian writers, including Audre Lorde and Alice Dunbar-Nelson, as well as work from some lesser-known but equally important writers.

Historian Kevin J. Mumford recounts the history of Black gay men in the later half of the 20th century, focusing on the 1950s through the 1990s. He explores the roles that Black gay men have played in the major social movements of that time, including the Black power movement, gay liberation, AIDS activism, and civil rights. It’s a comprehensive history that illuminates both the contributions Black gay men have made throughout history, as well as the ways in which mainstream movements have not always made space for their intersecting identities.

If you’re looking for a good biography — even if you don’t often read biographies — this is a stellar one. Though she was most famous for her play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry was a complicated woman, activist, and artist, who fought for social change throughout her life. Drawing on Hansberry’s writing and other archival materials, Perry paints a portrait of a visionary artist and queer woman whose legacy lives on today.

I read this book in my early 20s and I can still remember how it felt to learn about this monumental civil rights leader, the main organizer behind the March on Washington — and a person I had never once heard about in school. Bayard Rustin’s activism has not been largely overshadowed by other, more famous civil rights leaders, partly due to his sexuality. This is a comprehensive account of his life, as well as a great analysis of why it’s taken so long for him to be recognized, especially in the civil rights history taught in schools.

Are you looking for a winter reading project? This 900+ page biography of intellectual, scholar, and professor Alain Locke, best known for his vital role in the Harlem Renaissance and the many Black authors and artists he mentored, is definitely a project. But it’s a fascinating one, as Stewart doesn’t only offer a nuanced look into Locke’s personal and professional life, but extends his lens outward to the times in which Locke lived, turning this work into a history of Black art, intellectualism, and aesthetics throughout the 20th century.