By Elizabeth Douglas, Marketing and Communications
February is Black History Month. The Douglas College Library has compiled a collection of must-read memoirs, biographies, novels and research to celebrate the achievements and history of Black activists, pioneers, artists, athletes and more. To kick off Black History Month, here are a few titles to add to your reading list:
Books to read
Disorientation: Being Black in the World by Ian Williams.
Canadian poet, fiction and non-fiction writer Ian Willliams draws from personal experience to illustrate the impact of racialized encounters on people of colour. As he reflects on the past, examines the present and prepares for the future, Williams offers his perspective on making meaningful change.
They Said This Would Be Fun: Race, Campus Life and Growing Up by Eternity Martis.
In her memoir, Martis revisits her time studying at the University of Western Ontario, and her complex experience as one of the few Black students there. This book confronts a painful reality and shows Martis’s resilience in forging her own path with the support of a community of other women of colour.
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko.
For the fantasy series lovers, Raybearer is the first of two books from the Nigerian American YA author. Tarisai, a young girl raised in isolation, must compete for the chance at family and belonging. But her strength in loyalty and love is put to the test when the powers of magic get in her way. Redemptor is the second book in the series and is also available at the Library.
Go Do Some Great Thing: The Black Pioneers of British Columbia by Crawford Kilian, forward by Dr. Adam Rudder.
Following the migration of activist Mifflin Gibbs and nearly 600 other Black Californians to Victoria, B.C., this book highlights the tribulations and triumphs of the province’s Black pioneers.
Shut Out: The Game That Did Not Love Me Black by Bernie Saunders.
In the memoir of the retired professional hockey player, Saunders details his uphill battle against racism in the hockey community – from junior hockey in Ontario to the NHL.
“Where are you from?”: Growing up African-Canadian in Vancouver by Gillian Laura Creese.
Through interviews with Black Vancouverites, Creese’s study explores how a new generation defines their identity and how they experience racism in their city.
Bertha Maxwell-Roddey: A Modern-Day Race Woman and the Power of Black Leadership by Sonia Yvette Ramsey.
This biography details the life, activism, achievements and leadership of Dr. Bertha Maxwell-Roddey, an educational pioneer who fought for desegregation in North Carolina.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.
Splitting her life between the poor neighbourhood she lives in and the prep school she attends, sixteen-year-old Starr Carter’s world is shaken when she witnesses her best friend shot and killed at the hands of police. This YA novel navigates police violence, protests and public’s perception of the incident, molded by the media’s divided narratives. Thomas’ debut novel was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and expanded from a short story she wrote in college.
To view a complete list of titles, see the Library’s Black History Month collection.