Published by Anna Binkovitz on Jun 17, 2026

The annual celebration of Juneteenth is a perfect time to learn the history of the Black community in the United States and to celebrate Black authors writing today.
Here are a few suggestions for books to check out this year:
With Love from Harlem by Rashonda Tate. This novel explores Harlem in the Jazz Age. Follow a young woman who happens to be a musical prodigy and see an intimate and vivid portrait of a major cultural enclave of Black America and America as a whole.
Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People by Tiya Miles. While many of us know of Harriet Tubman as the historical figure, few of us have been exposed to her more interior, personal identity. This book explores her relationships and faith to paint a more complete picture of an icon in the anti-slavery movement.
James by Percival Everett. This re-framing and response to Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man Huck travels with, is as unexpected as it is brilliant. See the mechanics of code-switching as a survival mechanism and dive into elegant prose.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture has a great reading list for more historical and contemporary books relating to American history, slavery, and Blackness.
In honor of the holiday, SCOJO New York will be donating a portion of sales on Juneteenth (6/19) to support the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). We are excited to help support a new generation of historians, writers, musicians, and makers who will shape the culture of tomorrow.
