Gift like theGrio: Gift empathy with Black biographies and memoirs
2023 was an incredible year for Black memoirs and biographies — and theGrio has recommendations everyone can relate to!
‘Tis the season of giving — and for fostering goodwill and empathy wherever we can. What better way than sharing stories that explore vulnerability and humanity? This year was a great one for memoirs and biographies centering Black figures most of us only know as bold-faced names and red-carpet regulars, giving us new perspectives on their very relatable origin stories and paths to success. When it comes to cultivating empathy, seeing yourself in someone else’s narrative is a great start — and can serve as much-needed inspiration. With that in mind, theGrio has recommendations for gift-worthy memoirs and biographies.
“Worthy – Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith has been one-half of one of the world’s most famous couples for over half her lifetime, but despite decades spent making headlines, she largely remained an enigma until the release of her highly controversial memoir, “Worthy.” While the book’s profound messaging remains eclipsed by its more buzzworthy revelations, as Pinkett Smith discussed with theGrio, at its heart, it is the beautifully written story of a woman seeking to find her true worth amid the spotlight’s glare.
“King: A Life” – Jonathan Eig
Sixty years after the March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy lives on, as his quest for fundamental human rights, freedoms and dignity remains urgent to millions of Americans. Jonathan Eig’s exhaustively researched biography “King: A Life” brings a new and nuanced perspective to one of the world’s most revered champions of civil rights, retracing his upbringing, evolution into a movement leader, and his inherent contradictions as a man — and will serve as the basis for an upcoming biopic directed by Chris Rock.
“Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography” – Staci Robinson
In his too-brief 25 years of life, Tupac Amaru Shakur was a firebrand, a sensitive wordsmith, a brilliant artist, and a brash showman — and much beloved to those who knew him best. Author and screenwriter Staci Robinson was among those who knew Tupac in his pre-fame life and was subsequently entrusted by his mother, Afeni Shakur, to bring the true story of her late son’s dynamic life to the masses. Setting Tupac’s story against the backdrop of the political unrest, racial pride, boundless creativity, familial love, and inner turmoil that would define his artistry and life, “Tupac Shakur: The Authorized Biography” is an unprecedented look at Black genius.
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“August Wilson: A Life” – Patti Hartigan
Widely revered as the theater world’s “Black bard,” August Wilson was also one of the most successful and prolific playwrights of a generation, completing an acclaimed decalogue of plays centering the African-American experience and its evolution over the course of the 20th century. Researched and written by theater critic Patti Hartigan, “August Wilson: A Life” is the first authoritative biography of the late playwright, pulling back the curtain on his origin story and greatest inspirations, including firsthand interviews with family, friends, colleagues, and most importantly, Wilson himself.
“Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed” – Donald Bogle
With a career spanning over seven decades, Lena Horne was a pioneer for Black women in Hollywood and, even in the era of Jim Crow, was among the first to receive the starlet treatment within the MGM studio machine, formerly only afforded to her white contemporaries. However, Horne’s immense and undeniable talent was consistently undermined by the specter of American racism, often relegating her to solely musical roles and all-Black casts. Award-winning author Donald Bogle’s “Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed” is an unabashed and overdue celebration of Horne’s life and career as an accomplished actress, singer, dancer, civil rights activist, and American hero.
“Standing My Ground: A Capitol Police Officer’s Fight for Accountability and Good Trouble After January 6th” – Harry Dunn
The assault on the nation’s Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, was terrifying for many of us to watch. For United States Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, it was a matter of survival, one from which he would emerge both a hero and an activist. In his bestselling memoir, “Standing My Ground: A Capitol Police Officer’s Fight for Accountability and Good Trouble After January 6th,” Dunn tells his truth as a Black man in law enforcement at the seat of the nation’s government — and by extension, the truth about a racially and politically divided America. Called “a must-read for those who care about our nation’s future” by Congressman Eric Swalwell, Dunn’s memoir proves that John Lewis’ legacy of “good trouble” lives on.
“Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin): A Memoir” – Sly Stone
A bonafide musical genius who penned some of the most memorable songs of his generation and beyond — including “Everyday People,” “Stand,” and “Family Affair” — Sly Stone has in many ways also remained an enigma, despite his outsized onstage persona as frontman of Sly and the Family Stone. In his first and only memoir, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” (written with Ben Greenman and named for Stone’s hit single of the same name), the now 80-year-old musician chronicles his incredible life and career, from his start as a local DJ and record producer to the decades of addiction that accompanied his ascent to stardom.
“The Risk It Takes to Bloom” – Raquel Willis
Coming of age is a challenge most of us can identify with. Coming into oneself is a uniquely individual experience, one bracingly recounted by Black transgender activist Raquel Willis in her debut memoir, “The Risk It Takes to Bloom.” Opening at the podium of the 2017 National Women’s March, Willis’ speech was cut short, but her voice continued to grow, positioning her as a much-needed presence speaking from the intersection of gender, race and sexuality. Retracing her childhood spent in the American South, revelatory years at the University of Georgia, coming out as a young journalist, coping with profound loss, and finding her path as an activist, Willis’ story can inspire us all.
“Fat Off, Fat On: A Big Bitch Manifesto” – Clarkisha Kent
The title might be humorous, but humor is only one facet of cultural critic Clarkisha Kent’s debut memoir, “Fat Off, Fat On: A Big Bitch Manifesto.” Published before her 30th birthday, Kent’s incisive, vulnerable and viscerally recounted experiences as a self-described “Bi, Black, fat” and disabled, first-generation Nigerian-American woman — from a troubled family, no less — have garnered her well-deserved acclaim. Both a coming-of-age story and a confrontation of America’s pervasive fatphobia, queer-phobia, and misogynoir, Kent’s manifesto is relevant for everyone with a body, but especially those growing into adulthood.
“The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are” – Tariq Trotter
Hip-hop heads may know him best as Black Thought, co-founder and frontman of The Roots, but Tariq Trotter’s origin story began at the tender age of 6, when he set his family’s home ablaze. As he recounts in “The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are,” that childhood accident set in motion a series of events, ones that would transform his life and relationship with his mother, as well as setting the stage for him to become a multifaceted creator many consider one of the best MCs of all time. Equal parts memoir and inspirational guide to evolving through trauma, just like his artistry, Trotter’s sensitively told bestseller is a gift that keeps on giving.
Looking for more Black books to gift this holiday season? Check out theGrio’s Ultimate Holiday Book Guide on the “Writing Black” podcast!
Maiysha Kai is theGrio’s lifestyle editor, covering all things Black and beautiful. Her work is informed by two decades of experience in fashion and entertainment, great books, and the brilliance of Black culture. She is also the editor-author of Body: Words of Change series and the host of ‘Writing Black‘ with Maiysha Kai.
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