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Black Women's Wellness

A list of resources created to celebrate the 11th Annual Black Women's Wellness Day on September 21, 2019, updated on occasion.

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Nourish Your Mind & Soul: Spiritual and Self-help

The Big Book of Soul: The Ultimate Guide to the African American Spirit: Legend & Lore, Music & Mysticism, Recipes & Rituals by Stephanie Rose Bird
Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors by Carolyn Finney
Black Girls Rock!: Owning Our Magic. Rocking Our Truth by Beverly Bond
The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Nadine Burke Harris
Ferocious Warrior by Cora Jakes-Coleman
From 50 to Fabulous: Pivoting to a Life of Joy and Purpose by Barbara Hyatte Boustead
Get Unstuck, Be Unstoppable by Valorie Burton
I'm Telling the Truth, But I'm Lying: Essays by Bassey Ikpi
Jezebel Unhinged: Loosing the Black Female Body in Religion and Culture by Tamura A. Lomax
Love Big: The Power of Revolutionary Relationships to Heal the World by Rozella Haydee White
Love Your Life: O's Handbook For Your Best Today-- And Tomorrow by Oprah Winfrey
More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine Welteroth
More Than Pretty: Doing the Soul Work That Uncovers Your True Beauty by Erica Campbell
My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life's Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey
Peace From Broken Pieces: How To Get Through What You're Going Through by Iyanla Vanzant
Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery by Sarah Elizabeth Lewis
Sisters of the Yam: Black Women and Self-recovery by Bell Hooks
Too Heavy a Yoke: Black Women and the Burden of Strength by Chanequa Walker-Barnes
Wake up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life by Michael Strahan and Veronica Chambers
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
You Deserve the Truth: Change the Stories that Shaped Your World and Build a World-changing Life by Erica Williams Simon

Self Care: Health and Beauty

Health

Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer's by B. Smith and Dan Gasby
Black, Pregnant, and Loving It: The Comprehensive Pregnancy Guide for Today’s Woman of Color by Yvette Allen-Campbell
The Black Woman's Breast Cancer Survival Guide: Understanding and Healing in the Face of a Nationwide Crisis by Cheryl D. Holloway
The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor
Clean & Lean: 30 Days, 30 Foods, a New You! by Ian Smith
Dr. Eno's A-to-Z Guide to Thriving with Type 2 Diabetes by Eno A. Nsima-Obot
Every Body Yoga: Let Go of Fear, Get on the Mat, Love Your Body by Jessamyn Stanley
Health First! The Black Women’s Wellness Guide by Eleanor Hinton and Hilary Beard
Prime Time: The African American Woman’s Guide to Midlife Health and Wellness by Marilyn Gaston
Reclaiming Our Health: A Guide to African American Wellness by Michelle A. Gourdine
A Woman's Guide To Living With Heart Disease by Carolyn Thomas and Martha Gulati

Beauty and Haircare

Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color by Iman with Tina Williams
Better Than Good Hair: The Curly Girl Guide to Healthy, Gorgeous Natural Hair! by Nikki Walton
Black Beauty & Hair (Magazine)
Curly Like Me: How to Grow Your Hair Healthy, Long, and Strong by Teri LaFlesh
Dressed in Dreams: A Black Girl's Love Letter to the Power of Fashion by Tanisha C. Ford
Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America by Ayana D Byrd and Lori L Tharps
Hairlooms: The Untangled Truth About Loving Your Natural Hair and Beauty by Michele Tapp Roseman
If You Love It, It Will Grow!: A Guide to Healthy, Beautiful Natural Hair by Phoenyx Austin
Kwame Brathwaite: Black is Beautiful by Kwame Brathwaite, Tanisha C Ford, and Deborah Willis
Love, Lashes, and Lipstick: My Secrets For a Gorgeous, Happy Life by Mally Roncal
Milady Standard Natural Hair Care & Braiding by Diane Carol Bailey
The Natural Hair Bible: The 10 Commandments of Black Hair Care by Breanna Rutter
Queens: Portraits of Black Women and Their Fabulous Hair by Michael Cunningham
The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy
Woman of Color by Latonya Yvette

At Work & At Home: In Business and Family/Relationships

In Business

Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less by Tiffany Dufu and Gloria Steinem
Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward by Valerie Jarrett
Let Them See You: The Guide for Leveraging Your Diversity at Work by Porter Braswell
The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table by Minda Harts
Minority Leader: How To Lead From the Outside and Make Real Change by Stacey Abrams
Our Black Year: One Family's Quest to Buy Black in America's Racially Divided Economy by Maggie Anderson
Real Money Answers for Every Woman: How To Win the Money Game With or Without a Man by Patrice C. Washington
Rise and Grind: Outperform, Outwork, and Outhustle Your Way to a More Successful and Rewarding Life by Daymond John

Family and Relationships

Breathe: A Letter to My Sons by Imani Perry
Brown, White, Black: An American Family at the Intersection of Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Religion by Nishta Mehra.
Do I look like an ATM?: A Parents' Guide to Raising Financially Responsible African American Children by Sabrina Lamb
Guidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys into Race, Motherhood, and History by Camille T. Dungy
Hard Work or Harmony?: A Go-To Guide for Women to Nurture Healthy Relationships with Family, Friends and Co-Workers by Kiaundra Jackson
How Did I Get So Busy?: The 28-day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclaim Your Schedule, and Reconnect with What Matters Most by Valorie Burton
How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid For Success by Julie Lythcott-Haims
Infamous Mothers: Women Who’ve Gone Through the Belly of Hell... and Brought Something Good Back by Sagashus T. Levingston
Make It Work: 22 Time-tested, Real-life Lessons for Sustaining a Healthy, Happy Relationship by Tony A Gaskins
Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou
Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America by Nefertiti Austin
Settlin': Stories of Madison's Early African American Families by Muriel Simms
Sing a Rhythm, Dance a Blues: Education for the Liberation of Black and Brown Girls by Monique W. Morris
We Live for the We: The Political Power of Black Motherhood by Dani McClain
Womanish: A Grown Black Woman Speaks on Life and Love by Kim McLarin

Food and Nutrition

Black Girl Baking: Wholesome Recipes Inspired by a Soulful Upbringing by Jerrelle Guy
Cooking with Miss Quad: Live, Laugh, Love and Eat by Quad Webb
Food for Life: Delicious & Healthy Comfort Food from My Table to Yours! by Laila Ali
Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories by Jocelyn Delk Adams
In Pursuit of Flavor by Edna Lewis
A Lighter Way to Bake by Lorraine Pascale
Princess Pamela’s Soul Food Cookbook by Pamela Stroebel
Real Southern Cook in Her Savannah Kitchen by Dora Charles
Soul Food Love: Healthy Recipes Inspired by One Hundred Years of Cooking in a Black Family by Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams
Sweet Home Cafe Cookbook: A Celebration of African American Cooking by Albert Lukas
Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice, and Soul by Jenne Claiborne
Vegucation of Robin: How Real Food Saved My Life by Robin Quivers

Inspiring Black Women: Memoirs, Essays, and Biographies

Around the Way Girl: A Memoir by Taraji P. Henson
Beyoncé in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism by Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley
Black Is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother's Time, My Mother's Time, and Mine by Emily Bernard
Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittany C. Cooper
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics by Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Leah Daughtry, Minyon Moore, and Veronica Chambers
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
How We Fight White Supremacy: A Field Guide to Black Resistance by Akiba Solomon and Kenrya Rankin.
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
My Life, My Love, My Legacy by Coretta Scott King
Negroland: A Memoir by Margo Jefferson
The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love With Me by Keah Brown
Reclaiming Our Space: How Black Feminists are Changing the World from the Tweets to the Streets by Feminista Jones
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock
This is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare by Gabourey Sidibe
Tigerbelle: The Wyomia Tyus Story by Wyomia Tyus
We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True by Gabrielle Union
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist by Franchesca Ramsey
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele
The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother's Life in the Detroit Numbers by Bridgett M Davis
You Can’t Touch My Hair and Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson

Stories: Selected Fiction and Poetry by Black Women

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah
The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow
A Good Cry: What We Learn from Tears and Laughter by Nikki Giovanni (poetry)
Heads of the Colored People: Stories by Nafissa Thompson-Spires
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Hot Comb by Ebony Flowers (graphic novel)
I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Magical Negro: Poems by Morgan Parker (poetry)
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
No One is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts
Push: A Novel by Sapphire
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker (poetry)
Training School for Negro Girls by Camille Acker
The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Who’s Loving You by Mary B. Morrison

For younger readers

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Dark Girls by Bill Duke
Fannie Lou Hamer, Voice of Freedom: Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales by Virginia Hamilton
Honey Baby Sugar Child by Alice Faye Duncan
I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison
Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe
Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

Online Resources

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