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30 Books by Writers of Color Redefining the Term "All-American"

What comes to mind when someone is described as "all-American"? They're probably physically healthy, maybe blonde, and definitely white. This image isn't neutral: By associating the American identity with whiteness, we allow whiteness to dictate our definition of "normal," of "us" versus "other." This is dangerous to people who don't have that "all-American" look.
But what if our idea of "all-American" was actually . . . all-American? Identity is a multitude; reading more broadly into the American experience can help us create a truer, less oppressive image of who is considered American. The following list collects a few of the infinite narratives that complicate our understanding of the "all-American" identity. They encapsulate what I hope is a wide berth of experiences, genres, and intersections—written from people who identify as American or have experienced the reality of living in the U.S.
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Brutal Imagination (Cornelius Eady)
Brutal Imagination
1
Cornelius Eady
The Book of Unknown Americans (Cristina Henriquez)
The Book of Unknown Americans
2
Cristina Henriquez
The Good Immigrant (Nikesh Shul;A)
The Good Immigrant
3
Nikesh Shul;A
What We Lose (Zinzi Clemmons)
What We Lose
4
Zinzi Clemmons
When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities (Chen Chen)
When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities
5
Chen Chen
Him, Me, Muhammad Ali (Randa Jarrar)
Him, Me, Muhammad Ali
6
Randa Jarrar
When I Was Puerto Rican (Esmeralda Santiago)
When I Was Puerto Rican
7
Esmeralda Santiago
Heavy (Kiese Laymon)
Heavy
8
Kiese Laymon
Whereas (Layli Long Soldier)
Whereas
9
Layli Long Soldier
America Is Not the Heart (Elaine Castillo)
America Is Not the Heart
10
Elaine Castillo
Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family (Mitchell S. Jackson)
Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family
11
Mitchell S. Jackson
Monstress (Tenorio)
Monstress
12
Tenorio
Mean (Myriam Gurba)
Mean
13
Myriam Gurba
Isako Isako (Mia Ayumi Malhotra)
Isako Isako
14
Mia Ayumi Malhotra
Heads of the Colored People (Nafissa Thompson-Spires)
Heads of the Colored People
15
Nafissa Thompson-Spires
How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? (Moustafa Bayoumi)
How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?
16
Moustafa Bayoumi
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race (Jesmyn Ward)
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race
17
Jesmyn Ward
There There (Tommy Orange)
There There
18
Tommy Orange
Friday Black (Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah)
Friday Black
19
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Good Talk (Mira Jacob)
Good Talk
20
Mira Jacob
American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin (Terrance Hayes)
American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin
21
Terrance Hayes
Native Speaker (Chang-Rae Lee)
Native Speaker
22
Chang-Rae Lee
Olio (Tyehimba Jess)
Olio
23
Tyehimba Jess
If You See Me, Don't Say Hi (Neel Patel)
If You See Me, Don't Say Hi
24
Neel Patel
Don't Call Us Dead: Poems (Danez Smith)
Don't Call Us Dead: Poems
25
Danez Smith
Under the Feet of Jesus (Helena Maria Viramontes)
Under the Feet of Jesus
26
Helena Maria Viramontes
Dear America: Notes From an Undocumented Citizen (Jose Antonio Vargas)
Dear America: Notes From an Undocumented Citizen
27
Jose Antonio Vargas
Nepantla: An Anthology Dedicated to Queer Poets of Color (Christopher Soto (Editor))
Nepantla: An Anthology Dedicated to Queer Poets of Color
28
Christopher Soto (Editor)
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears (Dinaw Mengestu)
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears
29
Dinaw Mengestu
Everyday People: The Color of Life (Edited by Jennifer Baker)
Everyday People: The Color of Life
30
Edited by Jennifer Baker
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