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Must-Read Classics by People of Color

For the purposes of this list, I've defined a classic as a book that's at least 50 years old. Some of these classics by people of color are well-known and others are known only to scholars of the period they're from. There are novels, plays, poetry, and nonfiction from around the world—something for everyone.
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The Analects (Confucius)
The Analects
Confucius
2
One Thousand and One Nights (Anonymous)
One Thousand and One Nights
Anonymous
3
The Pillow Book (Sei Shonagon)
The Pillow Book
Sei Shonagon
4
The Tale of Genji (Murasaki Shikibu)
The Tale of Genji
Murasaki Shikibu
5
Theologus Autodidactus (Ibn Al Nafis)
Theologus Autodidactus
Ibn Al Nafis
6
The Confessions of Lady Nijo (Lady Nijo)
The Confessions of Lady Nijo
Lady Nijo
7
On Love and Barley (Matsuo Basho)
On Love and Barley
Matsuo Basho
8
Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio (Songling Pu)
Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio
Songling Pu
9
Phillis Wheatley, Complete Writings (Phillis Wheatley)
Phillis Wheatley, Complete Writings
Phillis Wheatley
10
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (Olaudah Equiano)
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano
Olaudah Equiano
11
The Golden Days (Cao Xueqin)
The Golden Days
Cao Xueqin
12
The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas
13
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (Frederick Douglass)
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Frederick Douglass
14
Narrative of Sojourner Truth (Sojourner Truth)
Narrative of Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth
15
Twelve Years a Slave (Solomon Northup)
Twelve Years a Slave
Solomon Northup
16
Clotel
Clotel
17
Biography of an American Bondman, by His Daughter (Josephine Brown)
Biography of an American Bondman, by His Daughter
Josephine Brown
18
Our Nig
Our Nig
19
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Harriet Jacobs)
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Harriet Jacobs
20
The Curse of Caste, or the Slave Bride (Julia C. Collins)
The Curse of Caste, or the Slave Bride
Julia C. Collins
21
Thirty Years as a Slave and Four Years in the White House
Thirty Years as a Slave and Four Years in the White House
22
Life Among the Paiutes: Their Wrongs and Claims (Sarah Winnemucca)
Life Among the Paiutes: Their Wrongs and Claims
Sarah Winnemucca
23
Wynema: A Child of the Forest (Alice Callahan)
Wynema: A Child of the Forest
Alice Callahan
24
Iola Leroy (Frances Harper)
Iola Leroy
Frances Harper
25
A Chinese Ishmael and Other Stories (Sui Sin Far)
A Chinese Ishmael and Other Stories
Sui Sin Far
26
Hawai'i's Story by Hawai'i's Queen (Queen Lili'uokalani)
Hawai'i's Story by Hawai'i's Queen
Queen Lili'uokalani
27
Contending Forces (Pauline E. Hopkins)
Contending Forces
Pauline E. Hopkins
28
Up From Slavery (Booker T. Washington)
Up From Slavery
Booker T. Washington
29
The Heart of Hyacinth (Onoto Watanna)
The Heart of Hyacinth
Onoto Watanna
30
The Souls of Black Folk (W.E.B. Du Bois)
The Souls of Black Folk
W.E.B. Du Bois
31
I Am a Cat
I Am a Cat
32
The Soul of the Indian (Charles Alexander Eastman)
The Soul of the Indian
Charles Alexander Eastman
33
The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
34
The Home and the World (Rabindranath Tagore)
The Home and the World
Rabindranath Tagore
35
The Plays of Georgia Douglas Johnson (Georgia Douglas Johnson)
The Plays of Georgia Douglas Johnson
Georgia Douglas Johnson
36
American Indian Stories (Zitkala-Sa)
American Indian Stories
Zitkala-Sa
37
A Dark Night's Passing
A Dark Night's Passing
38
The Real Story of Ah-Q
The Real Story of Ah-Q
39
Selected Poems of Gabriela Mistral (Gabriela Mistral)
Selected Poems of Gabriela Mistral
Gabriela Mistral
40
Cane (Jean Toomer)
Cane
Jean Toomer
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