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The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written by African American Women

The ZORA Canon is our list of the 100 greatest books written by African-American women spanning 160 years, from 1859 to the present.
Our intention is to offer ZORA readers an opportunity to explore our shared cultural and literary history, connect with others in the ZORA community, and simply have fun. We hope you enjoy them.
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A Mercy (Toni Morrison)
A Mercy
1
Toni Morrison
A Raisin in the Sun (Lorraine Hansberry)
A Raisin in the Sun
2
Lorraine Hansberry
A Voice From the South
A Voice From the South
3
Ain't I a Woman (Bell Hooks)
Ain't I a Woman
4
Bell Hooks
Assata (Assata Shakur)
Assata
5
Assata Shakur
Corregidora
Corregidora
6
Fledgling (Octavia E. Butler)
Fledgling
7
Octavia E. Butler
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
8
Maya Angelou
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Harriet Jacobs)
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
9
Harriet Jacobs
Jubilee
Jubilee
10
Our Nig
Our Nig
11
Parable of the Sower (Octavia E. Butler)
Parable of the Sower
12
Octavia E. Butler
Parable of the Talents
Parable of the Talents
13
Passing (Nella Larsen)
Passing
14
Nella Larsen
Quicksand (Nella Larsen)
Quicksand
15
Nella Larsen
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Mildred D. Taylor)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
16
Mildred D. Taylor
Salvage the Bones (Jesmyn Ward)
Salvage the Bones
17
Jesmyn Ward
Song of Solomon (Toni Morrison)
Song of Solomon
18
Toni Morrison
Sula (Toni Morrison)
Sula
19
Toni Morrison
The Heart of a Woman
The Heart of a Woman
20
The House of Dies Drear
The House of Dies Drear
21
The New Jim Crow (Alexander)
The New Jim Crow
22
Alexander
The Street
The Street
23
The Warmth of Other Suns (Isabel Wilkerson)
The Warmth of Other Suns
24
Isabel Wilkerson
Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston)
Their Eyes Were Watching God
25
Zora Neale Hurston
Waiting to Exhale (Terry McMillan)
Waiting to Exhale
26
Terry McMillan
Zami (Audre Lorde)
Zami
27
Audre Lorde
Funnyhouse of a Negro (Adrienne Kennedy)
Funnyhouse of a Negro
28
Adrienne Kennedy
In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens (Alice Walker)
In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens
29
Alice Walker
Meridian (Alice Walker)
Meridian
30
Alice Walker
The Color Purple (Alice Walker)
The Color Purple
31
Alice Walker
The Third Life of Grange Copeland (Alice Walker)
The Third Life of Grange Copeland
32
Alice Walker
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle (Angela Davis)
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
33
Angela Davis
Women, Race & Class (Angela Davis)
Women, Race & Class
34
Angela Davis
Coming of Age in Mississippi (Anne Moody)
Coming of Age in Mississippi
35
Anne Moody
Sister Outsider (Audre Lorde)
Sister Outsider
36
Audre Lorde
Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision (Barbara Ransby)
Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision
37
Barbara Ransby
Where We Stand: Class Matters (Bell Hooks)
Where We Stand: Class Matters
38
Bell Hooks
Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women (Brittney C. Cooper)
Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women
39
Brittney C. Cooper
Unequal City: Race, Schools, and Perceptions of Injustice (Carla Shedd)
Unequal City: Race, Schools, and Perceptions of Injustice
40
Carla Shedd
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