2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month. Initially established by Carter G. Woodson as “Negro History Week” in 1926, the past century has seen the celebration grow and evolve, as the aspirations and influence of the Black community have developed across America. As the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH®) writes, “The intention has never been to dictate or limit the exploration of the Black experience but to bring to the public’s attention important developments that merit emphasis.”
These 14 titles focus on the cultural history that got us here.
Available Now:
I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month by Jarvis R. Givens | Harper Collins Publishers
In I’ll Make Me a World, acclaimed Harvard scholar Jarvis R. Givens takes us on a personal and political journey through the 100-year history of Black History Month — from its radical beginnings in 1926 as “Negro History Week” to its role today as a celebration and flashpoint in America’s cultural battles.
Design Against Racism: Creating Work That Transforms Communities by Omari Souza | Princeton Architectural Press
A historical and philosophical exploration of the impact of design on underserved communities, examining the field’s shortcomings as well as its potential to create positive change. Through essays that delve into history and practice, and case studies that demonstrate practical strategies, Design Against Racism explores how designers of all disciplines can address, through their work, the legacies of racism and oppression.
Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955-1985 edited by Philip Brookman and Deborah Willis | Yale University Press
The Black Arts Movement brought together writers, filmmakers, and visual artists who were exploring ways of using art to advance civil rights and Black self-determination. This book examines the vital role of photography in the evolution of the Black Arts Movement, revealing how photographs operated across art, community building, journalism, and political messaging to contribute to the development of a distinctly Black art and culture.
Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Head—The Mind by Jean-Michel Basquiat | No More Rulers
Among the most recognizable motifs of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s oeuvre is the human head. Whether colorful, bald, crowned or simply disquieting, his expressive approach evokes the skeletal aspects of these faces, reminding us of the skull beneath the skin: a memento mori for the modern age. The Head—The Mind explores the artist’s fascination with the head as a vessel of identity, emotion and intellect, expressed through raw, gestural lines that capture the tension between inner thought and outward expression.
Ron Finley: The Gangsta Gardener by Ron Finley | DelMonico Books
Ron Finley is a visionary designer, horticulturalist and artist, who has changed the perception of concrete spaces using only a seed and a shovel. Known as the “Gangsta Gardener,” Finley’s transformative work in South Central Los Angeles has redefined what it means to grow food and regenerate communities. This volume chronicles Finley’s community work, illuminating how he encourages underserved communities to take charge of their own self-determination, using shovels as an antidote to the oppressive designs of urban infrastructure.
Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America by Candacy Taylor | Abrams Books
A New York Times Notable Book, Overground Railroad is a compelling and illuminating exploration of the historical role and residual impact of the Green Book, a travel guide for Black motorists used for decades when traveling through segregated America.
The Legacy Sites: A History of Racial Injustice by Equal Justice Initiative | Phaidon
The Legacy Sites is a compelling and visually rich book exploring the groundbreaking work of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) through its transformative public spaces: the Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, brought together here for the first time. Through striking photography and powerful narrative, this volume invites readers to engage deeply with America’s long and ongoing struggle for racial justice.
Coming Soon:
In the House: Celebrating America’s Leading Black Interior Designers by Alton LaDay | Monacelli
Featuring designers working in an extensive variety of styles and aesthetics, In the House spotlights the breadth and collective brilliance of Black interior designers in one volume. These creatives are redefining style, forging new paths within the industry, and setting new standards in residential spaces across the country and around the world.
Publication date: June 24, 2026
I Hear Freedom: The Great Migration, Free Jazz, and Black Power by Cisco Bradley | Columbia University Press
Based on interviews with dozens of musicians, I Hear Freedom tells the story of free jazz and its connection to the broader Black experience. Cisco Bradley demonstrates that although this part of the free jazz movement arose in the Midwest, it is deeply rooted in the musical traditions and aesthetics that the Great Migration brought from the South.
Publication date: March, 2026
Revelation: A Journey Into Abstraction | Rizzoli
Revelation celebrates the expansive creativity of Black artists who have contributed to the rich fabric of abstraction through artworks in the collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Publication date: March 24, 2026
Romare Bearden: Paris Blues: Painting Jazz by Robert G. O’Meally | Rizzoli
The first publication to focus on a rarely seen series of jazz-infused collages that explore the African American experience and the artist’s lifelong relationship to jazz music, by one of the most important and influential visual artists of the twentieth century.
Publication date: March 3, 2026
The Caribbean Cookbook by Rawlston Williams | Phaidon
Caribbean cuisine reveals a culture of boundless imagination and creativity. It is the result of resourcefulness and ingenuity, where the need to survive and thrive shaped dishes that stand as powerful representations of its various cultures. In The Caribbean Cookbook, chef Rawlston Williams celebrates the diverse foods, flavors, and culinary traditions of this vibrant region.
Publication date: April 15, 2026
Paule Marshall: A Writer’s Life by Mary Helen Washington | Yale University Press
An elegant biography of a prescient author whose novels portray Black women’s experiences across the African diaspora.
Publication date: February 10, 2026
Soul: A Brief History of Black Cultural Life by Christopher Freeburg | Yale University Press
How did enslaved Africans turn America’s infamous failure into the greatest moral occasion of modern Western life? In this book, Christopher Freeburg answers that question with one word: soul. It was soul, Freeburg believes, which drove Black individuals and communities, grappling with horrific strife, to reimagine American life and equality in earnest.
Publication date: September 22, 2026
Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.