13 essential Vintage books for Black History Month

We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo (2013)

NoViolet Bulawayo’s debut novel, itself shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2013, tells the coming-of-age story of Darling, a young girl growing up in Zimbabwe, and then later as a teenager in the American Midwest. Exploring migration, identity and community, this is a striking read.

Push by Sapphire (1996)

Push tells the story of a young, Black girl from Harlem, and her journey of trauma, healing and self-discovery. In Sapphire’s debut novel, Precious, a survivor of sexual abuse, is pregnant for the second time when her life changes after meeting a radical teacher. She learns to write, and discovers how to navigate the world by herself.