Unaccustomed to Waiting  by Linda Hudson-Smith

As Reverend Jessie Covington is released from a wrongful imprisonment, he must work to put his family back together.  In doing so, he forms a support group and thus, helps others who have suffered from similar consequences. 

A Mother’s Love  by Bette Ford

Three stories (by Ford, Mildred E. Riley, and Francine Craft) crafted into one powerful book make up this work.  This not only reveals the power of a mother’s love to her child but the love a mother can feel for a romantic partner.  A lovely read!

Juneteenth: a Novel
by Ralph Ellison

Taking Ralph Ellison over twenty years to write, this complicated novel tells the story of a man, Adam Sunraider, an orphan who is now at the end of his life. This novel chronicles this life of a man who would give up everything he knows to attain his ambitions.

Of Love and Dust
by Ernest J. Gaines

When Marcus gets out of prison, he is sent to work for Sidney Bonbon and the men take a disliking to one another, with Marcus making his hatred known and Bonbon working Marcus beyond his means. It is not until later that Marcus makes up his mind to seek retribution.

Sidewalk Story
by Sharon Bell Mathis

As a nine-year-old African-American girl watches her best friend’s family get evicted, she knows she cannot stand idly by.  Thus, she decides to do something about it in this tale.

Jazmin’s Notebook
by Nikki Grimes

Fourteen-year-old Jazmin records everything in her notebook from the colorful people she observes going to and from a nearby bar in her neighborhood to her father’s death.  She dreams of becoming a writer, so when her guidance counselor suggests vocational studies, Jazmin must fight to obtain the college-prep schedule that will enable her to fulfill her dreams.
 

The Bluest Eye   by Toni Morrison

Pecola Breedlove yearns for one thing only: to be blonde and blue-eyed like the children she so loves.  She feels that if she can attain this, then she will be beautiful.  So, she continuously prays that this will be granted her.  What follows is a story showcased by the theme of “be cautious what you wish for”.

A Do Right Man  by Omar Tyree

It seems as though Bobby Dallas has got it made.  He has a great job and a girlfriend who is the love of his life, but when he loses his girlfriend, things begin to take a downward spiral from there and he loses his job. Will he be able to get his life back together?

Toning the Sweep
by Angela Johnson

This novel, told from the point of view of three generations of resilient women, is a story of grief and the reconciliation that occurs through time.  As Ola prepares to die, she bestows this very strength upon her fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Emily.

God Don’t Like Ugly
by Mary Monroe

At 13 years old, Annette has already led a hard life.  Suffering from low self-esteem and obesity, Annette is also constantly abused at the hands of her adoptive father.  Then she meets the beautiful Rhonda, who discovers Annette’s situation, she decides to help her out.

If Beale Street Could Talk
by James Baldwin

Fonny and Trish know they live in a mean world, but they also know they love one another and that they can survive anything.  When Fonny is arrested for rape, many characters try to prove his innocence, but that proves to be more than a bit difficult.  However, Fonny and Trish do not let it destroy their love.

Casting the First Stone
by Kimberla Lawson Roby

When Tanya married Curtis, she thought life would be good.  However, as time passed, things changed. Curtis became abusive in more ways than one, and power-hungry; he also cheats on her. Not knowing what else to do, Tanya stays in the marriage, but soon knows she must make a painful decision.

By the Light of My Father’s Smile  by Alice Walker

Nothing can prepare Susannah, Magdalena, and their parents for what to expect as they move to the Sierras.  However, this novel of a family becomes one woman’s story as she is suppressed and therefore cannot become the person she is meant to be.

Spartanburg Community College Libraries
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Last update 03/15/2010