Black Poets: Books of Poetry You Should Read

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Warning: some of these books contain triggering content. I advise you to read reviews and the description before moving forward.

I hadn’t always been a fan of poetry. Before college, there were poets that I always gravitated to, two of them being Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes. But with age comes wisdom. As I grew up, I’ve learned that there are various types of poetry out there by people who weren’t just white. Shocker, I know. My high school did a mediocre job of teaching us about ethnic works of art.

I spent a lot of time in our main library in college, especially during my freshman year. I had learned about plenty of Black writers who weren’t just part of the Harlem Renaissance. This revelation eventually lead me to dabbing into poetry myself. So I want to introduce you to a list of poetry books by talented Black individuals that you should read. 

1. Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith

2. And Still, I Rise by Maya Angelou

3. I’m So Fine by Khadijah Queen

4. There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyonce by Morgan Parker

5. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

6. Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

7. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Was Enuf by Ntozake Shange

8. The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes

9. Poems of Phillis Wheatley

10. The Collected Poems by Audre Lorde

11. I Can’t Talk About The Tress Without The Blood by Tiana Clark

12. My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter by Aja Monet

13. Magical Negro by Morgan Parker

14. Ordinary Beast by Nicole Sealy

15. To Repel Ghosts: The Remix by Kevin Young

Poetry is something I stumbled on along my writing journey. I’ve gained a new appreciation for this genre, and I’m excited to share it. Do you like poetry? What is your favorite poem?

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