Celebrating Black Storytellers: Ta-Nehisi Coates
“The Water Dancer” (2019) Hiram Walker, a young man born a slave on a plantation in Virginia, has been gifted a mysterious, magical power that eventually saves his life when he nearly drowns in a river. But the near-death experience inspires him to break free from slavery as he sets out on a dangerous and dramatic journey.
“We Were Eight Years in Power” (2018) In this book of essays—which includes his famous piece "The Case for Reparations"—Coates reflects on the historical presidency of Barack Obama, contrasting it with the contentious administration led by President Trump.
Between the World and Me (2015) This 2015 winner of the National Book Award is a profound letter written by Coates to his son about what it means to be Black in America in the 21st century—a place in which you must balance the historical trauma of your people while also finding your own purpose.
“The Beautiful Struggle: A Memoir” In this father-son story that serves as both memoir and biography, Coates chronicles the life of his father Paul—a Vietnam vet who, while raising his 7 kids in Baltimore, ensured they knew of the power and history of African Americans. Coates also weaves in his own tale of boyhood and how his father helped him to become a proud Black man.