But reading the lessons in this book, somehow makes it stick. That is, if you have the courage to do so.

For the most part, women in business know we should treat ourselves like the VIPs we are, and we know we should stay positive, know our value, and surround ourselves with the right people.

Prior to the Civil War, Frederick Douglass acted as a political representative for the African-American community. For more inspiration from Winfrey, you can check out “The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations,” and her upcoming book “The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose,” which is being released in March 2019. “What I Know For Sure” is the name of Oprah’s monthly column in O, The Oprah Magazine.

If that’s the case, I suggest you heed the advice of African-American professor and novelist Toni Morrison, who said, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”.

The Right Rev. Martin R. Delany was a great proponent of PanAfricanism, a form of nationalism that emphasizes pride in African heritage. Use of this Site is subject to express terms of use. For this Black History Month, I set out to discover the most inspirational and educational business books by black authors I could find.

Richard Allen formed the Free African Society in 1787, providing aid for African Americans. Other civil rights leaders that followed in King's footsteps were Edward William Brooke, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Roy Wilkins and Thurgood Marshall. By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies as described in our, By Ollie A. Johnson Iii; Karlin L. Stanford, {{filterTypeLookup[searchItem.filterType]}}, {{searchTypeLookup[searchItem.searchType]}}, Thunder of Freedom: Black Leadership and the Transformation of 1960s Mississippi, Uplifting the Race: Black Leadership, Politics, and Culture in the Twentieth Century, African Americans at the Crossroads: The Restructuring of Black Leadership and the 1992 Elections, Subordination or Empowerment? One of the most insightful of the black authors here, Dennis Kimbro believes that becoming a millionaire is all about choice. My big takeaway: You only get one life, my friends, so live it to your full potential. Regardless of our hardships, we have to stand up and save ourselves because only we can control our destinies. The history of black leadership stems back to enslavement and emancipation of the African-American people. What I love about this book is how it tells the story of a woman who worked hard all her life, but ultimately allowed her desire for public service to drive her path in life. Douglass acted as a consultant to President Abraham Lincoln regarding African-American affairs. Related: Big list of resources for starting a business. ET narrates his struggles growing up in Detroit, coming to grips with his gift in college, and balancing his purpose along with a …

Other black civil rights leaders during the 1940s and 1950s included Whitney Young Jr., Marcus Garvey and A. Philip Randolph. Are you tired of measuring yourself against others and falling short?”. I learned he had been homeless, worked in carpet cleaning, and took a series of odd jobs to pay the bills while working on becoming the success that he is today. He formed several organizations, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

Though some of these might not be considered strictly business books per se, the ones I picked have several wonderful business lessons in them.

In 1955, after Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white man on a bus, King initiated a boycott that effectively ended racial segregation on public transportation. This website contains advertisements. The Ku Klux Klan was a violent threat in the South, thwarting blacks from maintaining their constitutional rights.

Your email address will not be published. Copyright © 1999 – 2020 GoDaddy Operating Company, LLC.
Reading books by Black authors isn’t just about learning about racist systems through history and criticism, but also celebrating, amplifying, and appreciating the many nuanced and varied experiences, ideas, feelings, and imaginations of these writers. The American Revolution and the writing of the Constitution first introduced the ideologies of freedom and equality to all Americans, including the black slaves. The Secrets to Successby Eric Thomas. She is an Academy Award nominee (twice over, and winner of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award), media executive, best-selling author and philanthropist.

To get lessons you simply can’t get in school, there are a few business books by black authors that I consider essential. Black and Married with Kids. The most influential and memorable of all black civil rights leaders was Martin Luther King Jr. There are several other books by black authors that I would highly suggest adding to your book reading list.

Allen knew that the only weapon his people had against discrimination and degradation was a sense of pride and accomplishment. He and Absolom Jones formed the St. Thomas African Protestant Episcopal Church and the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in an attempt to break away from the white Methodist church and establish a sense of community. Douglass was quoted as saying: "If we ever get free from the oppressions and wrongs heaped upon us, we must pay for their removal. Here, we’ve assembled a list of 15 books recommended by Black bibliophiles on social media. Winfrey took many of her best essays, revised them, updated them, and put them into a beautiful collection that provides lessons on business, love and life overall. She wanted to channel her intelligence and determination into the service of the greater good.

These men were well-educated, ambitious and dignified.

My big takeaway: Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you — actively seek them out and make the most of them! In fact, the book you feel needs to be read, might not have even been written yet. It’s about investing the time and money in yourself to make your financial dreams come true. During the 1940s, Du Bois was active in the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Nat Turner, a slave preacher from Southampton County, led a historic revolt in which he and his fellow slaves killed their master and more than 60 white men. Keyword searches may also use the operators A black leader is usually of important status in a major socioeconomic institution. Every life is full of opportunity. Are you tired of making excuses for not making change? Each chapter teaches something that many of us might already innately know, but that doesn’t always sink in for women until it is said by someone else in “just the right way.”, “To become a leader you must have a positive mental attitude, which you can achieve with positive self-talk and looking at what is right with people instead of what is wrong with them.”. All Rights Reserved, Ashley Grant is a freelance writer and photographer from Tampa, Fla. She blogs at, North America’s first black multi-billionaire, Big list of resources for starting a business, 5 self-assessment tools to help you find the right professional fit, “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race” by Margot Lee Shetterly, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” by Issa Rae, “You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain” by Phoebe Robinson, “The Road to Redemption: Overcoming Life’s Detours, Obstacles, and Challenges” by Lucinda Cross, “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcom X and Alex Haley, “Successful Women Think Differently: 9 Habits to Make You Happier, Healthier, and More Resilient” by Valorie Burton, “We’re Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True” by Gabrielle Union. As Obama states in her book: “Do we settle for the world as it is, or do we work for the world as it should be?”. Nigerian writer, playwright and poet Wole Soyinka said, “I believe that the best learning process of any kind of craft is just to look at the work of others.” It stands to reason that if your craft is business, you should look to books by those who have walked the path. After receiving his doctorate from Northwestern University, where he studied wealth and poverty among underdeveloped countries, Kimbro interviewed America’s most notable achievers and set out to answer the question, “How can impoverished black Americans pull themselves out of their poverty and reach their full potential?”. Jacob U. Gordon in his book Black Leadership for Social Change defines black leadership as "the process of black self-determination, a search for the realization of the 'American Dream' for all black Americans." In no particular order, below are the ones I found that reignited my passion for business — and I hope they will do the same for you. African-American Leadership and the Struggle for Urban Political Power, Black Political Organizations in the Post-Civil Rights Era, The Rise and Decline of an Alliance: Cuba and African American Leaders in the 1960s, The New Black Politician: Cory Booker, Newark, and Post-Racial America, The Price of the Ticket: Barack Obama and the Rise and Decline of Black Politics, Roy Wilkins: The Quiet Revolutionary and the NAACP, Search for more books and articles on Black leadership, Primary Sources (Literary and Historical). Always exercise due diligence before purchasing any product or service. That’s why I was so excited to see this book at my local library — and to include it on my list of business books by black authors. Please click the button below to reload the page. Besides, the money can come in ways we aren’t aware of when we have faith and follow our life’s true purpose.