11 Books By Black Authors To Help You Get Through This DEI Rollback Moment

Let’s be real, things feel rough right now. With companies rolling back their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and the government canceling DEI altogether, it’s impossible to not feel frustrated or overwhelmed. But this isn’t anything new, so we can turn to Black authors to help us get through this moment. Because that’s all it is. So whether you’re looking for healing, inspiration, or just some real talk, these 11 books are a good place to start.

1. Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration

Author: Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
Price: $18.99

What this book is about: Black Joy is a collection of essays that redefines joy as a revolutionary act and explores how we find happiness and light even in the midst of trauma and struggle. Lewis-Giggetts highlights moments of beauty, strength, and laughter, reminding us that joy isn’t just a fleeting emotion, it’s a form of resistance and restoration. 

Why it’ll help you: Joy is healing. This book will help you reclaim your joy, even when everything around you feels heavy. And it won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in 2023, so you know it’s good!

2. Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit

Author: Mary-Frances Winters
Price: $19.95

What this book is about: Mary-Frances Winters unpacks the concept of “Black fatigue,” a term she coined to describe the exhaustion that comes from constantly dealing with systemic racism. It’s not just emotional, it affects your physical health too. She breaks down how racism wears on Black people over time, from microaggressions at work to the larger societal systems that never give us a break.

Why it’ll help you: If you’ve been feeling burned out and tired all the time, Black Fatigue will not only help you understand why, it’ll show you how to protect your peace.

3. Black People Breathe: A Mindfulness Guide to Racial Healing

Author: Zee Clarke
Price: $18.99

What this book is about: Written by a mindfulness coach, Black People Breathe offers breathing exercises, meditation techniques, and mindfulness practices designed to help us heal from racial trauma. Zee Clarke weaves personal stories with practical tools, resulting in a resource that’s as relatable as it is helpful.

Why it’ll help you: It has practical tools to help you breathe through difficult moments and find your calm again.

4. Evolving While Black: The Ultimate Guide to Happiness and Transformation on Your Own Terms

Author: Chianti Lomax
Price: $18.99

What this book is about: Evolving While Black has the potential to be the beginning of your journey of personal transformation because Chianti Lomax encourages readers to break free from societal expectations and live life on their own terms. Full of strategies for self-reflection and growth, the book is all about evolving into your happiest, most authentic self.

Why it’ll help you: It helps you get clear on what happiness looks like for you and shows you how to build a life around it.

5. Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America™

Author: Nicole S. Palmer
Price: $14.99

What this book is about: If you’ve ever felt like the game is rigged when you’re in corporate spaces, Playing the Game While Black Womaning in Corporate America™ is for you. Full disclosure, I wrote it (I’m an author, too!) and I shared what I wish I’d known as a Black woman navigating Corporate America, so it includes real-life advice on everything from dealing with microaggressions to negotiating your worth. My intention was to give you the rules so you play the game without losing yourself in the process.

Why it’ll help you: You’ll get real advice on how to protect your energy, play the game, and thrive despite the roadblocks.

6. Self-Care for Black Men: 100 Ways to Heal and Liberate

Author: Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC
Price: $16.99

What this book is about: A no-frills self-care guide that offers Black men simple, actionable ways to focus on their mental and emotional health. With 100 different strategies, from setting boundaries to practicing gratitude, Self-Care for Black Men is a toolkit for everyday wellness and emotional liberation.

Why it’ll help you: Because Black men need self-care, too. This book makes it simple to prioritize yourself without guilt.

7. Self-Care for Black Women: 150 Ways to Radically Accept & Prioritize Your Mind, Body, & Soul

Author: Oludara Adeeyo
Price: $16.99

What this book is about: With 150 self-care practices, Self-Care for Black Women is a treasure chest of ways to take care of your whole self — mind, body, and soul! Oludara Adeeyo encourages Black women to prioritize themselves unapologetically and reminds readers that self-care is essential, not optional.

Why it’ll help you: It’s like having a self-care coach in your pocket, reminding you to put yourself first for once.

8. The Black Agenda: Bold Solutions for a Broken System

Editor: Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman (Editor)
Price: $28.99

What this book is about: The Black Agenda is a collection of essays from Black scholars, activists, and thought leaders offering fresh ideas to solve America’s most pressing problems. Covering everything from education to climate change, it’s a bold and unapologetic vision for the future.

Why it’ll help you: This book is full of smart, practical ideas that’ll inspire you to push for change in your workplace, community, and beyond.

9. The Black Woman’s Guide to Coping with Stress: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Skills to Create a Life of Joy and Well-Being

Author: Cheryl L. Woods Giscombé, PhD, RN
Price: $18.95

What this book is about: Written by a clinical psychologist, The Black Woman’s Guide to Coping with Stress is designed to help Black women understand and manage stress in their everyday lives. It’s filled with coping strategies, mindfulness exercises, and advice on how to create a stress-free life.

Why it’ll help you: This book will help you find ways to cope and keep moving forward when life feels like too much.

10. The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto

Author: Charles M. Blow
Price: $17.99

What this book is about: Charles M. Blow’s book is a call to action, urging us to take control of our political and economic future. It’s a manifesto that challenges the status quo and encourages us to rethink what Black power looks like in the modern age.

Why it’ll help you: The Devil You Know will get you fired up. It’ll remind you that you have more power than you realize.

11. The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health: Navigate an Unequal System, Learn Tools for Emotional Wellness, and Get the Help You Deserve

Author: Rheeda Walker, PhD
Price: $14

What this book is about: Part guidebook, part wake-up call, this book addresses the unique mental health challenges that we face. Dr. Walker offers practical advice for recognizing signs of mental health issues and for breaking the stigma around seeking help.

Why it’ll help you: The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health is a reminder that your mental health matters and you deserve the support you need to thrive. Do yourself a favor and get the workbook too.

What books are missing from my list?

These books are more than just words on a page. They’re tools for healing, transformation, and resistance. And they’re reminders that you are not alone on this journey. So grab one (or a few), take a deep breath, and remind yourself: you’ve got this.

And if you know of any books that should be included on this list, leave a comment below to let other readers know about it too.