Click here for a sampling of banned books for preschool and elementary school students as well as upper elementary and middle schoolers.
The books in this article have all been included on banned book lists in the past few years. PEN America has reported more than 10,000 book bans in public schools in the 2023-23 school year alone, 44% of which featured people of color.
The following is a list of 34 banned books by Black authors with a high school, young adult, or older audience in mind. Most of the books feature coming-of-age stories, anti-racism guides, lived experiences of Black teens, or autobiographies of Black authors and activists.
Interested in books for children, young adults, parents, or educators with Black protagonists and Black authors? Check out the Books for Black Kids book directory! Over 2,400 listings and counting!
The Poet X
This novel in verse tells the story of Xiomara Batista, a girl who wants to use poetry to find her way in the world. Click here to learn more.
Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America
Written by several of the country’s most acclaimed Black authors, this anthology is full of stories about the myriad of ways to be Black. “Black is urban and rural, wealthy and poor, mixed race, immigrants, and more—because there are countless ways to be Black enough.” Read more about the book here.
How To Be An Antiracist
This is Ibram X. Kendi’s memoir-turned-manifesto about embracing antiracism and combating prejudice in society. Read more about the book here.
Let Me Hear a Rhyme
In this book, three friends construct a plan to turn their best friend into a rap star…after his passing. Click here to learn more.
Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir
From rags to riches and back again, this memoir displays the tumultuous journey of James Bear-award winning chef Kwame Onwuachi—from a local gang in Nigeria to the top of the U.S. fine dining world. Read more about the book here.
Punching the Air
Award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five crafted this novel in verse about a boy who is wrongfully incarcerated. Click here to learn more.
Monday’s Not Coming
Claudia’s best friend, Monday Charles, has mysteriously vanished. The reason why is heartbreaking. Read more about the book here.
Beloved
This Nobel Prize-winning novel by Toni Morrison portrays a woman’s journey to freedom after the Civil War, showing the effects of slavery and its aftermath. Click here for more information.
This is My America
This is a story of a teenager taking on the justice system, with her father on Death Row and her brother accused of the unthinkable. Read more about the book here.
The House You Pass On The Way
This coming-of-age story is filled with complicated emotions and a glimpse into the future. Click here to learn more.
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America
In Stamped From the Beginning, Ibram X. Kendi outlays the history of anti-Black racist ideas and how they’re manifested in present-day society. He uses the following historical figures to drive home these points: Puritan minister Cotton Mather, Thomas Jefferson, abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, W.E.B. Du Bois, and legendary activist Angela Davis. Read here for more information.
The Bluest Eye
This classic by Toni Morrison follows a troubled woman and her family as she descends into madness. Learn more about the book here.
Cinderella Is Dead
This twist on a fairytale classic shows a girl fleeing the ball and breaking stereotypes along the way. Click here for more information.
This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work
This international guide to anti-racism is designed to help readers take concrete steps to change their thinking, behavior, and actions. Read more about the book here.
Brown Girl Dreaming
In a series of autobiographical poems, Brown Girl Dreaming expresses the reality of growing up in South Carolina and New York during the U.S. Civil Rights era. Learn more about the book here.
Between the World and Me
“What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?” Ta-Nehisi Coates answers these questions and more in this letter to his son. Click here for more information.
Americanah
Americanah follows two teenagers in love as they leave a war-torn Nigeria, end up in the U.S. and U.K., and make their way back to Nigeria 13 years later. Read more about the book here.
Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard
A piece of autobiographical fiction combined with magical realism, Black Girl Unlimited follows a teenager wizard dealing with poverty, depression, and prejudice throughout the two sides of her life. Click here for more information.
Dear Martin
Justyce, a good kid trying to get ahead in life, looks to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for answers to life’s tragedies. One day, he gets caught in the middle of a dispute with an angry cop. Will Justyce find the answers he’s looking for, even when everything is stacked against him? Click here for more information.
Dear Justyce
The sequel to Dear Martin, Dear Justyce is about Quan, one of Justyce’s childhood friends who’s now in prison. Through his letters to Justyce, who’s now a student at Yale, we get a glimpse into his life and the injustices of the criminal justice system. Read more about the book here.
Sula
This is the story of Sula and Nel, two best friends who go on to lead very different lives. Once Sula returns to her hometown, Nel, who never left, and the rest of the town start to see her as a pariah. Learn more about the book here.
All American Boys
Two teens, one Black and one white, deal with the repercussions of police brutality, racial injustice, and a split town searching for answers. Read more about the book here.
For more books by Jason Reynolds, check out 18 Award-Winning Books by Jason Reynolds that Celebrate Black Youth
Dope Sick
Dope sick is a story about drug abuse, violence, and being blessed with a second chance. Click here for more information.
The Hate U Give
Starr’s best friend was fatally shot by a police officer while unarmed. She’s the only living witness. Find out more about the story here.
The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person
This autobiography, written from the perspective of a friend, is a deep dive into the everyday racism experienced by Black people. Includes an encyclopedia of racism, relevant historical events, terminology, and information about several activists and artists. Learn more about the guide here.
Concrete Rose
Maverick, the son of an incarcerated kingpin, deals drugs to help his mother get by. However, once he becomes a father, he starts to question his life, desiring a better one for his son. Click here for more information.
Felix Ever After
This is a coming-of-age story about self-acceptance and love in the face of transphobia. Learn more about the book here.
Ace of Spades
This thriller displays two students against an anonymous bully—a mixture of social commentary and suspense. Click here for more information.
Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockey (Check, Please!, 1)
The first story in this graphic novel series follows a figure-skating champion to his university hockey team. Read more about the book here.
Clap When You Land
Camino and Yahaira Rios are two sisters who’ve never heard of each other…until their father dies in a plane crash. Click here for more information.
Not So Pure and Simple
This teen romance dives into societal pressures, toxic masculinity, and religion. Learn more about the book here.
Allies: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, And Trying Again
This guide includes self-reflection prompts, resources, journaling ideas, and reading suggestions to become a better ally. Learn more about the resource here.
The Black Flamingo
In The Black Flamingo, Michael, a mixed-race gay teen in London, uses poetry to explore and express his identity. Click here for more information.
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America
By examining the past century of U.S. history, Ileoma Oluo explains how the systems that be protect and promote white men at the cost of true American greatness. Learn more about the book here.