11 Art and Design Books to Read During Black History Month—and Beyond

This incredible read by art historian Lisa E. Farrington offers the first comprehensive history of African-American female creatives from slavery to the present day. You're sure to discover a new favorite artistic hero, like Elizabeth Keckley, Mary Todd Lincoln's fashion designer, and have your love for contemporary artists, like Faith Ringgold, reignited. 

Belinda Rochelle compiled a powerful exhibition of Black art in various mediums with Words with Wings. Featuring poems and works from beloved creatives like Maya Angelou, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and Jacob Lawrence, this collection was named one of New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. Rochelle also penned several children's books that offer an important education for the whole family.

Historian, preservationist, and design enthusiast Michael Henry Adams chronicles the social, cultural, and architectural history of this influential neighborhood in New York City. Adams is thorough in his telling of Harlem's history, beginning with Native American settlements discovered by the Dutch in the 16oos, offering gorgeous visuals every step of the way. 

Though he only lived to the age of 27, artist Jean-Michel Basquiat produced nearly 2,000 works in his tragically short time on earth. Author Jordana Moore Saggese takes a unique look at the works of the revolutionary artist, offering a new method for understanding his range and impact: through literature. Readers will discover how Basquiat's love for other creative disciplines dictated his artistic life—and his conceptual identity as a Black man.

Slavery's Metropolis shines a rarely seen light on slavery in the Deep South as an urbanized experience rather than a rural and and isolated one. Rashauna Johnson weaves the tale of the rise of this booming port city while mapping out the social and cultural history of its enslaved peoples from around the world, which helped create a blueprint for New Orleans's rich and incomparable lifestyle.

Amanda Gorman's performance at the inauguration of 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden, will not soon be forgotten, and the poet's words are getting new life in a collection of poetry out this fall. Readers will be pleased to own the words to "The Hill We Climb" in print, along with other powerful messages of healing.

Renowned activist and philanthropist Peggy Cooper Cafritz was as passionate about art as she was healing her community and country, amassing one of America's most important collections of Black art. Tragically, hundreds were destroyed in a 2009 fire—the largest residential fire in Washington, D.C.—and these pages pay tribute to these lost works of art as well as pieces she and other venerable collectors and artists have collected that depict Black life through art. 

Art critic, curator, and author Antwaun Sargent explains through detailed visuals and essays the journey of the Black body, photographer, and model through vignettes of art, fashion, and culture. Sargent features 15 artist portfolios, like Tyler Mitchell, the first Black photographer for American Vogue, and the writings of those who have experienced the exclusion, misrepresentation in efforts for inclusion, and the evolution of the commercial Black image. 

Carol Tulloch is an expert in dress and Black identity at University of the Arts London and a research fellow in Black Visual and Material Culture at Victoria & Albert Museum. Her exploration of the cultural and societal history of Black style tells a story of identity and resistance, showing the power of fashion to truly ignite change. From Billie Holiday's gardenia corsage to homemade fashions from the late 19th century, this comprehensive book is a must-read for style mavens and history buffs alike. 

A labor of love led by the formidable Toni Morrison, The Black Book is a visual encyclopedia of Black history from 1619 through WWII that uses collages as its most powerful form of storytelling. The book was recently republished with a foreword and preface from the Beloved author.

Author Paul Wellington offers insight into the history of the small but mighty population of Black architects in America and their impact on society. His book explores more than 40 various works, from historic churches to the homes of affluent Black people, with the hope of inspiring a new and broader generation of Black architects in this country.