Black history book club starts the new year with new lineup of titles

Explore books on Black history that carry stories from the past into the present, helping readers better understand the world we live in and the futures we imagine. 

The Black History Book Club launches a new season of reading in 2026, centered on Black life in America as shaped by economics, culture and political struggle. Created for readers who enjoy history, literature, and thoughtful conversation, the club brings together novels, memoirs, essays, and works of social thought to explore Black experience across time. Each selection reflects a distinct moment or point of view, showing how writers have reflected on their lives, their circumstances, and the world around them.

Local Tampa Bay reading group

The 2026 Black History Book Club meets at Tampa’s Black History Museum, located at 1213 N. Central Ave. in Tampa. All discussions begin at 5:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public. Complimentary parking is available for the meetings and discussions on Ray Charles Boulevard, in the Trio and Tempo parking garages.

The program is designed to be welcoming and accessible. Participants do not need formal training in history or literature. Readers are encouraged to bring curiosity, listen to different viewpoints, and share their own reflections in a respectful setting. Ideal for locals around Tampa Bay, the goal is to encourage reading, community, and conversation with each meeting. 

2026 Book Selections

The 2026 season features books that span nearly a century of Black writing. Together, they highlight how literature reflects social change, personal experience, and cultural expression.

• April 27, 5:30 p.m. – “Race Matters”, by Cornel West (1993)
  West’s foundational work anchors discussion on race, democracy, and moral philosophy. Though written in the early 1990s, its arguments remain central to current civic discourse. 
• June 29, 5:30 p.m. –  “Bourgeois Blues”, by Jake Lamar (1991)
  This memoir-driven work examines class, identity, and cross-cultural experience through a sharply observant personal lens. 
• Aug. 31, 5:30 p.m. – “Their Eyes Were Watching God”, by Zora Neale Hurston (1937)
  Hurston’s novel foregrounds voice, self-determination, and community, holding a permanent place in the American literary canon.
• Oct. 26, 5:30 p.m. – “The Talented Ribkins”, by Ladee Hubbard (2017)
  A contemporary novel that uses satire and social observation to explore race, ambition, and the contradictions of modern life.
• Dec. 14, 5:30 p.m. – “Why We Can’t Wait”, by Martin Luther King Jr. (1964)
  The series concludes with King’s urgent reflection on the Civil Rights Movement, framing justice as a moral and historical imperative rather than a gradual abstraction.

Reading, discussion, and shared learning

Each meeting centers on a single book, allowing time for careful reading and meaningful discussion. The goal is not to rush through material, but to create space for conversation and shared learning.

Through these discussions, participants can see how Black writers have used literature to document their lives, respond to injustice, and shape cultural conversations. 

Join the 2026 season

The Black History Book Club continues the museum’s commitment to education, dialogue, and community engagement. It offers an opportunity to explore Black history through books that inform, challenge, and inspire.

Readers of all backgrounds are invited to take part in the 2026 season and join a community of people interested in history, literature, and Black culture. Join the book club and discover more about black history. 

Black History Book CluB