Black authors have long documented their struggles and triumphs as a way to lift up their community. But in a society that still largely champions white narratives, their books are often overlooked -- making it hard for black readers to find their lives represented in mainstream literature.
A new subscription box service called Noir Reads is looking to address this barrier, connecting readers to black authors from a wide range of personal and global perspectives.
SEE ALSO:Book service helps black children find empowering stories they can relate toThe book service -- which delivers two or three books to a subscriber's doorstep every month -- looks to celebrate the diversity of black literature, while also allowing readers to deepen their understanding of black culture and the black experience.
"Erasure of the Black Experience is a fixture of our society."
Created by activists Derick Brewer and Zellie Imani, the box will center around a central theme each month. Whether it's a geographic location, like Haiti, or a cultural topic, like activism, these themes allow subscribers to explore the diverse narratives of the black community.
"Erasure of the Black Experience is a fixture of our society," Imani told Mashable via email. "We recognized a growing need in ourselves and amongst others for work by Black authors to deepen our knowledge of ourselves and the Black community."
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The service, which costs $35 per month or $100 for a three-month subscription, also comes with a reading guide and access to an online book club forum. These features, Imani said, are designed to help readers delve into book topics while also fostering a sense of community.
"While many of us may already be avid readers of Black authorship, we always felt a real joy in being able to share and discuss those books with others," he said. "We can build a community by learning about our communities."
"We wanted books to help readers navigate this racist political landscape and offer ways to move forward."
A lot of the books chosen by Brewer and Imani come from well-known authors, such as Angela Davis, Ta-Nehisi Coates and James Baldwin. But the duo is also committed to highlighting the work of lesser-known authors who document the black experience in their work.
"Great work doesn't always have to be well-known," Imani said. "We attempt to identify and feature Black authors that can contribute to or expand our idea of Blackness and the Black Experience through a global perspective."
The first book boxes will ship on Feb. 6, purposely timed to help enhance February's celebration of Black History Month through education and community building. But the release, Imani noted, is also timed with President-elect Donald Trump taking office -- a presidency many members of the black community feel deeply threatened by, given the opinions Trump and his cabinet picks have expressed regarding marginalized communities.
"With a looming Trump presidency, we wanted books to help readers navigate this racist political landscape and offer ways to move forward," Imani said. "The books Freedom Is a Constant Struggleby Angela Davis and #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberationby Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor (the first two books to be delivered to subscribers) can help us process these issues in an efficient way -- and that's important to us."
Noir Reads officially launched on Jan. 9, and it's currently open to the first 200 subscribers who sign up. Imani said the service already has nearly 100 subscribers, just days after it was announced.
To subscribe, visit the Noir Reads website.
TopicsActivismBooksSocial GoodRacial Justice
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