Black people are not a monolithic group. There are so many distinct backgrounds and experiences that make up who we are. But being Black in America can mean a number of different experiences that have a universal resonance. These memoirs—written and voiced from luminaries in activism and politics to artists, celebrities, and journalists—show the depth and breadth of those experiences while touching on the nuances and connectivity of it all.
Comedian and satirical talk show host Ziwe's sharp and witty collection of essays cuts to the core of what the titular phrase “Black friend” actually means. While she tells stories of her own life, she discusses race and gender in a way that is both profound and deeply funny. It only makes sense that she would narrate these stories herself, and her performance is spot-on—easy to listen to and full of heart, vulnerability, and, of course, attitude.
Sheila Johnson is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, cofounder of BET, and the first African American woman billionaire. Walk Though Fire shares her deeply personal journey filled with betrayal, resilience, self-discovery, and newfound love. By any measure, Johnson has led and continues to lead a courageous and successful life, and her memoir serves as inspiration for anyone looking to do the same.
This powerful memoir about the divergent paths taken by two brothers is a classic work from one of the greatest figures in American literature: a reflection on John Edgar Wideman’s family and his brother’s incarceration—a classic that is as relevant now as when originally published in 1984. A haunting portrait of two brothers—one an award-winning writer, the other a fugitive wanted for a robbery that resulted in a murder—Brothers and Keepers weighs the bonds of blood, affection, and guilt that connect Wideman and his brother, and measures the distance that lies between them.
There's no question: the legendary Smokey Robinson changed the music industry forever. From Motown Records to The Miracles to writing for stars like the Jackson Five and the Beatles, Robinson takes listeners on a journey through an incomparable career with a staggering sense of humility.
A multigenerational tale of three remarkable Black women, this exceptional memoir is by legendary ESSENCE editor and beauty icon Mikki Taylor. Force of Beauty traces Taylor's hometown and family roots in Newark, New Jersey, zeroing in on the stories of her grandmother and mother. Beyond the familial, Taylor draws compelling connections between beauty and a sense of belonging, community, and empowerment for midcentury Black women, exploring the significance of hair salons during the civil rights movement.
“This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.” In this profound, Pulitzer-nominated work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. The author's moving words and powerful narration turn this meditation on the damages of America's racist structure into an electrifying and heartfelt literary masterpiece.
In Quite the Contrary, the accomplished writer (and Audible editor!) Yvonne Durant gradually unfurls the mother of all cocktail-party stories—the intimate account of her love affair with jazz legend Miles Davis—against the equally compelling trajectory from her Brooklyn childhood to a successful career as one of very few Black women in advertising’s glamorous heyday. Witty, poignant, and funny, this unforgettable memoir invites the listener into secret spaces of celebrity, bygone New York, and Black culture, with captivating narration by narrator Allyson Johnson.
This stirring and powerful memoir from Black cultural critic Rebecca Carroll recounts her painful struggle to overcome a completely white childhood in order to forge her identity as a Black woman in America. As the host of the pivotal podcasts Come Through With Rebecca Carroll and Billie Was a Black Woman, Carroll is dedicated to elevating voices and stories that are too often overlooked. Her own story puts what filmmaker Glenn Morey calls a "gentle lens" on transracial adoption while offering a truly revealing look at race in America.
Acclaimed author and MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient Kiese Laymon gave listeners something extra special with Heavy, but the memoir meant even more to his mother. Written in the form of a letter to her, Laymon leaves everything on the table to tell us about his childhood as a black boy growing up in Mississippi. In poetic delivery, he details the eating disorders, addictions, and bittersweet family love that have followed him throughout his life. With unprecedented intimacy and vulnerability, Heavy made such an impact that it became the first-ever memoir to be crowned Audible's Best Audiobook of the Year in 2018.
The charismatic writer and activist Darnell Moore narrates his acclaimed account of growing up Black and queer in New Jersey in the ’80s. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Memoir/Biography, No Ashes in the Fire tracks Moore's journey from horrific childhood bullying—when he was 14, three boys from his neighborhood tried to set him on fire—to empowered activism and purpose-driven community leadership.
Performing live at the legendary jazz club Ronnie Scott’s in London, John Legend explores his history, presenting a combination of music and stories that reflect on the way themes like faith, freedom, and love have followed him throughout his life.
As a child, Sharon Washington—also known as the little girl who lived in the library—buried herself in stories. Today, she is an acclaimed actor whose autobiographical play, Feeding the Dragon, explores how her book-fueled youth put her on the path to becoming the woman she always wanted to be. This heartwarming Audible Original production features Washington recreating the role she originated in her off-Broadway play, and the resulting listen is truly impactful.
When Michelle Obama became First Lady, she captivated Americans with her grace, style, charisma, and fervor for helping others...all of which she seemed to perform effortlessly while simultaneously raising two teenage daughters and supporting the leader of the free world. Offering access that no other individual can, Obama’s autobiography delves deeply into the author’s personal history while also reveling in the lighter aspects of her station (like pitching vegetables to kids on Sesame Street). Alternating between introspective and lighthearted, hilarious and serious, Becoming.
With her extraordinary memoir, EGOT winner Viola Davis picked up another well-deserved prize: the 2023 Audie Award for audiobook of the year. Davis says she wrote Finding Me "for anyone who is searching for a way to understand and overcome a complicated past, let go of shame, and find acceptance." As a child, she was chased home every day by boys who called her names and threatened her because they found her dark and ugly. She ran fast with shoes a couple of sizes too small and holes in their soles. If they could see her now! She's a knockout, delivering a seamlessly powerful performance that moves and inspires.
There’s an African proverb that says “It takes a village to raise a child.” Hollywood producer and bestselling author DeVon Franklin offers a personal twist: It Takes a Woman. In this riveting and soul-stirring Audible Original, Franklin introduces us to the women who raised him—a “village of love” that selflessly came together to shape him into the man he is today.
Before he was a world-renowned athlete and activist, Colin Kaepernick was a promising young baseball player. Though everyone from his coaches to the MLB thought he should be the next great pitcher, his sights were set on football. No one knew then it was the game that would make him famous, and the young Kaepernick had to call on his growing fortitude and sense of self to make the decision. His memoir Change the Game, cowritten by Eve L. Ewing and brought to life in audio by Varian Johnson and a full cast of talented voices, revisits this pivotal moment in a coming-of-age story for teens and young adults.
Christian Cooper soars above and beyond his viral encounter in New York City's Central Park in this heartfelt—and strikingly humorous—memoir that offers a healing reminder that no story ever begins or ends in a single moment. Infused with insights on queer sexuality and nerd culture, and featuring a natural abundance of birdcalls, this dynamic listen is made all the more memorable by Cooper’s charming narration.
When Nicole Avant learned her mom had been shot during the night, she did something her mother taught her—set the tone for the day by doing the right thing. In this moment, the right thing was to care, by feeding the dogs before she went to the hospital where her mother would later die. This touching, inspiring memoir is about growing up in an extraordinary household with her brother and their parents, entertainment mogul Clarence and big-hearted mother Jacqueline. Nicole pays homage to them as their lessons live on in her heart and soul—every single day.