Our top reads for Black History Month UK 2025

Check out our handpicked selection of books to read and enjoy during this year's Black History Month UK. Discover a range of inspiring fiction and non-fiction titles that celebrate Black history, culture and achievement. Every purchase from our IBHM Heritage Shop supports the IBHM-UK website and independent bookshops, so you can read, learn, and give back at the same time.

Small Island by Andrea Levy

Our book of the month perfectly complements our UK Black History Month theme, ‘Legacies of Action: Understanding 60 Years of Change and Challenge’.

Andrea Levy’s novel chronicles the struggles of Caribbean immigrants arriving in post-war Britain, reflecting the everyday experiences that highlighted the urgent need for the Race Relations Act of 1965.

Small Island, winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, and the Whitbread, is a powerful portrayal of the Windrush generation. Now a major BBC drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Naomie Harris, it will captivate fans of Maya Angelou and Zadie Smith.

In 1948 London, Queenie Bligh defies prejudice by taking in Jamaican lodgers while awaiting her husband’s uncertain return. Gilbert Joseph and his wife Hortense arrive full of hope, only to face harsh realities, dashed dreams, and strained relationships, revealing the challenges of love, identity, and belonging in post-war England.

The Situationship by Taylor-Dior Rumble

When Tia meets charming photographer Nate on a dating app, sparks fly but so do complications in this irresistible debut romcom.

After the love of her life turns up with a girlfriend, Tia decides it’s time to take a chance on herself. Expectations of dating apps are low, so she’s surprised when she instantly clicks with Nate. He’s everything she’s been looking for, making her feel safe, seen, and wanted.

Tia assumes they’re on the same page, except they’ve yet to have The Talk. In a world where playing it cool is the norm, can Tia overcome her fears and go all in for something real?

Growing Out by Barbara Blake Hannah

Tracing her journey from being the first Black reporter on British television to a distinguished career in Jamaica, Barbara Blake Hannah's inspirational memoir is a captivating reflection on race and womanhood in the 1960s.

Arriving from Jamaica as a teenager, Barbara carves out a remarkable path in television. She covers major celebrity stories, travels the world, and meets figures such as Germaine Greer and Michael Caine. Yet being the first Black woman on British TV brings enormous pressure, along with a flood of hateful letters and complaints that ultimately cost her the job.

In the aftermath, Barbara embarks on a period of self-discovery, first in the UK and later back home in Jamaica, creating a space where she can fully embrace and celebrate her Black identity rather than conform to the culture around her.

Without Prejudice by Nicola Williams

A gripping courtroom thriller following barrister Lee Mitchell as she uncovers the dark secrets of London's obscenely rich.

Lee Mitchell is a thirty-year-old barrister from a working-class Caribbean background. In the cut-throat world of the courtroom, everything is stacked against her.

When she takes on the high-profile case of notorious millionaire playboy Clive Omartian, arrested alongside his father and stepbrother for staggering fraud, the line between her personal and professional life becomes dangerously blurred. Spiralling deeper into Clive's trail of corruption and excess, she finds herself in alarmingly deep waters.

Can she survive the case, let alone win it?

Selected by Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, this series rediscovers and celebrates pioneering books depicting Black Britain that reshape the nation.

We Were There by Lanre Bakare

From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Britain was in turmoil. Margaret Thatcher’s radical economic policies, the rise of the National Front, and widespread civil unrest placed Black lives at the frontline of a racial reckoning. At the same time, it was a period of extraordinary Black cultural creation, organising, and resistance – the crucible in which modern Britain was forged.

We Were There brings into focus, for the first time, remarkable Black lives across once-thriving industrial cities: the foundries of Birmingham, the docks of Liverpool and Cardiff, the mills of Bradford, and beyond to Wigan, Wolverhampton, Manchester, and the green expanse of the countryside.

We meet feminists and Rastafarians, academics and pan-Africanists, environmental campaigners and rugby-league stars. We witness landmark campaigns against miscarriages of justice, encounter radical artists and pioneering thinkers, and tread the dancefloors of Northern Soul all-nighters and the birth of Acid House.

Together, these voices and stories rewrite our understanding of Black British culture. London was only ever part of the picture. We Were There incorporates a far broader range of Black Britons into the fabric of the national story.

Alive with energy and purpose, this book expands our sense of who we are. Confronting, joyful, and thrilling, it is a profoundly important portrait of modern Britain.

Dawn Butler MP - A Purposeful Life

"When I was younger, my parents taught me to be resilient and my brothers told me to be resistant. Now I think it’s time for a revolution. Let’s complete the power of three."

Dawn Butler, the third Black woman ever elected as an MP, is a trailblazer who speaks truth to power. Famously ejected from the House of Commons for calling Boris Johnson a liar, her sense of purpose has carried her through countless challenges, allowing her to stand up for what is right and drive change across institutions from the Met Police to the NHS.

For the first time, Dawn reflects on the pivotal moments in her life, offering others the courage to dream big and make a difference. Her story demonstrates that by celebrating the strength of diverse communities, embracing intersectionality, and approaching problems from every angle, it is possible to disrupt a broken system.

This uplifting and hopeful book shows that anyone can create positive change, even in a world that often feels fractured.

Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh

Temi Oh’s debut novel follows ten strangers leaving a dying Earth on a twenty-three-year mission to a new home world. Four are decorated veterans of the 20th century’s space race, and six are teenagers who have spent most of their lives training for this journey.

A century ago, scientists theorised that a habitable planet existed in a nearby solar system. Now, these astronauts must face twenty-three years in close quarters, with no one to rely on but each other and no hope of rescue if something goes wrong. And something always goes wrong.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet meets The 100 in this gripping, unforgettable debut from a brilliant new voice, exploring the choices we make, the bonds we form, and what it truly means to seek a new beginning among the stars.

The King is Dead by Benjamin Dean

The King is Dead is a suspenseful queer YA thriller about a teenage monarch targeted by someone in his inner circle.

Gossip Girl meets royalty in this Black LGBTQ+ reimagining, packed with scandalous secrets, whirlwind romances, and a gripping mystery.

James has been a prince all his life, growing up in the spotlight as the first Black heir to the throne. When his father dies unexpectedly, he is crowned king at just seventeen, and his world changes forever.

Soon after, James’ boyfriend goes missing, threatening letters arrive at the palace, and private scandals only he knows are leaked to the public. As the anonymous informant continues to expose every secret, James realises that even those closest to him cannot be trusted.

#LongLiveTheScandal

Believe by Leigh-Anne Pollack

"I found my power when I realised it was within me, within my skin and within my soul. It just needed to be set free."

Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s life changed overnight when she joined Little Mix, the first ever girl band to win the X Factor. As the band became a global sensation, Leigh-Anne faced the challenges of being a Black woman in an industry with little diversity.

In her powerful memoir, she shares her journey from growing up in a mixed-race family in Britain to conquering the pop world, revealing the lessons, struggles, and triumphs that show how embracing your own power can help you chase your dreams.

Possibility by Sareeta Domingo

On her thirtieth birthday, Anika Lapo wakes up in hospital and realises she’s wasted too much of her life. Determined to take control, she starts writing in her diary every night, manifesting her dreams: landing her ideal job as a radio producer, DJing to a real crowd, and finally connecting with breakfast show host Cam Aseidu, the man she’s been lusting after.

As her diary manifestations begin to come true, Anika must navigate love, ambition, and self-discovery, learning that chasing her desires means staying true to herself.

Possibility is a gripping, romantic, and empowering tale about taking charge of your life and embracing your own power.

Coconut by Florence Olajide

Heartfelt, powerful and deeply inspiring, Coconut is the true story of Florence Oladjide, a Nigerian child fostered by a white family in 1960s London. Known as Ann, she adores her foster mother but can’t ignore that she looks different from everyone around her. When she’s suddenly taken to Nigeria, Florence is plunged into a new world of heat, hardship and unfamiliar customs. Torn between two identities, she must fight to find her place and her voice. A moving memoir of identity, resilience and belonging — perfect for fans of Lemn Sissay.

A Thousand Threads by Neneh Cherry

Bold, fearless and endlessly creative, Neneh Cherry shares the story of her extraordinary life in this vibrant memoir filled with music, love and defiance. From her unforgettable Top of the Pops debut in 1988, wearing a gold bra and bomber jacket while seven months pregnant, to her trailblazing career shaping pop, punk and hip hop, Cherry has always rewritten the rules. Growing up between continents and cultures, she celebrates the family, friendships, collaborations and challenges that defined her journey. This is the unforgettable life of a woman who changed music and lived every note to the fullest.

How to Love Your Afro by Paige Lewin

This is more than a hair care guide - it's a powerful journey of self-acceptance and identity. After years of hiding her natural hair under wigs, weaves and chemicals, Paige reclaimed her Afro and her confidence. Drawing on expert advice from psychotherapists, dermatologists and hair specialists, she offers a holistic approach to natural hair and self-care. From breaking free from Eurocentric beauty standards to understanding the link between hair health and nutrition, this empowering book celebrates authenticity, healing and the beauty of embracing your true self.

Universality by Natasha Brown

From the author of Assembly, Universality is a gripping, twisty novel about truth, power and the words we use. When a man is brutally bludgeoned with a solid gold bar on a Yorkshire farm, a determined young journalist sets out to uncover the truth. Her investigation connects an amoral banker, a provocative columnist, and a radical anarchist movement. While she solves the mystery, her viral longread exposé raises more questions than it answers. Sharp, provocative and darkly compelling, Universality is a thrilling exploration of language, power, and the slippery nature of truth in our modern world.

You can purchase any of the books listed in our IBHM Heritage shop which helps supports the IBHM-UK website and independent bookshops.

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