12 Books by Black Chicago Women 2025

blackgirlsreadchi Host

28 participants (33 books)

01 Jan 2025—31 Dec 2025

Overview

Join us for the 12 Books by Black Chicago Women Reading Challenge for 2025! 

Whether you participated in the inaugural challenge or are participating for the first time—welcome! This year, let’s continue to celebrate the depth, diversity, and dopeness of Chicago’s Black women writers. Read at least 12 books by Black women from Chicago. The books can be in any genre, on any topic, and from any time period. 

Follow along here and on our Instagram page @blackgirlsreadchi, and use the hashtags #12BooksByBlackChicagoWomen and #12BooksByBlackWomenChi to share your progress. 

If you need a few more suggestions to get you started, check out our book list on Bookshop.org.

Challenge Books

All books added
The Billboard by Natalie Y. Moore

The Billboard

Natalie Y. Moore

100 pages • first pub 2022 (editions)

fiction feminism play challenging emotional reflective medium-paced
Between Friends & Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi

Between Friends & Lovers

Shirlene Obuobi

384 pages • first pub 2024 (editions)

fiction contemporary romance emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
Jubilee by Margaret Walker

Jubilee

Margaret Walker

512 pages • first pub 1966 (editions)

fiction classics historical emotional slow-paced
On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi

On Rotation

Shirlene Obuobi

352 pages • first pub 2022 (editions)

fiction contemporary romance emotional lighthearted medium-paced
Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America by Marcia Chatelain

Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America

Marcia Chatelain

336 pages • first pub 2020 (editions)

nonfiction business history race challenging informative fast-paced
Passing by Nella Larsen

Passing

Nella Larsen

182 pages • first pub 1929 (editions)

fiction classics literary race emotional reflective tense medium-paced
People of Means by Nancy Johnson (Novelist)

People of Means

Nancy Johnson (Novelist)

368 pages • first pub 2025 (editions)

fiction historical history race young adult
Chicago House Music: Culture and Community by Marguerite L Harrold

Chicago House Music: Culture and Community

Marguerite L Harrold

208 pages • missing pub info (editions)

nonfiction
Stop Waiting for Perfect: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Into Your Power by L'Oreal Thompson Payton

Stop Waiting for Perfect: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Into Your Power

L'Oreal Thompson Payton

240 pages • missing pub info (editions)

nonfiction self help
The Best That You Can Do by Amina Gautier

The Best That You Can Do

Amina Gautier

256 pages • first pub 2024 (editions)

fiction short stories challenging reflective medium-paced