© Getty Images

Toni Morrison (1931-2019) -

Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison reshaped American literature with novels like 'Beloved' (1987) and 'The Bluest Eye' (1970), exploring Black womanhood and trauma with deep psychological insights.

© Getty Images

Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) -

A leading voice of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston's 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' (1937) redefined Black storytelling with its rich dialect and strong female protagonist.

© Getty Images

Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) -

Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, often called the "father of African literature," published 'Things Fall Apart' in 1958. The novel challenged colonial narratives, highlighting Igbo culture and the devastating impact of European imperialism.

© Getty Images

James Baldwin (1924-1987) -

James Baldwin's 'The Fire Next Time' (1963) and 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' (1953) addressed race, sexuality, and identity with searing honesty, becoming cornerstones of American literature.

© Getty Images

Maya Angelou (1928-2014) -

Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' (1969) broke barriers as a groundbreaking Black woman's autobiography, exploring race, identity, and resilience while inspiring generations.

© Getty Images

Langston Hughes (1901-1967) -

A pioneer of jazz poetry, Langston Hughes captured the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance. His works, including 'Montage of a Dream Deferred' (1951), celebrated Black identity and resilience.

© Getty Images

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (1977-) -

A global literary star, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 'Half of a Yellow Sun' (2006) and 'Americanah' (2013) explore Nigerian history, immigration, and feminism. Her TED Talk 'We Should All Be Feminists' (2012) gained global recognition, even influencing Beyoncé’s music.

© Getty Images

Alex Haley (1921-1992) -

Author of 'Roots' (1976), Alex Haley transformed historical fiction by tracing his family's journey from slavery to freedom, sparking national conversations on genealogy and African American history.

© Getty Images

Alice Walker (1944-) -

Author of 'The Color Purple' (1982), Alice Walker explored race, gender, and resilience, uplifting Black women's voices and championing intersectional feminism.

© Getty Images

bell hooks (1952-2021) -

A groundbreaking feminist thinker, bell hooks (who styled her name in lowercase) wrote 'Ain't I a Woman?' (1981), examining the intersection of race, gender, and class, transforming discussions on Black feminism and social justice.

© Getty Images

Amiri Baraka (1934-2014) -

A radical poet and playwright, Amiri Baraka used literature as activism. His plays, such as 'Dutchman,' and poetry challenged systemic racism, inspiring the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s.

© Getty Images

Octavia E. Butler (1947-2006) -

A visionary in science fiction, Octavia Butler's 'Kindred' (1979) and 'Parable of the Sower' (1993) broke barriers by incorporating race, gender, and power dynamics into the genre.

© Getty Images

W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) -

Scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois introduced "double consciousness" in 'The Souls of Black Folk' (1903), shaping civil rights and Black intellectual thought.

© Getty Images

Machado de Assis (1839-1908) -

One of Brazil's greatest literary figures, Machado de Assis wrote 'Dom Casmurro' (1899), blending satire and psychological depth. His work critiqued Brazil's racial and social inequalities.

© Public Domain

Terry McMillan (1951-) -

Best known for 'Waiting to Exhale' (1992), Terry McMillan brought contemporary Black women's experiences to the forefront of mainstream fiction.

© Getty Images

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) -

A former enslaved man, Frederick Douglass became a leading abolitionist and writer. His 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass' (1845) remains one of the most important autobiographies in American history.

© Getty Images

Michelle Obama (1964-) -

Through her memoir 'Becoming' (2018), Michelle Obama inspired millions with her personal journey from Chicago’s South Side to the White House, offering insight into race, resilience, and leadership.

© Getty Images

Ralph Ellison (1914-1994) -

Ralph Ellison's 'Invisible Man' (1952) explored identity and racial struggle in America, capturing the Black experience in a society that refuses to see it.

© Getty Images

Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) -

The first published African American poet, Phillis Wheatley’s 18th-century poetry defied racist notions of Black intellect.

© Getty Images

Frantz Fanon (1925-1961) -

A revolutionary thinker from Martinique, Frantz Fanon's 'The Wretched of the Earth' (1961) examined colonialism’s psychological effects and inspired anti-colonial movements worldwide.

© NL Beeld

Zadie Smith (1975-) -

A British literary powerhouse, Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth' (2000) brought multicultural London to life. Her work dissects race, identity, and generational divides with humor and intellect.

© Getty Images

Audre Lorde (1934-1992) -

A poet, essayist, and feminist icon, Audre Lorde's 'Sister Outsider' (1984) and 'The Black Unicorn' (1978) celebrated Black womanhood and fought against oppression.

© Getty Images

Ta-Nehisi Coates (1975-) -

A leading voice in contemporary Black literature, Ta-Nehisi Coates' 'Between the World and Me' (2015) reframed America's conversation on race and identity.

© Getty Images

Harriet Jacobs (1815-1897) -

Her memoir, 'Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl' (1861), offered a rare firsthand account of slavery’s horrors from a woman's perspective, highlighting gendered oppression.

© Public Domain

Jesmyn Ward (1977-) -

A two-time National Book Award winner, Jesmyn Ward's 'Salvage the Bones' (2011) and 'Sing, Unburied, Sing' (2017) examine race, poverty, and resilience in the American South.

© Getty Images

Richard Wright (1908-1960) -

With 'Native Son' (1940) and 'Black Boy' (1945), Richard Wright portrayed the brutal realities of racism in America, influencing generations of Black writers and thinkers.

© Getty Images

Colson Whitehead (1969-) -

Colson Whitehead's novel 'The Underground Railroad' (2016) won the Pulitzer Prize for its gripping reimagining of slavery's horrors. He continues to push the boundaries of historical fiction.

© Getty Images

Lima Barreto (1881-1922) -

Lima Barreto, a Brazilian writer, challenged racism and social inequality in early 20th-century Brazil. His 1915 novel 'Triste Fim de Policarpo Quaresma' (published in English as 'The Patriot and The Sad End of Policarpo Quaresma') satirized nationalism and exposed injustices faced by marginalized communities.

© Public Domain

Roxane Gay (1974-) -

Through 'Bad Feminist' (2014) and 'Hunger' (2017), Roxane Gay redefined feminist literature by blending personal narrative with cultural criticism, addressing race, body image, and trauma.

Sources: (PBS) (Huffington Post) (Biography)

See also: Living in two worlds: W.E.B. Du Bois' double-consciousness

© Getty Images