But I'm not going to talk about myself this Friday because it would really be kind of tacky to talk about my pasty white self on a holiday that celebrates African-American freedom (something which we still don't all the way have).
So, instead I'm going to mention a few names. These are Black authors I think you should be going out and reading.
Rivers Solomon. Read "The Deep." Please. Also listen to the song. It's kind of shared world/invented folklore. Solomon has won multiple awards and they write amazing fiction.
P. Djeli Clark. His work includes "The Black God's Drums" and "The Haunting of Tram Car 015." He's a writer of short fiction, with his best work at the novella length. Oh, and he's also a historian, which very much shows in his stories.
Tomi Adeyemi. She's working on a YA fantasy trilogy that is just amazing. (Book one is Children of Blood and Bone and book two, which just came out, is Children of Virtue and Vengeance). Classic fantasy tropes refreshed by West African sensibilities. There's supposedly going to be movies. I really hope so, because her work deserves wide recognition.
And of course, while I don't think they need to be highlighted, don't forget Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin and Nnedi Okorafor.
The best way for us white people to celebrate Juneteenth is by uplifting black people (and please no fried chicken parties).
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