Recommended Reading for Softness & Strength

Biography & Memoir

Jefferson, Margo. Negroland: A Memoir. New York: Pantheon Books, 2015.
Jefferson offers an incisive account of growing up in the Black elite, grappling with privilege, identity, and race. Her memoir portrays strength in critical reflection and softness in vulnerability.

King, Coretta Scott. My Life, My Love, My Legacy. Edited by Barbara Reynolds. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2017.
King’s memoir highlights her role as activist, wife, and mother within the Civil Rights Movement. Her words reveal how strength and softness—courageous advocacy and quiet devotion—worked in harmony throughout her life.

Tyson, Cicely, with Michelle Burford. Just As I Am: A Memoir. New York: HarperCollins, 2021.
The legendary actress reflects on her decades-long career, struggles, and triumphs. Tyson’s story embodies softness in grace and artistry, and strength in resilience against systemic barriers.

Culinary

Angelou, Maya. Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories with Recipes. New York: Random House, 2004.
Part memoir, part cookbook—this charming compendium pairs personal essays with beloved recipes, blending hospitality with storytelling. Angelou’s elegant warmth illustrates how food becomes an act of love and a mirror of cultural legacy.

Smith, Barbara. B. Smith: Rituals and Celebrations. New York: Artisan, 1999.
Blends recipes, decorating, and lifestyle guidance from the iconic restaurateur and lifestyle maven. It celebrates joy in everyday rituals, showing how beauty, food, and hospitality embody both softness and enduring strength.

Harris, JuJu. Healthy & Homemade: Eating Well on a Budget. Washington, DC: [Publisher?], 2017.
Culinary educator JuJu Harris offers accessible recipes and food wisdom for families stretching limited resources. Practical softness meets nourishing strength.

Howard, Vivian. Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South. New York: Little, Brown, 2016; This Will Make It Taste Good: A New Path to Simple Cooking. 2020.
Howard blends down‑home cooking with heartfelt storytelling and Southern charm. Her recipes center seasonal, intentional living, showing strength through rooted community and gentle sustenance.

Shange, Ntozake. If I Can Cook / You Know God Can. Boston: Beacon Press, 1998.
A culinary memoir in essays and recipes that spans global diasporic flavors, from Cuba to Haiti. Shange's lyrical voice makes food a vessel for cultural connection, memory, and self-discovery.

Taylor, Nicole A. Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook Celebrating Juneteenth & Black Independence. 2022.
A vibrant Juneteenth cookbook blending history, memoir, and celebratory recipes in shades of red. Taylor reframes cooking as reclamation—honoring tradition while planting seeds for culinary freedom.

Williams, Caroline Randall, and Alice Randall. Soul Food Love: A Celebration of Life, Family & Food. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2015.
A legacy-rich cookbook weaving family history with modern, healthy soul food recipes. The mother-daughter duo honors tenderness in tradition and strength in transformation.

Etiquette

Bates, Karen Grisby, and Karen Elise Hudson. The New Basic Black: Home Training for Modern Times. New York: Doubleday, 1996.
This etiquette and cultural guide blends tradition with contemporary relevance, offering tools for navigating society with confidence. It portrays softness as refinement and strength as cultural adaptability.

Fiction

Allen, Jayne. Black Girls Must Be Magic. New York: Harper Perennial, 2022.
Sequel to Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, this contemporary novel continues Tabitha’s journey of balancing love, family, and identity. It affirms that softness—romance, kinship, dreams—can coexist with the strength of perseverance.

Babalola, Bolu. Honey & Spice: A Novel. New York: William Morrow, 2022.
This witty campus romance follows a young Black woman podcaster who navigates love and reputation after a “fake dating” scheme. It highlights softness in vulnerability and affection, balanced by the strength of self-definition.

Black, Anna. Love Delayed. Urban Renaissance, 2012.
This contemporary romance explores the complexities of second chances and the courage to embrace vulnerability again. It portrays softness as a risk that fuels emotional strength.

Carty-Williams, Candice. People Person. New York: Gallery/Scout Press, 2022.
A warm, humorous novel about siblings reuniting under unexpected circumstances. The narrative reflects everyday softness in family bonds, and the strength it takes to rebuild fractured relationships.

Embola, Joan. The One Who Holds Me. Self-published, 2021.
A Christian romance that centers clean love, faith, and healing. Embola frames softness as trust and compassion, showing how strength flows from spiritual connection.

Harrison, Suzette D. Forever Beautiful. Lake Mary, FL: Dafina Books, 2021.
Set across decades, this historical romance reveals how love, elegance, and familial devotion shaped Black women’s lives. The story frames beauty and tenderness as inseparable from endurance.

James, Meka. Love & Sportsball. Self-published, 2022.
A tender queer sports romance that centers intimacy, joy, and the resilience of Black lesbian love. It celebrates softness in desire and connection, while portraying strength in authenticity.

Martin, Celestine. Deja Brew. New York: Forever, 2022.
A whimsical, paranormal romance that intertwines witches, small-town life, and magic. Through enchantment and humor, it reveals how tenderness and strength shape relationships.

Miller, Vanessa. The American Queen: A Novel Based on the True Story of Appalachia’s Kingdom of the Happy Land. New York: Thomas Nelson, 2023.
Miller fictionalizes the extraordinary story of a community of formerly enslaved people who built a prosperous kingdom in North Carolina. The novel highlights collective strength rooted in faith, care, and shared vision.

Murray, Victoria Christopher. Harlem Rhapsody: A Novel. New York: Gallery Books, 2024.
Set in Harlem’s golden age, this sweeping historical romance captures ambition, love, and cultural brilliance. It illustrates how softness—expressed in intimacy and art—coexists with the strength required to thrive against systemic odds.

Shade, Anne. The Blessed. New York: Bold Strokes Books, 2021.
This fantasy romance about queer Black women blends mystical adventure with tenderness and passion. It portrays softness as courage in love, and strength as resilience against prejudice.

Tate, ReShonda. The Queen of Sugar Hill: A Novel of Hattie McDaniel—The Untold Story of Hattie McDaniel’s Life and Legacy. New York: William Morrow, 2024.
This fictionalized portrait of actress Hattie McDaniel illuminates her resilience in Hollywood and her determination to leave a legacy of joy. It portrays softness in artistry and strength in persistence.

Thomas, Trisha R. The Secret Keeper of Main Street: A Black Dressmaker’s Tale of Love, Crime, and Intuition in 1950s Oklahoma. New York: Amistad, 2024.
Blending magical realism and historical drama, Thomas’s novel follows a dressmaker whose craft carries both beauty and hidden power. Her soft artistry becomes a source of strength and survival amid danger.

Warren, Tiffany L. The Unexpected Diva. New York: Dafina Books, 2024.
This biographical fiction shines a light on a forgotten Black singer from the Civil War era. By recovering her voice, Warren illustrates the duality of vulnerability and determination in forging a legacy.

Wesley, Jamie. A Legend in the Baking. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2024.
A sweet sports romance set in the world of competitive baking and athletics, this story emphasizes humor, patience, and love as forms of strength. Its “slow burn” style frames softness as powerful in its own right.

Interior Design & Decor

Blakeney, Justina. Jungalow: Decorate Wild. New York: Abrams, 2021.
Blakeney’s vibrant, pattern-forward interior design book blends memoir with styling tips. Her bohemian approach embraces texture, color, and cultural storytelling—inviting softness and identity into every room.

Bridges, Sheila. Furnishing Forward: A Practical Guide to Furnishing for a Lifetime. New York: Artisan, 2002.
Interior designer Sheila Bridges guides readers in transitioning from budget-friendly pieces to enduring, meaningful furniture. Through personal anecdotes and expert advice, she champions a home design style that’s both soulful and sustainable.

Kakembo, Nasozi. The African Décor Edit: Collecting and Decorating with Heritage Objects. 2024.
This coffee-table book guides readers in ethically sourcing African artistry and incorporating heritage objects into their decor. Kakembo offers both aesthetic inspiration and cultural insight for meaningful home curation.

Reese, June, and Black Interior Designers, Inc. Iconic Home: Interiors, Advice, and Stories from 50 Amazing Black Designers. New York: Abrams, 2022.
This collection showcases diverse voices in Black-led interior design, blending personal narratives with visual inspiration. Each designer’s story reflects how culture, legacy, and individuality shape meaningful spaces.

Poetry & Creative Expression

Angelou, Maya. Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women. New York: Random House, 1995.
Angelou’s iconic poetry collection uplifts women’s beauty, spirit, and confidence. It distills softness into elegance and strength into self-assurance.

Hurston, Zora Neale. I Love Myself When I Am Laughing... and Then Again When I Am Looking Mean and Impressive: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader. Edited by Alice Walker. Old Westbury, NY: Feminist Press, 1979.
This anthology gathers Hurston’s essays, fiction, and folklore. Her writing exudes humor, wit, and cultural pride, revealing softness in laughter and strength in legacy.

Laing, Shantasha Naomi. Not a Monolith: Poems and Musings of a Black Woman. Self-published, 2021.
Laing’s poetry celebrates individuality and the multifaceted nature of Black womanhood. Her verses affirm softness in reflection and strength in unapologetic self-expression.

McBride, Amber. Me (Moth). New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2021.
A YA novel-in-verse about grief, love, and resilience, Me (Moth) blends poetry with narrative. It highlights the strength of survival while embracing the softness of tenderness and creativity.

Smith, Jasmine L. Sacred Black Bloom: A Light-Bearer’s Poetric Journey of Unfolding and Becoming. Self-published, 2022.
This collection of “poetrics” weaves spirituality, empowerment, and growth into lyrical form. Smith portrays softness as blossoming and strength as enduring transformation.

Self-Help & Spiritual Growth

Adeeyo, Oludara. Self-Care for Black Women: 150 Ways to Radically Accept & Prioritize Your Mind, Body, & Soul. Beverly, MA: Adams Media, 2022.
Practical and affirming, Adeeyo’s collection of self-care strategies affirms softness as essential to resilience. By centering Black women’s needs, it links personal care to lasting strength.

Holliman, Courtney. Fully Her: A 30-Day Guide to Embrace and Build Positivity, Strength, and Self-Love. Self-published, 2021.
Structured as a month-long journey, Holliman’s book encourages daily reflection and positive self-talk. It affirms that consistency in softness builds durable strength.

Leiba, Elizabeth. Protecting My Peace: Embracing Inner Beauty and Ancestral Power. New York: Wiley, 2022.
Leiba draws on psychology and ancestral wisdom to guide readers toward cultivating peace. Her work affirms that everyday practices of softness—self-protection, rest, and ritual—strengthen identity and spirit.

Moon, Layla. Spiritual Self Care for Black Women: A Powerful, Holistic Workbook to Radically Love Yourself and Heal Your Mind, Body, & Soul. Self-published, 2021.
This guided workbook blends affirmations, journaling prompts, and spiritual practices. It demonstrates that inner healing and gentle reflection cultivate the strength to thrive.

Palmer, Keke. Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative. New York: Dey Street Books, 2023.
In this memoir-styled guide, Palmer shares lessons on agency, self-definition, and creative resilience. She emphasizes narrative control as both strength and gentleness in living authentically.

Raheem, Octavia F. Pause, Rest, Be: Stillness Practices for Courage in Times of Change. Berkeley: Shambhala, 2022.
Raheem offers meditative reflections and stillness practices rooted in Black feminist wisdom. She reframes rest as an act of courage, where softness becomes the foundation of enduring strength.

Rivers, Nia. Stride: Self-Care for Black Women Over 50. Self-published, 2021.
Tailored for mature women, Rivers offers wellness strategies addressing body, mind, and spirit. She portrays softness as necessary replenishment, sustaining strength across life’s later seasons.

Roberts, Sarah Jakes. All Hope Is Found: Rediscovering the Joy of Expectation. New York: Thomas Nelson, 2023.
Roberts combines scripture, storytelling, and encouragement to help readers embrace hope in seasons of change. She reframes softness not as weakness but as openness to divine strength and joy.

Roberts, Sarah Jakes. Woman Evolve: Break Up with Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2021.
Blending personal testimony and faith, Roberts urges women to transform fear into freedom. The book ties strength to vulnerability, showing spiritual growth as a form of soft power.

Social Commentary & Cultural Analysis

Frazier, E. Franklin. Black Bourgeoisie: The Book That Brought the Shock of Self-Revelation to Middle-Class Blacks in America. New York: Free Press, 1957.
A classic sociological critique of middle-class Black life, Frazier’s text examines class performance and identity. It reveals strength in survival through adaptation, but questions the cost of diminishing softness in pursuit of respectability.

Golden, Marita. The Strong Black Woman: How a Myth Endangers the Physical and Mental Health of Black Women. New York: Amistad, 2021.
Golden dismantles the cultural myth of the “strong Black woman” by examining its impact on mental health. She redefines strength as wholeness and argues that softness, vulnerability, and rest are essential to survival.

Jones, Charisse, and Kumea Shorter-Gooden. Shifting: The Double Lives of Black Women in America. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
Based on interviews and research, this book examines how Black women “shift” their identities to navigate bias. It demonstrates how adaptability, though exhausting, is a form of strength, while advocating for spaces of softness.

Moore, Ebony Janice. All the Black Girls Are Activists: A Fourth Wave Womanist Pursuit of Dreams as Radical Resistance. New York: Penguin Random House, 2023.
Moore reframes activism as everyday living in alignment with joy, dreams, and self-expression. Her work positions softness as radical rest and pleasure, and strength as resistance to systems of erasure.