12 Books by Black Chicago Women 2025

blackgirlsreadchi Host

37 participants (50 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
South Side Girls: Growing Up in the Great Migration by Marcia Chatelain

South Side Girls: Growing Up in the Great Migration

Marcia Chatelain

264 pages • 2015 • 3 editions

nonfiction history race challenging informative inspiring slow-paced
Black Girl Magic by Jamila Woods, Idrissa Simmonds, Mahogany L. Browne

Breakbeat Poets #2

Black Girl Magic

Jamila Woods, Idrissa Simmonds, Mahogany L. Browne

264 pages • 2018 • 4 editions

nonfiction lgbtqia+ poetry emotional reflective medium-paced
The Last Dreamwalker by Rita Woods

The Last Dreamwalker

Rita Woods

272 pages • 2022 • 6 editions

fiction fantasy historical magical realism dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
Negroland by Margo Jefferson

Negroland

Margo Jefferson

248 pages • 2015 • 16 editions

nonfiction history memoir race emotional informative reflective slow-paced
I've Got to Make My Livin': Black Women's Sex Work in Turn-Of-The-Century Chicago by Cynthia M. Blair

I've Got to Make My Livin': Black Women's Sex Work in Turn-Of-The-Century Chicago

Cynthia M. Blair

322 pages • 2010 • 3 editions

nonfiction gender history challenging informative medium-paced
Three Girls from Bronzeville by Dawn Turner

Three Girls from Bronzeville

Dawn Turner

336 pages • 2021 • 5 editions

nonfiction memoir race emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
The Billboard by Natalie Y. Moore

The Billboard

Natalie Y. Moore

100 pages • 2022 • 3 editions

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

Between Friends & Lovers

Shirlene Obuobi

384 pages • 2024 • 11 editions

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

Jubilee

Margaret Walker

512 pages • 1966 • 15 editions

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

On Rotation

Shirlene Obuobi

352 pages • 2022 • 18 editions

fiction contemporary romance emotional lighthearted medium-paced