Check out our favorite reads by Black Christian authors this month.
This June, we shift our focus to Juneteenth — a pivotal moment in American history. We invite you to explore a curated selection of books that highlight the voices and stories of Black authors. Our list features outstanding Christian fiction authors and insightful nonfiction writers. Each offering unique perspectives and narratives that we hope you will enjoy.
Also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, Juneteenth commemorates the delayed but definitive arrival of freedom. It finally happened on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
When Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, they announced that all enslaved people in the Confederacy were finally free. It took another 156 years for Juneteenth to be declared a federal holiday. However, it’s been recognized as a state holiday in Texas since 1980.
Juneteenth is a sacred time for reflection, rejoicing and honoring the resilience of the Black community. What better way to celebrate this profound journey and the enduring power of faith than by picking up a book from one of these highly rated authors? Join us in honoring the legacy of Black writers and their invaluable contributions to literature, society and our spiritual journey.
27 Summers: My Journey to Freedom, Forgiveness, and Redemption During My Time in Angola Prison
by Ronald Olivier – Craig Borlase
Discover hope as you see redemption even in the darkest circumstances. Ronald Olivier shares his dramatic and powerful story of how a young man sentenced to life without parole miraculously found faith, forgiveness, redemption, and restoration.
Set Me Free: The Good News of God’s Relentless Pursuit
by Lecrae Moore
Do you feel like you live life looking in from the outside? From the way you speak, to the color of your skin, to the way you vote or the way you pray, you don’t fit the mold. And yet you find yourself still trying to prove yourself to others.
In Set Me Free, New York Times bestselling author and Christian rapper Lecrae invites you on a poetic and artistic exploration of how you can persevere against the lies of unworthiness to experience the freedom given to you in Jesus.
While I Have Your Attention: It’s Never Too Late for a New Beginning
by Lucille O’Neal
Find hope when you see that it’s never too late for a new beginning.
In While I Have Your Attention, Lucille shares her struggles, disappointments, memories and proudest accomplishments. Lucille’s remarkable life is the story of a woman who prevailed despite enduring a host of obstacles and trials.
She shares her incredible story of stepping from poverty and loss into hope and a renewed faith. She will inspire you to keep moving forward even when you come up against seemingly impossible challenges in life.
Bitter and Sweet: A Novel
by Rhonda McKnight
A 2025 CHRISTY AWARD WINNER!
From the beloved author of The Thing About Home comes a tale of Lowcountry flavor, family, grief, secrets and the sweet redemption that lies within the bonds of sisterhood.
Bitter and Sweet is a standalone novel that includes discussion questions. It’s a great pick for Christian or church-based book clubs looking to explore and discuss the themes of faith, family and self-discovery.
Sideshow: Living with Loss and Moving Forward with Faith
by Rickey Smiley
How do you live with the pain of watching someone you love suffer from addiction? How do you cope with the grief of losing them especially when your job is to make people laugh every day?
“This book is for those who know the weight of grief, who I can show the light of God. It’s for those millions of families whose child or spouse or sibling is battling for their life against addiction. And for those who want to know that others have walked this path too. It’s for my own peace, because when I am in service of others, as God has directed me, I am fulfilled.” – Ricky Smiley, comedian.
The American Queen
by Vanessa Miller
Christy Award WINNER & American Fiction Award WINNER
There is only one known queen who truly ruled a kingdom on American soil. Meet the queen of Happy Land in this riveting novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Vanessa Miller.
The American Queen is based on actual events that occurred between 1865–1889. It shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom in Appalachia as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life.
The American Queen weaves together themes of love, hate, hope, trust, and resilience in the face of great turmoil. With every turn of the page, you will be transported to a pivotal period in American history, where oppressed people become extraordinary heroes.
My Hair Can
by Matt Forté – Sophia Green
2024 HEIRLOOM BOOK CLUB AWARD WINNER
Celebrate what your hair can do! This joyful, rhyming picture book invites diverse girls and boys to embrace their natural hair with an uplifting reminder of their self-worth.
My hair has roots from many places under the sun,
telling the story of my ancestors and where I come from.
I can shake my hair like a baby with a rattle,
or cut it all off to support my friend’s battle.
Prayer and Pen: The Prayers and Legacy of Carl Murphy, Publisher of the Afro-American Newspapers (1922-1967)
by Frances Murphy Draper – Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie
In times of struggle, chaos and trial, we will be tempted to think that God’s goodness is not present. But prayer was the weapon of choice of Carl Murphy, the acclaimed publisher of the AFRO-American newspaper.
Murphy often poured every thought and emotion into the prayers shared with family, friends, the community and his newspaper. Pause with these powerful words, and see how his remarkable legacy as a family patriarch and wise businessman is defined by the peace and strength found in consistent prayer.
Brown Boys Rule
by Ashok Banker – Brittney Bond
“We are brown. We are handsome. We are excellent.” An inspiring anthem for boys bearing melanin of all kinds, Brown Boys Rule centers and celebrates boys of color.
This uplifting poem showcases the empowering diversity of brown boys as engineers, artists, peaceful protesters, adventurers, kings and leaders in their communities. One part love letter, two parts battle anthem, this picture book is a powerful reminder for boys of color that they may be kids. But they are strong and tough, as well as joyful and kind.
Celebrate Freedom With a New Book or Author
As you celebrate Juneteenth, consider reading a Christian book, devotional or memoir from this list that stretches your perspective and strengthens your faith. Reading diverse Christian voices is more than a seasonal gesture — it’s a way to honor the fullness of the body of Jesus Christ.
These authors write from deep wells of prayer, perseverance and purpose, offering stories that comfort, challenge and inspire. May your reading journey reflect both curiosity and compassion. May these books remind you that God’s story is beautifully woven through all cultures, testimonies and generations.
