250+ Leadership Books Written by Black Authors (2025)

In honor of Black History Month, we created this list of 250+ leadership books written by black authors. This list is meant to be a resource, not an official endorsement. The books are not ranked or listed in any particular order.

1. In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist prose by Alice Walker
2. Purpose Driven Leadership: Building and fostering effective teams by Brigette Tasha Hyacinth
3. The Transformational Consumer: Fuel a lifelong love affair with your customers by helping them get healthier, wealthier, and wiser by Tara-Nicholle Nelson
4. Haben: The deafblind woman who conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
5. Unprecedented: The Masters and Me by Tiger Woods (sports) & Lorne Rubenstein
6. The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris
7. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
8. Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde
9. Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay
10. Everybody’s Got Something by Robin Roberts & Veronica Chambers
11. This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism by Don Lemon
12. On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope by DeRay Mckesson
13. White Girls by Hilton Als
14. Nothing Personal by James Baldwin
15. Revelations: The Autobiography of Alvin Ailey by Alvin Ailey & A. Peter Bailey
16. Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown
17. We Will Not Cancel Us by adrienne maree brown
18. Love and Rage by Lama Rod Owens
19. Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by adrienne maree brown
20. Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction from Social Justice Movements by adrienne maree brown (eds)
21. How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office: The Anti-Politics, Un-Boring Guide to Power by adrienne maree brown (eds)
22. It’s About Damn Time by Arlan Hamilton
23. Queer Eye: Love Yourself, Love your Life by Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, Bobby Berk, & Karamo Brown
24. My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing & Hope by Karamo Brown
25. The Mentor Leader by Tony Dungy
26. The Secrets to Success: When You Want to Succeed as Bad as You Want to Breathe by Eric Thomas
27. Produced by Faith: Enjoy real success without losing your true self by DeVon Franklin
28. Super Rich: A guide to having it all by Russell Simmons
29. It Worked for Me: In life and leadership by Colin Powell
30. Reach: 40 Black men speak on liveing, leading, and succeeding by Ben Jealous & Trabian Shorters
31. Black Faces in White Places: 10 game-changing strategies to achieve success and find greatness by Randal Pinkett & Jeffrey Robinson
32. The Gatekeepers Are Gone: Hustle + Technology = Success by Lamar Tyler
33. The Mind of a Winner by Steve Canal
34. Know What Makes Them Tick: How to successfully negotiate almost any situation by Shonda Rhimes
35. The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As told to Alex Haley by Malcolm X, Alex Haley
36. What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey
37. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
38. The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
39. The One Week Budget by Tiffany Aliche
40. I’m Judging You: The do-better manual by Luvvie Ajayi
41. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
42. The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell by W. Kamau Bell
43. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
44. My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass
45. Drop the Ball: Achieving more by doing less by Tiffany Dufu
46. Biased: Uncovering the hidden prejudice that shapes what we see, think, and do by Jennifer eberhardt
47. Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America by James Forman, Jr.
48. Stamped from the Beginning: The definitive history of racist ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
49. Lovesong: Becoming a Jew by Julius Lester
50. Becoming by Michelle Obama
51. The Race Whisperer: Barack Obama and the political uses of race by Melanye Price
52. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
53. Strength to Love by Martin Luther King, Jr.
54. The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman
55. My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
56. Just as I am by Cicely Tyson
57. Black and White: The Way I See It by Richard Williams
58. Successful Women Think Differently: 9 Habits to Make You Happier, Healthier & More Resilient by Valorie Burton
59. Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho
60. A Way Out of No Way: A Memoir of Truth, Transformation, and the New American Story by Raphael Warnock
61. Professional Troublemaker: The Fear Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
62. Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis
63. More than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine Welteroth
64. My Life: Queen of the Court by Serena Williams
65. Bamboozled: How God Tricked Me inot the Life of My Dreams by Yvonne Orji
66. Small Doses: Potent Truths for Everyday Use by Amanda Seales
67. The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones
68. After the Rain: Gentle Reminders for Healing, Courage, and Self-Love by Alexandra Elle
69. The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black Women by Elaine Meryl Brown; Marsha Haygood; Angela Burt-Murray
70. Your Next Level Life: 7 Rules of Power, Confidence, and Opportunity for Black Women in America by Karen Arrington
71. Playing the Game Without a Coach: How Courage, Resilience and Forgiveness Helped One Man Seize the American Dream by Benjamin Raymond
72. The Wealth Choice: Secret Success of Black Millionaires by Dennis Kimbro
73. Beating the Odds: Eddie Brown’s Investing and Life Strategies by Eddie Brown
74. Strategize to Win: The New Way to Star Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career by Carla Harris
75. Rise and Grind: Outperform, Outwork, and Outhustle Your Way to a More Successful and Rewarding Life by Daymond John & Daniel Paisner
76. Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland
77. The Work: Searching for a Life that Matters by Wes Moore
78. The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
79. Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change by Stacey Abrams
80. 50 Billion Dollar Boss: African American Women Sharing Stories of Success in Entreprenuership and Leadership by Kathey Porter
81. Black Business Secrets: 500 Tips, Strategies, and Resources for the African American Entrepreneuer by Dante Lee
82. Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires by Shomari Wills
83. Black Girls Rock!: Owning Our Magic, Rocking Our Truth by Beverly Bond
84. Black Power Inc.: The New Voices of Success by Cora Daniels
85. Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction,Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life by Michelle Gadsden-Williams, Carolyn M. Brown
86. Boss Bride: The Powerful Woman’s Playbook for Love and Success by Charreah Jackson
87. Conversations in Black: On Power, Politics, and Leadershi by Ed Gordon
88. Double Down: Bet on Yourself and Scuceed on Your Own Terms by Antionette M. Clarke, Tricia Clarke-Stone
89. Expect to Win: Proven Strategies for Success Froma a Wall Street Vet by Carla A. Harris
90. It’s About Time: The Art of Choosing the Meaningful Over the Urgent by Valorie Burton
91. Little Black Book: A Toolkit for Working Women by Otegha Uwagba
92. Miss Jessie’s: Creating a Successful Business From Scratch — Naturally by Micho Branch
93. Mo’s Bows: A Young Person’s Guide to Start-up Success: Measure, Cut, Stich Your Way to a Great Business by Moziah Bridges, Tramica Morris
94. More Than Pretty: Doing the Sould Work that Uncovers Your True Beauty by Erica Campbell
95. The Book of Awesome Black Americans: cientific Pioneers Trailblazing Entrepreneuers, Barrier-Breaking Activists and AFro-Futurists by Monique jones
96. The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table by Minda Harts
97. The Merchant Prince of Black Chicago: Anthony Overton and the building of a Financial Empire by Robert E. Weems
98. Balancing Work and Life: The Nia guide for Black Women by Sherly Huggins, Cherly Mayberry McKissack
99. The Road to Someplace Better: From the Segregated South to Harvard Business School and Beyond by Lillian Lincoln Lambert
100. You Got This!: Unleash Your Awesomness, Find Your Path, and Change Your World by Maya Penn
101. Women of Color in Tech: A Bluepring for Inspiing and Menotring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators by Susanne Tedrick
102. Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward by Valarie Jarret
103. Believe Bigger: Discover the Path to Your Life Purpose by Marshawn Evans Daniels
104. Swimming with Sharks in Dark Waters by Athene Brinson
105. FutureProofed: How to Navigate Disruptive Change, Find Calm in Chaos, and Succeed in Work & Life by Natalia Peart
106. Own Your Phenomenal Self: A Guide on Character, Success, & Leadership by Rita P. Mitchell
107. Werk 101: Get Your Life Together Guide by Koereyelle DuBose
108. Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits by Emmanuel Acho
109. Impolite Conversations: On Race, Politics, Sex, Moneu, and Religion by Cora Daniels & John L. Jackson Jr.
110. Driven by Intention: Own Your Purpose, Gain Power, and Pursue Your Passion as a Woman at Work by Michelle Gadsden-Williams
111. Right Within: How to Heal From Racial Trauma in the Workplace by Minda Harts
112. Gracism: The Art of Inclusion by Dr. David A. Anderson
113. So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
114. All Bout Love by Bell Hooks
115. Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism by Bell Hooks
116. You’ve Got to Be Hungry: The Greatness Within to Win by Les Brown
117. The Art of Ronin Leadership by Mike Howard
118. Hood Feminist: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
119. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
120. Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us by Sherrell Dorsey
121. Will by Will Smith
122. More Myself: A Journey by Alicia Keys
123. Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
124. These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home by Bayo Akomolafe
125. Black Futures by Kimberly Drew, Jenna Wortham
126. Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love and Liberation by Rev Angel Kyodo Williams
127. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
128. Good Night Sotries for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic by Sonja Thomas, Lilly Workneh
129. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
130. Bridges to Heal US: Stories and Strategies for Racial Healing by Erin Jones
131. The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by Andre Braugher, James McBride, Lainie Kazan
132. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
133. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell
134. Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution by Ellie Mystal
135. Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Charles Blow
136. The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto by Charles Blow
137. Speaking Truth to Power by Anita Hill
138. A Good Cry, What we Learn from Tears and Laughter by Nikki Giovanni
139. Writings on the Wall: searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
140. Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
141. Standing Above the Crowd by James Donaldson
142. Up from Nothing: The Untold Story of How We (All) Succeed by John Hope Bryant
143. The Memo: Five Rules for Your Economic Liberation by John Hope Bryant
144. Love Leadership: The New Way to Lead in a Fear Based World by John Hope Bryant
145. The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart by Alicia Garza
146. I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
147. Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford
148. The Extraordinary Power of Leader Humility by Marilyn Gist
149. Talk it Up!: A Guide to Successful Public Speaking by David Suk Brown & Danny Suk Brown
150. Our Brave Foremothers: Celebrating 100 Black, Brown, Asian & Indigenous Women Who Changed the Course of History by Rozella Kennedy
151. You Owe You: Ignite Your Power, Your Purpose, and Your Why by Eric Thomas, PhD
152. Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit by Mary-Francis Winters
153. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
154. Year of Yes: How to Dance it Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
155. Acting Up: Winning in Business and in Life Using Down-Home Wisdom by Janice Bryant Howroyd
156. How Boards Work and How They Can Work Better in a Chaotic World by Dambisa Moyo
157. Chasing Youth Culture and Getting it Right: How Your Business Can Profit by Tapping Today’s Most Powerful Trendsetters and Tastemakers by Tina Wells
158. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcom Gladwell
159. Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? by Reginald Lewis & Blair S. Walker
160. Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms by Shellye Archambeau
161. The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery by Sarah Lewis
162. Display of Power by Daymond John
163. Black Entrepreneuer Survival Guide: The complete guide to becoming a successful African American entrepreneuer by Dunneille D. Anderson
164. Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District by Hannibal B. Johnson
165. CEO of My Soul: The Self-Love Journey of a Small Business Owner by Nic Cober Esquire
166. How to Succeed in Business Without Being White: Straight Talk on Making It in America by Earl G. Graves
167. Success Never Smelled So Sweet: How I Followed My Nose and Found My Passion by Lisa Price & Hilary Beard
168. We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power by Rachel Rodgers
169. 9 Laws of Success: Attracting the Life, Love, Health & Success You Want! by Stormy Wellington
170. Self-Esteem is the New Black: How to become the confident woman you have always wanted to be! by Monique Mays
171. Everyday Millionaires: How Oridnary People Built Extraordinary Wealth – And How You Can Too by Chris Hogan
172. Get Good with Money: Ten Simple Steps to Becoming Financially Whole by Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche
173. How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendshop, and Community by Mia Birdsong
174. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
175. Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper
176. Mom and Me and Mom by Maya Angelou
177. The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner
178. Green Power: The Successful Way of A.G. Gaston by A.G. Gaston
179. The Black Woman Millionaire: A Revolutionary Act that DEFIES Impossible by Dr. Venus Opal Reese
180. When the Miracle Drops: How Instagram Helped Turn a Quick Fix Into a Million-Dollar Product by Jessica Dupart
181. Building Atlanta: How I Broke Through Segregation to Launch a Business Empire by Herman J. Russell
182. The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey
183. Mental Detox: The Power and Guidance to Implement Peace, Joy, Balance, and Financial Abundance in Your Life by Cheyenne Bryant
184. Quantam Leaps: 10 Steps to Help You Soar by Gloria Mayfield Bangs
185. Air Traffic: A Memoir of Ambition and Manhood in America by Gregory Pardlo
186. A Lucky Man by Jamel Brinkley
187. Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
188. Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching: A Young Black Man’s Education Book by Mychal Denzel Smith
189. Meaty: Essays by Smantha Irby
190. Unbowed by Wangari Maathai
191. Writing My Wrongs: Life, Death and Redemption in an American Prison by Shaka Senghor
192. Where You Are is Not Who You Are by Ursula Burns
193. The Perfect Day to Boss Up by Rick Ross & Niel Martinez-Belkin
194. Feeding the Soul by Tabitha Brown
195. Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A guide to reclaiming yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab
196. I’m Not Yelling by Elizabeth Leiba
197. Responsible Marketing by Lola Bakare
198. The Urgent Life by Bozoma Saint John
199. Inside Out: The Equity Leader’s Guide to Undoing Institutional Racism by Caprice D. Hollins
200. Black AF History: The Un-whitewashed Story of America by Michael Harriot
201. I Saw Death Coming: A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstruction by Kidada E. Williams
202. 12 Notes: On Life and Creativity by Quincy Jones
203. The Beautiful Ones by Prince
204. Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in A White World by Wil Haygood
205. The Complete Quincy Jones: My Journey & Passions by Quincy Jones
206. Eartha & Kitt: A Daughter’s Love Story in Black and White by Kitt Shapiro
207. Leslie F*cking Jones: A Memoir by Leslie Jones
208. Let Love Rule by Lenny Kravitz
209. Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis
210. Starting at Zero by Jimi Hendrix
211. Worthy by Jada Pinkett Smith
212. The Dead Don’t Need Reminding by Julian Randall
213. Of Greed and Glory by Deborah G. Plant. Amistad
214. And Then We Rise: A guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self by Common
215. American Imam: From Pop Stardom to Prison Abolition by Taymullah Abdur-Rahman
216. How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir by Shayla Lawson
217. Life Coaching for Successful Women: Powerful Questions, Practical Answers by Valorie Burton
218. The Black Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom: Build Wealth, Retire Early, and Live the Life of Your Dreams by Paris Woods
219. Please Don’t Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes by Phoebe Robinson
220. Wildflower: A Memoir by Aurora James
221. Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
222. Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid by Mikaila Ulmer
223. Black, White, and The Grey by Mashama Bailey & John O. Morisano
224. Black Titan: A.G. Gaston and the Making of a Black American Millionaire by Carol Jenkins & Elizabeth Gardner Hines
225. Decoded by Jay-Z
226. Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider by Stacy Spikes
227. The Elevation Approach by Tina Wells
228. Nothing is Missing: A Memoir of Living Bodly by Nicole Walters
229. I Did a New Thing: 30 Days to Living Free by Tabitha Brown
230. Get the F* Out Your Won Way: A Guide to Letting Fo of the Sh*t that’s Holding You Back by MJ Harris
231. Praiseong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks by Crystal Wilkinson
232. Ida B. Wells Marches for the Vote by Dinah Johnson
233. First Things First: Hip-Hop Ladies Who Changed the Game by Nadirah Simmons
234. Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum by Anotonia Hylton
235. On Thriving: Harnessing Joy Through Life’s Great Labors by Brandi Sellerz-Jackson
236. A Seat at the C-Suite Table: Insights from the leadership Journeys of African American Executives by Chuck Wallington, PhD
237. Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism by Jenn M. Jackson, PhD
238. When Leadership Matters by Robert Britten
239. How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memior by Shayla Lawson
240. The Souls of Queer Folk: How Understanding LGBTQ+ Culture Can Transform Your Leadership Practice by Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown
241. Barracoon “The story of The last Black Cargo by Zora Neale Hurston
242. The light we carry by Michelle Obama
243. The source of self-regard by Tony Morrison
244. Zami:A new spelling of my name by Audre Lorde
245. Constructing a nervous system by Margo Jefferson
246. All that she carried by Tiya Miles
247. Lovely One: A Memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson
248. Men we reaped by Jesmyn Ward
249. Singing away the hunger by Mpho ‘M’atsepo Nthunya
250. We are bridges by Cassandra lane
251. Death of Innocence by Christopher Benson and Mamie Till-Mobley
252. Incidents in the life of a slave girl by Harriot Jacobs
253. Purple Harvest: Planting Goals, Growing Truths by Dr. Rashonda Harris MBA, CRA, IPMA-CP
254. DEI-ing: A Guide to Navigating the Gotdamn Mess They’ve Made of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by Dr. Cheryl Ingram
255. Get Up And Get On It: A Black Entrepreneur’s Lessons on Creating Legacy and Wealth by Dana Frank

Since we work really hard to create these lists, we hope these authors will get the attention they deserve! If you think this list is valuable, please share it and spread the word. Here’s a sample text you can use when sending this booklist out to your network: “Want to read leadership narratives written by Black Americans? Check this out! (https://tinyurl.com/2025-black-authored-books). #diverseleadershipauthors #blackleadershipauthors #blackhistorymonth #expandwhoweread #enrichhowwelead”

You can check out our other leadership book lists by those who identity as women, those who identify as having disabilities, Hispanic/Latino/Latinx, LGBTQ, Native American, and AAPI. We are always adding to these lists, so please send more recommendations our way.