17 Books You Should Read This Black History Month

A young African-American girl growing up during the Great Depression, Pecola Breedlove lives in an Ohio community that associates beauty with "whiteness." This causes Pecola, who is often ridiculed for her awkward appearance, to pray for blonde hair and blue eyes. Now living with a foster family, the story examines Pecola's troubled life in the Breedlove household, including the sexual abuse by her alcoholic father, which results in pregnancy.

Toni Morrison's 1970 novel, The Bluest Eye, uses multiple perspectives to remark on issues of race, incest, beauty standards, religion, child molestation, the biases of mass media culture, and more.