5 Personal Development Books by Black Authors

It’s the New Year and many of us have goals to read more. I read all throughout the year, although it is most definitely NOT self help books. However, all over the internet I see people seeking personal development or self help books and I noticed that the author’s recommended aren’t very diverse. While personal development isn’t my genre I wanted to make sure that there were some black author’s thrown in the ring as well. We need our perspectives to be heard as well. If you are looking for self development or improvement then this list is for you!

**Please note: The pictures of the books, titles of the books and authors will link you to the books on Amazon. The links are affiliate links and I receive a commission for clicked links or purchases. **

Let’s get into the books!

After the Rain: Gentle Reminders for Healing and Self Love: by Alex Elle Alex is a great example of a woman doing it all. She is a mother, wife, published author, poet, and self care advocate. She has a knack for using her words to resonate and relate with people. Her words have been shared thousands of times all over the internet. After the Rain, her most recent body of work was a deter from her poetry and instead shared vulnerable stories from her life with the poetry and affirmations. It was different than the books I normally read, but well worth it. There are moments in our lives that shape us and sometimes cause us to question our self worth. Alex takes us through her “storms” to the positive realizations of who she is as a woman and what she deserves. This book helps you focus on healing so that you can get out of your own way and achieve your goals.

The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey You would have to be under a rock for the past 20 years to not know who Oprah is. Just in case yall been sleep she is a Talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. Her most recent book is about finding your purpose. I recently participated in a 10 day fast to align myself with God’s purpose for me. In this book she shares lessons and stories that helped shape her life. Oprah states that everyone has a purpose, “Your real job in life is to figure out as soon as possible what that is, who you are meant to be, and begin to honor your calling in the best way possible.” This is a whole word and anyone that achieves that clarity young are often the superstars we see today.

Successful Women Speak Differently: 9 Habits That Build Confidence, Courage, and Influence by Valerie Burton If you have never heard of Ms. Burton let me introduce you to this life coach, author, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. Her specialty is self development and she has several books that fit the bill. Take a look through her catalog and see if anything resonates with your current situation. One main theme that stands out in the book that I linked is the power of speech. She talks about the importance of changing the way you think and speak about situations to avoid self sabotage. It’s powerful because if you say something enough, even you will start believing that it’s true. Valerie preaches the importance of boosting your self confidence with the way in which you speak to yourself. Let her get your mindset right!

Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It by Charlamagne The God I personally have not read this book, because I realized in general I don’t read many books by men. Clearly, I need to do better. However, I have added this to my want to read list and will read it in February. After looking over the reviews and the synopsis it felt like the perfect unorthodox book to add to my list. Charlemagne is most well known for being a provocative radio personality on 95.1’s The Breakfast Club. In this book he shares how learning to embrace your truth is key to success and happiness. While his approach is definitely uncensored his goal is to provide a clear message that it’s up to you to use the privilege that you have. He’s right, each one of us has some type of privilege and we need to figure out how to use it to our advantage. I can’t wait to read it.

Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by 50 Cent Most known for being an accomplished rapper, he is also an accredited television producer, actor, entrepreneur, investor, and businessman. In this book he tells his life journey through poverty, being successful, learning to pivot, and most importantly figuring out ways to sustain success. For me I struggle reading self help or autobiographies because reading is an escape for me. However, the way that these stories are told, they related to actual situations in his life and for me it makes it more consumable. He does a great job tying it to principles that just make sense like avoid entitlement, yes it’s important to be clear on your value but that has to be articulated through a clear vision. Another thing that stood out is being willing to change those that surround you, if your circle is not evolving or even inspired by your success it is okay to leave them where they are in order for you to grow. It was much better than I expected.

Have you read any good personal development books by black authors? Please share in the comments below!