The Best African-American and Black Biography Audiobooks of All Time

Discover the most influential african-american and black biography audiobooks, recommended by leaders, experts, and readers worldwide

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Recommendations by Casey Neistat, Ben Horowitz, Dave Mcmenamin, Sen. Jeff Jackson and 38 others

Not sure what to read? Our AI can suggest the most recommended African-American and Black Biography books!

1
Book Cover of John Thompson, Jesse Washington - I Came As a Shadow: An Autobiography

By John Thompson – Legendary Georgetown University basketball coach (you?) and 1 more 

4.98
| 2020 | 352 Pages
Recommended for: 
Sports enthusiasts and social justice advocates. Ages 12 to Adults.
You will:
  • Learn about the complexities of race and sports in America through personal anecdotes.
  • Discover the impact of John Thompson's coaching on his players and the NCAA.
  • Understand the historical context of racial issues in sports and society.
  • Explore the personal struggles and triumphs of a legendary basketball coach.
  • Gain insights into the life lessons and values imparted by John Thompson.
Reviews:
Engaging Stories
Insightful Perspective
Easy to Read
Impactful Lessons
Character Development
Repetitive
Too Simplistic
  • New York Times Notable Book
  • Editors' pick Best Biographies & Memoirs
Recommended by Fran Fraschilla, David Aldridge, Grant Hill and 14 others
Fran FraschillaI’m halfway this great book, I Came As A Shadow, & this is one of the legendary stories about ⁦GeorgetownHoops⁩ John Thompson, Jr. At ⁦PCFriarsmbb⁩, we recruited DC & had DC guys on our team. We knew story but here’s the definitive account
David AldridgeThoroughly enjoyed my Q&A with jessewashington, on his path writing "I Came As A Shadow," the autobiography of the late, great John Thompson. It’s part of our Black History Month Book Series, in Culture, in TheAthletic:
Grant HillCheck out this #GAME book review by jessewashington.. Also check out his incredible John Thompson autobiography I CAME AS A SHADOW. It's a must read..
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2
Book Cover of Ibram X. Kendi, Keisha N. Blain - Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019

By Ibram X. Kendi – Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities (you?) and 1 more 

4.98
| 2021 | 528 Pages
Recommended for: 
Students and general readers. Ages 12 to Adults.
You will:
  • Learn about the four-hundred-year journey of African Americans from 1619 to present.
  • Discover diverse perspectives on African American history through various literary forms.
  • Understand the impact of slavery and resistance on American society and culture.
  • Explore the contributions of notable figures in African American history.
  • Reflect on the ongoing struggles for racial justice and equality in America.
Reviews:
Essential Reading
Well-Researched
Engaging Narratives
Diverse Voices
Thought-Provoking
Dense in Parts
Repetitive Themes
  • #1 New York Times Bestseller
  • Finalist for the Andrew Carnegie Medal
  • Named one of the Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post
Recommended by Quinn Cummings, The Washington Post, Publisher's Weekly and 6 others
Quinn CummingsGot your book yesterday from librofm; last night, I had force myself to go to sleep and not just listen to "One more story..."
There aren't many books I can honestly say are possibly even better as audio books but I LOVE hearing the writers reading their own work and poems
The Washington PostThis collection teaches us that nothing about the latest crisis is new—that for four hundred years, Americans have whistled a ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’ tune of national self-congratulation while reliving repeating cycles of racial violence and hypocrisy. . . . This project is a vital addition to that curriculum on race in America and should serve as a gateway to the solo works of all the voices in Kendi and Blain’s impressive choir
Publisher's WeeklyWith a diverse range of up-and-coming scholars, activists, and writers exploring topics both familiar and obscure, this energetic collection stands apart from standard anthologies of African American history
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African-American and Black Biography Book made by AI

By TailoredRead – AI that creates personalized books for you 

4.98
| 2025 | 30-300 pages
Learn African-American and Black Biography faster with a book created specifically for you by state-of-the-art AI. Our AI has vast knowledge of African-American and Black Biography, and will craft a custom-tailored book for you in just 10 minutes. This tailored book addresses YOUR unique interests, goals, knowledge level, and background. Available for online reading, PDF download, and Kindle, your custom book will provide personalized insights to help you learn faster, expand your horizons, and accomplish your goals. Embark on your African-American and Black Biography learning journey with a personalized book - made exclusively for you.
Recommended for: 
All readers across all knowledge levels.
You will:
  • Get an African-American and Black Biography book tailored to your interests, goals, and background
  • Receive a book precisely matching your background and level of knowledge
  • Select which topics you want to learn, exclude the topics you don't
  • Define your learning goals and let your book guide you to accomplish them
  • Get all the knowledge you need consolidated into a single focused book
Reviews:
Insightful
Focused
Highly Personalized
Easy to Read
Engaging
Actionable
Up-to-Date
3
Book Cover of David W. Blight - Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom (Roughcut)

By David W. Blight – Pulitzer Prize Winner, Historian, Yale University (you?) 

4.86
| 2018 | 912 Pages
Recommended for: 
History enthusiasts and students. Ages 12 to Adults.
You will:
  • Learn about Frederick Douglass's life and his journey from slavery to freedom.
  • Discover the complexities of Douglass's relationships with family and colleagues.
  • Understand the historical context of Douglass's activism and its relevance today.
  • Explore Douglass's contributions to abolition and civil rights movements.
  • Gain insights into the challenges faced by African Americans during the 19th century.
  • No African American speaker had ever faced this kind of captive audience, composed of all the leadership of the federal government in one place; and no such speaker would ever again until Barack Obama was inaugurated president in January 2009.
  • Douglass lived twenty years as a slave and nearly nine years as a fugitive slave subject to recapture.
Reviews:
Well-Researched
Engaging Narrative
Comprehensive View
Insightful
Beautifully Written
Lengthy
Repetitive
  • #10 Best Seller in U.S. Abolition of Slavery History on Amazon
  • Pulitzer Prize Winner
  • Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner
  • New York Times Bestseller
Recommended by Bethany S. Mandel, Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Brian Lyman and 1 other
Bethany S. MandelThis book was also fantastic and very eye opening
Eddie S. Glaude Jr.I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation. David Blight is brilliant and his new book is absolutely amazing. Check it out
Brian LymanSo yeah, that book is superb. Douglass has been an Admirable Icon for so long that the human being is often lost. I appreciated Bright showing the great achievements next to his daily pleasures and struggles.
Also, I didn’t know how funny Douglass could be
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