Recommended by Jason Reynolds on PBS NewsHour

“Don’t think for one minute that Black Imagination is easy. As you will read here, it is hard-earned and sometimes dangerous, but it’s necessary, and radical, to claim and work towards. Listening to my people in this book gave me so much life, and I’m pretty sure, dear reader, you’re in for the same.” (From the foreword by Steven Dunn)

“Witnessing is sacred work too. Seeing ourselves as whole and healthy is an act of pure rebellion in a world so titillated by our constant subjugation,” reflects viral curator Natasha Marin, on Black Imagination.

This dynamic collection of Black voices, performed by Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor, rapper, and producer Daveed Diggs and Emmy Award-winning writer, creator, producer, and actor Lena Waithe, works like an incantation of origin, healing, and imagination.

Born from a series of conceptual art exhibitions, the perspectives gathered here are nowhere near monochromatic. “Craving nuance over stereotype, we sought out Black children, Black youth, LGBTQ+ Black folks, unsheltered Black folks, incarcerated Black folks, neurodivergent Black folks, as well as differently-abled Black folks.” Each insists on their own variance and challenges every listener to witness for themselves that Black Lives (and Imaginations) Matter.

"A first step toward freeing ourselves." (Gloria Steinem)

"I've never felt the physical feeling of pages melting in my hands or chapters folding themselves into squadrons of Black airplanes flying to freedom because I've never experienced an art object like Black Imagination." (Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy)

“Black Imagination required Natasha Marin to curate as a curate in the medieval sense - a spiritual guide that cares for souls... We are challenged to move beyond the abject, beyond pure pessimism, on the wings of a different criticality... 'visioning a world where none is lonely, none hunted, alien'.”(Christian Campbell, author of Running the Dusk)

"Defiantly hopeful... think Soul Train Line, think The Stroll, think the joyous striving with language for the possibilities of safety and hope.” (Kwame Dawes, author of Nebraska)

Cover art by Vanessa German.