Bible Gateway Blog

If you’re looking for something to read in honor of Black History Month, look no further than some of the newest releases by Christian African-American authors published by Zondervan. From Olympians, to doctors, to inspirational figures, pastors, journalists, and performers, everyone in the family is sure to find something to inspire, educate, and encourage.

[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, Black History: Africa in the Bible]

Courage to Soar by Simone Biles

Simone Biles’ entrance into the world of gymnastics may have started on a daycare field trip in her hometown of Spring, Texas, but her God-given talent, passion, and perseverance have made her one of the top gymnasts in the world, as well as a four-time winner of Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro.

In Courage to Soar, a #1 New York Times bestseller, Olympic gold medalist and World Champion gymnast Simone Biles gives readers an inspiring and never-before-seen look at her life. It was written with New York Times bestselling author Michelle Burford, and features a foreword by Mary Lou Retton.

Chasing Grace by Sanya Richards-Ross

“For as long as I can remember, life has been measured in seconds. The fewer, the better.” ~Sanya Richards-Ross

Most people equate success with having more, but Sanya’s quest was always for less. She started running track as a little girl in Jamaica and began competing when she was only seven. At 31 she’s had a career’s worth of conditioning to run a 400-meter race in 50 seconds, hopefully 49, or even better, 48.

Now in Chasing Grace, five-time Olympic medalist Sanya Richards-Ross shares triumphant and heartbreaking stories as she tells of her journey to becoming a world-class runner. Sanya helps you learn how to run your best race and live your best life.

She’s Still There by Chrystal Evans Hurst

What’s a woman to do if her life is not taking shape the way that she thought that it would? What happens when she looks at herself in the mirror, lingering just a little longer than usual and realizes that she no longer recognizes the person staring back at her? What does she do when she sees that, somehow, her life has drifted away from all her original hopes, dreams, or plans?

In She’s Still There, Chrystal Evans Hurst shares poignant personal stories as she offers an outstretched hand and the assurance that you can still be the woman God gifted you to be. Chrystal co-authored the best-selling book, Kingdom Woman, with her father Dr. Tony Evans. She reaches a wide audience speaking at conferences, sharing on her blog, Chrystal’s Chronicles, writing for Proverbs 31 Ministries, and by teaching and leading women in her home church.

Truth Doesn’t Have a Side by Dr. Bennet Omalu

Truth Doesn’t Have a Side follows the journey of neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu, who uncovered the truth about brain damage in American football players, and his battle against those who would silence him. An incredible story that could change the course of sports culture. Foreword by Will Smith, star of the major motion picture Concussion.

Dr. Omalu is a Nigerian-American neuropathologist who discovered and named chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American football players, other athletes, and military veterans. He is the chief medical examiner of San Joaquin County, California, and a clinical professor at the University of California, Davis. His story is told in the major motion picture Concussion, starring Will Smith.

Day Dreams & Movie Screens by Alena Pitts with Wynter Pitts

Eleven-year-old Lena Daniels’ summer of Hollywood starlets and movie filming alongside her favorite singer, Mallory Winston, is over. But just as she begins to wonder if her summer was all just a dream, her world is turned upside down . . . again! Her movie Above the Waters premiers, the previews seem to be splattered on every television and radio channel, and everyone knows her name. Her classmates, strangers, and even her friends are starting to treat her differently, and everywhere she turns she’s being asked for an autograph, a picture, or a hug. As you read Day Dreams & Movie Screens, you’ll see how she learns to navigate this sudden popularity and say yes to God.

Author, actress, and model Alena Pitts, best known for her role in the hit movie War Room, has released her second title in the popular Lena in the Spotlight FaithGirlz Series, titled Day Dreams & Movie Screens. Co-written with her mother, Wynter Pitts, founder of For Girls Like You Magazine, the novel transforms the concepts of faith, family, and following your dreams into important life lessons.

Madison Park: A Place of Hope by Eric Motley

Welcome to Madison Park, a place of self-determination, hope, and the American dream. And meet Eric Motley, raised in this remarkable Alabama community founded by freed slaves; a place that taught him everything he needed to know on his journey to becoming Special Assistant to President George W. Bush at the Oval Office.

Eric grew up among people whose belief was to “give” and never turn away from your neighbor’s need. As you read Madison Park, you’ll meet some of those people who had a significant impact on Eric’s life and faith. Life in Madison Park wasn’t always easy or fair, and Motley reveals personal and heartbreaking stories of racial injustice and segregation. But Eric shows how the community taught him everything he needed to know about love and faith. Foreword by Walter Isaacson.

How to Fix a Broken Record by Amena Brown

Your soul holds a massive record collection: melodies, rhythms, and bass lines. Memories that ask you to dance and memories that haunt you in a minor key. Lies that become soundtracks to your days while truths play too softly to be heard.

No matter how many scratches, breaks, or sorry repeats are in your past, you can find healing. In the soulful style of her acclaimed spoken word poetry, Amena Brown offers humor, story, and a good dose of heart in How to Fix a Broken Record. Amena performs and speaks at events from coffeehouses to arenas. Enjoy a taste of her God-honoring spoken word poetry here.

Reflections by Rosa Parks with Gregory J. Reed

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She was not trying to start a movement. She was simply tired of the social injustice. Yet, her simple act of courage started a chain of events that forever shaped the landscape of American race relations.

Including historic and beautiful pictures, Reflections by Rosa Parks, co-authored by prominent attorney and bestselling author Gregory J. Reed, is a collection of Mrs. Parks’s own words on topics like dealing with fear, facing injustice, developing character and determination, faith in God, and her hope for the future.

Wholeness by Touré Roberts

We can’t always choose the experiences that keep us from being whole, but we can take control of our lives today and bring healing to any broken area.

In Wholeness, pastor and international speaker Touré Roberts gives encouragement to anyone wanting more in life. Through insight gained from personal experience and years of pastoring, he teaches you how to be transformed wholly on the inside to live abundantly on the outside. Foreword by T. D. Jakes.

Raised by a single mom, narrowly escaping the trappings of inner city life, and finding success in corporate America, Touré Roberts is founding pastor of The Potter’s House at One LA, one of the fastest growing churches in Los Angeles, and senior pastor of The Potter’s House of Denver.

The World is Awake by Linsey Davis

This is the day the Lord has made.
A butterfly floats through the sun and the shade,
while dragonflies flit past the flowers and trees
and grasshoppers hop in the soft morning breeze.

Emmy award-winning journalist and ABC News correspondent Linsey Davis has teamed up with Zonderkidz to create an inspiring new picture book that encourages children to celebrate and be thankful for the everyday blessings of life.

Coming Soon: Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down by Ida Keeling

In Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down, which will be available before the end of the month, you’ll meet Ida Keeling, a 101-year-old, world-record-holding runner (who is still running, by the way), who now shares her story to inspire you to keep going, keep running, and keep holding tight to God.

Ida Potter Keeling is a mother, activist, and runner. Miss Ida, as she is known in her Bronx community, grew up the child of immigrants during the Depression. She began working to help provide for her family at age 12. After her husband passed, she raised her four children alone in a single bedroom apartment while serving as an active member in the Civil Rights movement. She started running at age 67 as a way to deal with her grief following the murders of her two sons.

Coming Soon: Right on Track by Sanya Richards-Ross

In her third book published by Zondervan, Olympic gold-medalist Sanya Richards-Ross empowers teens to take charge in shaping their personal futures. In Right on Track: Run, Race, Believe, Richards-Ross shares her advice and experiences with teens on what it takes to achieve impossible dreams, stay grounded in the face of success, and take wins and losses in stride.

Off the track, Sanya is an entrepreneur, TV personality, public speaker, and humanitarian. She designs and executes sports clinics across the United States to educate, empower, and teach youth with tools and strategies to excel both on and off the track.

Black History Month gives us an opportunity to remember how African-Americans have shaped and continue to shape this nation for good. Take some time this month to start reading one or more of these books or others written by influential Christians of color.