In this column from King County Library System, Executive Director Heidi Daniel recommends books across a variety of themes and genres. Learn more at\u00a0<\/em>kcls.org<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n With Black History Month beginning Feb. 1, I wanted to share a selection of books that have helped me learn more about Black history, culture and lived experience.<\/p>\n As a white woman leading a public library system, I come to these recommendations as a learner first, with respect for the voices and perspectives they represent. Working in libraries has broadened my capacity for understanding those with different lived experiences than me, and I am constantly grateful for this expanded perspective.<\/p>\n The books I\u2019m recommending were written by Black authors who bring insight and honesty to their work. Together, they remind us that Black history is not confined to the past or a single month. It is ongoing, complex and essential to understanding the world we navigate today.<\/p>\n I hope readers will approach these books with curiosity and openness, ready to learn and reflect. Reading is one of the simplest \u2014 and most powerful \u2014 ways to expand our understanding, and these voices offer a meaningful place to start or continue a reader\u2019s journey. They certainly did for me.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Trees Testify\u201d<\/strong><\/a> by Beronda L. Montgomery entwines memoir with the Black American experience in this luminous nonfiction work.<\/p>\n As a young science student, the author initially scoffs at an assignment to talk to a tree. However, as she investigates the trees in her environment, she discovers deep connections with both her family\u2019s story and the broader history of her ancestors.<\/p>\n Each chapter highlights a different tree, exploring the various ways in which trees have witnessed the Black experience in this country. The author\u2019s expertise as a plant biologist adds an extra layer of insight into the wonder of trees.<\/p>\n \u201cHappy Land\u201d<\/strong><\/a> by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Perkins-Valdez does a fantastic job of exploring history through compelling fiction, and \u201cHappy Land\u201d is no different.<\/p>\n After years of family estrangement, protagonist Nikki visits her maternal grandmother in the hills of North Carolina. There, she uncovers the reason behind a decades-long rift in her family that dates back to her ancestor Luella, who ruled over a community of free Black people called Happy Land Kingdom.<\/p>\n \n Sign up for our Daily Headlines<\/strong> newsletter \u2014 delivered to your inbox every morning at 7 a.m.\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Thanks!<\/strong> You\u2019re all set.<\/p>\n Watch your inbox for Daily Headlines.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n As readers trace Luella\u2019s story to Nikki\u2019s present, we witness what it means to own land and to feel as if one belongs. Based on true events, this book captivated me with its heartfelt nature and quick-moving narrative.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Vanishing Half\u201d<\/strong><\/a> by Brit Bennett explores the complex emotions behind the American history of passing as another race through the eyes of the Vignes sisters \u2014 identical twins whose paths diverge as teenagers.<\/p>\n After growing up in the South and running away together at 16, one sister returns to their hometown and lives with her Black daughter, while the other secretly assumes the identity of a white woman. The result is a powerful, multigenerational story of family, choice and racial identity. I couldn\u2019t put it down.<\/p>\n