5 Black Fiction Books for Juneteenth + Watch Party Updates
Join Us Tonight!
Happy Juneteenth!
We have so much to discuss! I’m excited for our Watch Party tonight. We’re watching Within Our Gates, a foundational piece of Black cinema by Oscar Micheaux. During this meetup, we’ll also talk about which movies from the curriculum we’re most excited to watch. That’ll help us figure out what we want to prioritize.
Weekly Watch Parties
It feels like it has been a long time since our last Watch Party on June 5, and I don’t love that. So, we are going to have them on a weekly basis and everyone can just catch the ones they are most interested in.
Watch Parties will now happen every Thursday night at 8 PM EST.
Here’s the upcoming schedule. You can also click here to add the BFU calendar to your Google Calendar, so you’ll always be in the loop about our next watch party and discussion and have quick access to links and event details.
If you are adding the calendar on your phone, please download the Google Calendar app first. The link will prompt you to login in the browser and once you are logged in, it will automatically open the app and add the BFU calendar. 🗓️ Add Calendar
Up Next…
It’s Time to Talk About Tyler Perry – June 26
Watch Party: Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story (Streaming on Amazon Prime)
This documentary follows Perry’s journey from childhood trauma to building a creative empire. It explores the man behind the Madea mask and the media mogul who built one of the largest Black-owned studios in the country.
Discussion: Tyler Perry’s career and his impact on the film and television industry, including both the praise and the criticism. We will also discuss his most recent release Straw.
Films to Watch in Advance:
Six Triple Eight
The Jazzman’s Blues.
Trading Places and the an Eddie Murphy Deep Dive– July 3
Watch Party: Trading Places
A sharp social satire wrapped in 80s comedy, this film pairs Murphy with Dan Aykroyd in a role-switching plot that explores race, class, and capitalism in America.
Discussion: A deep dive into Eddie Murphy’s filmography and legacy.
Films to Watch in Advance:
48hrs
Coming to America
Harlem Nights
Also please watch these two interviews prior to the discussion:
Unpacking Jordan Peele – July 10
Watch Party: Get Out
I know most of us have seen it before, but it’s been a minute. Watching it live together with the chat going will allow us to catch new things and rethink old ones. The way current events shape our perspectives can lead to new interpretations of the film.
Discussion: Peele’s unique filmmaking style and why his films invite (and reward) so much online discourse and analysis.
Films to Watch in Advance:
Us
Nope
Candyman
BlackKKlansman
American Fiction Recap
We didn’t record our post-watch discussion, but I pulled a few key takeaways from the chat that stuck with me (Thank you Tam for remembering to download the transcript!)
1. The Emotional and Familial Burden on Black Women
“Ugh, the sister is always the default caretaker. They got this dynamic right.”
“No for real, I had to start calling my parents out on that because why should I be responsible for my grown sibling?”
“Sadly that is the story for a lot of older sisters and then things fall apart when they’re gone.”
American Fiction captures how responsibility too often lands on Black women, especially eldest daughters, who are expected to hold families together.
2. The Complexity of 'Selling Out' vs. Survival in Creative Industries
“We don’t want to play into the stereotype but we also want to get paid. And we live in a society where we have to get paid, or we can’t live.”
“That’s the ‘Tyler Perry dilemma.’”
“The only way he can ‘do it all’ is if he doesn’t put his name on it… He’ll be typecast.”
The film explores the moral and artistic compromises Black artists often have to make. It's a tightrope walk between creative integrity and professional survival.
3. The Importance of Nuanced Representation
“Another bomb drop”
“Right, which is really how background information should be revealed instead of straight up exposition. Feels more natural that way.”
“Yuuup. Gotta write the nuance of every character to make them real.”
We all agreed that layered, emotionally grounded storytelling like this should be the standard. These characters felt real because they were written with care, contradiction, and subtlety.
After the movie, we decided to read Erasure by Percival Everett, the book that inspired American Fiction. You can jump into the conversation anytime via the Substack chat under the Erasure chapter threads:
5 Black Fiction Books in Honor of Juneteenth
1. Beloved by Toni Morrison
I read this book after watching The Pieces I Am, Morrison’s documentary on Netflix. (Friendly reminder: it’s leaving Netflix after June 30.) Beloved is heartbreaking but essential. Morrison's prose is powerful and poetic, confronting generational trauma in a way only she can.
“It’s going to hurt now,” said Amy. “Anything dead coming back to life hurts.”
That quote alone is reason enough to get into it.
2. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
This is our current book club pick. I haven’t started yet, but hearing Sterling K. Brown describe it made me instantly intrigued. It follows an 11-year-old boy who escapes slavery and goes on a global journey of discovery, identity, and survival.
The novel is also being adapted into an eight-episode limited series by Hulu, premiering July 23, 2025. Brown stars as Medwin Harris mentor to the young George Washington “Wash” Black, and serves as an executive producer. The series promises a powerful and visually rich retelling of Wash’s journey from slavery in Barbados to freedom across continents. The premise sounds very intriguing but please take a minute to listen to Sterling K. Brown talk about the story, I promise it seals the deal!
Watch full interview here: Sterling K. Brown Interview
3. Indigo by Beverly Jenkins
Set during the time of the Underground Railroad, this historical romance centers on Hester Wyatt, an abolitionist with a past of her own, and Galen Vachon, a mysterious man who lands on her doorstep wounded and hunted. Their story is passionate and full of historical depth. Jenkins makes you fall in love and learn something at the same time.
4. Kindred by Octavia Butler
Still bitter that the show got canceled. This novel follows Dana, a Black woman in 1976 who is suddenly pulled back in time to a plantation in antebellum Maryland. As she tries to survive and understand why she was sent there, she grapples with the terrifying reality of slavery and how it’s connected to her own bloodline. It’s gripping, terrifying, and incredibly smart.
5. The Coming by Daniel Black
This was my first Daniel Black book, and it won’t be my last. The Coming is told from the collective voice of enslaved Africans during the Middle Passage. Black’s prose feels easy to read and intelligent all at once. After finishing this, I immediately added The Perfect Song, Isaac’s Storm, and Don’t Cry for Me to my TBR.
Wishing you a safe, reflective, and joyful Juneteenth. I hope today offers a moment to celebrate our stories and rest in community. I’m looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming virtual watch parties and discussions; your voice and presence make these conversations so much richer 🖤
Always,
Jourdan M.
I love that it's weekly now! I did find myself wishing there was another screening last week 😂 Looking forward to tonight!
Hi. I'm new and am interested in joining the community. 🙂