The Awakening (1899) by Kate Chopin is a landmark feminist novel that explores the journey of a wealthy white woman from Louisiana as she embarks on a dangerous quest for self-discovery. The book critiques the rigid societal norms that confine women to roles of marriage and motherhood as their sole means of fulfillment.

The Souls of Black Folk (1903) by W. E. B. DuBois stands as a seminal work in African-American cultural history. Through this collection of essays, DuBois presents his significant theory of "double consciousness," explaining the inner conflict African-Americans face in reconciling their black and American identities.

Zora Neale Hurston's Mules and Men, published in 1935, was her second book and marked the first compilation of African-American folklore to be published in the United States.

David Levering Lewis' When Harlem Was in Vogue (1981) offers a comprehensive historical analysis of the Harlem Renaissance. Lewis examines the contributions of the key writers, artists, and intellectuals involved in the movement.

Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye (1970) tells the story of a young black girl who becomes obsessed with having blue eyes and blonde hair. Influenced by society's definition of beauty as white, she grows to loathe her own black features, leading to tragic outcomes.

Richard Wright's Native Son (1940) powerfully illustrates how the oppressive conditions of Chicago shape the destiny of Bigger Thomas, a young black man who is driven to fulfill the worst fears of racist whites.