Happy birthday 44th President Barack Obama! Born in Hawaii, August 4, 1961, to a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya, and raised with the help of his grandparents. Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States, elected in November 2008 and held the office for two terms. A prolific reader, he authored the following books:
Here is Barack Obama’s 2026 Summer Reading List:
Belated happy birthday Ross Gay! Born August 1, Ross Gay is an African American poet, essayist, and professor of English at Indiana University who won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for his 2014 book Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, which was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry. Ross Gay is interested in joy. He wants to understand joy. He is curious about joy. He studies joy. Here are some of his notable works:
Read some of Ross Gay’s poems here:
Heavenly happy birthday James Baldwin! Born August 2, 1924, James Arthur Baldwin was an African American writer and civil rights activist who garnered acclaim for his essays, novels, plays, and poems. His 1953 novel Go Tell It on the Mountain has been ranked by Time magazine as one of the top 100 English-language novels. He died in 1987. His authored other notable works:
Read some of his poetry here:
Happy birthday Tomi Adeyemi! Born August 1, Tomi Adeyemi was name one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Tomi Adeyemi is a Hugo- and Nebula Award-winning writer, speaker, and model based in New York, New York. She is best known for her Children of Blood and Bone, book 1 in an Orisha trilogy.
Belated happy birthday Farai Chideya! Born July 27, Farai Chideya is an African American novelist, multimedia journalist, and radio host. Farai states: “I listen critically to stories about our human journey, and track the data on people, governments, and our global society.” Here are a few of her works:
Heavenly belated birthday wishes Chester Himes! Born July 29, 1909, Chester Himes Chester Bomar Himes was an African American writer. His works, some of which have been filmed, include If He Hollers Let Him Go, published in 1945, and Cotton Comes to Harlem. He died in 1984.
Happy birthday Renee Watson! Born July 29, Renee Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with over one million books sold. TIME named Watson a 2026 Visionary, honoring her commitment to helping children and young people reach their full potential. Renee Watson was among the first authors invited to give a reading at the Obama Presidential Center. Renee Watson is best known for her Newbery Medal winning All the Blues in the Sky and New York Times bestselling young adult novel Piecing Me Together. Watson was among the first authors invited to give a reading at the Obama Presidential Center.
Heavenly belated birthday wishes Austin Clarke! Born July 26, 1934, Austin Ardinel Chesterfield “Tom” Clarke, CM OOnt, was a Barbadian novelist, essayist, and short story writer who was based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Among his notable books are novels such as The Polished Hoe, memoirs including Membering, and two collections of poetry, Where the Sun Shines Best and In Your Crib. He died in 2016.
Belated birthday wishes R. Gregory Christie! Born July 26, R. Gregory Christie is a phenomenal award-winning children’s author and illustrator. He has illustrated numerous books and won numerous awards! Here are just a few of his award-winning works:
Heavenly belated birthday wishes Charles S. Johnson! Born July 24, 1893, Charles Spurgeon Johnson was an American sociologist and college administrator, the first black president of historically black Fisk University, and a lifelong advocate for racial equality and the advancement of civil rights for African Americans and all ethnic minorities. He died in 1956. His notable academic works include:
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