National Reading Circle
Classic Works & Scholarly Literature Highlighting Women of Color
The National Reading Circle engages members of Delta Sigma Theta, friends and families to participate in annual reading opportunities, featuring books selected by the DREF Sister Scholars Advisory Council.
The National Reading Circle was revived in a virtual event to discuss Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson in 2021 and celebrated Women’s History month with a Literary Jam fundraising event highlighting Just As I Am, by Cicely Tyson in March 2022.
In 2023 the book selection was Bertha Maxwell-Roddey: A Modern-Day Race Women and the Power of Black Leadership written by DREF Sister Scholar Dr. Sonya Ramsey. The 2024 Spring book discussion First Ladies written by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray was recorded and available to review now in the News section on this site.
The Fall/Winter virtual book discussion on December 3, 2024 featured Shirley Chisholm in Her Own Words: Speeches and Writings Edited by Zinga A. Fraser, Ph.D.
The DREF Sister Scholars National Reading Circle Book Committee is encouraging our young Sorors to read more. So, we invited the Midwest Regional Representative, Ms. Ryleigh Clayborn, to share her favorite books that would be of interest to our Delta Dolls! In collaboration with the Sister Scholars Advisory Council, this list is carefully curated for young readers’ education and pleasure.
The Sister Scholars Advisory Council proudly shared the 2025-2026 Winter Reading List, full of several selections that resonated over the last several months. See the archived list below.
2026 Summer Reading List
- A Love Song for Ricki Wilde – A free-spirited florist from a wealthy Atlanta family moves to Harlem to open a flower shop, where she meets and falls for a mysterious musician, leading to a magical, modern-day fairy tale with elements of voodoo and the Harlem Renaissance – Tia Williams
- A Pair of Aces – A historical fiction novel set in 1930s New York City, about an unlikely alliance between a prosecutor and a madam to take down mob boss Lucky Luciano – Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
- Allegedly – A young adult (YA) fiction novel follows a teenage girl accused of murder as she navigates life in a group home, dealing with the trauma of her past and the mystery surrounding the crime – Tiffany D. Jackson
- American Ghoul – A historical horror novel that blends social commentary and buddy comedy, following a newly freed Black woman, Lavinia, and a vampire, Simone, in post-Civil War America as they form an unlikely friendship and travel north, with Lavinia acting as Simone’s “ghoul” – Michelle McGill-Vargas
- Be Mine Forever – A contemporary romance novel about Jo Walsh, who has a long-standing crush on the brooding artist Cameron Mitchell, and their push-and-pull relationship as they navigate his past trauma and her desire for commitment – Kennedy Ryan
- Hold You Down – A historical fiction novel set in 1980s and 1990s Harlem, focusing on two close-knit sisters, Mercy and Lenox, as they raise their sons amidst the crack epidemic – Tracy Brown
- Lead to Win: How to Be a Powerful… Leader – A leadership book that provides a framework for becoming a powerful, impactful leader by focusing on intentionality, authenticity, and building trust, especially during the transition from individual contributor to leader – Carla A. Harris
- Reel – A contemporary romance about Broadway actress Neevah Saint and famous film director Canon Holt, whose forbidden attraction and professional lives collide when he casts her in a major biopic, forcing them to navigate scandal, ambition, and love – Kennedy Ryan
- The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates – A memoir by Wes Moore that tells the parallel stories of two young men from Baltimore who share the same name but have drastically different life paths: one becomes a Rhodes Scholar and successful businessman, while the other is serving a life sentence for murder. The book explores how similar backgrounds—including poverty, single-parent households, and academic struggles—can lead to different outcomes based on the choices made and the influence of mentors and community – Wes Moore
- The Year of Yes (10th. Anniversary Edition) is an expanded version of the original best seller featuring new chapters, a new foreword, and more stories about her journey from an introvert to embracing life by saying “yes” – Shonda Rhimes
PREVIOUS SELECTIONS
2025-2026 DREF FALL/WINTER READING LIST
- The Paradox of Black Wealth: Three Generations of Black Families in America– Cecilia A. Conrad, John Whitehead, Patrick L. Mason, and James Stewart
The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap – Mehrsa Baradaran - On the Economy of Words: Communication, Capitalism, and Innovation–
Sarah Brouillette - Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities– Andre M. Perry
- The Double Shift: Working Mothers and the Future of the American Family– Angela Garbes
- Black Women, Black Love: America’s War on African American Marriage– Dianne M. Stewart
- The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table– Minda Harts
- The Sum of Us– Heather McGhee
Children’s Books
- Money Hungry –Sharon G. Flake(Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books)
- Begging for Change –Sharon G. Flake
- Reach for the Stars– Michele Cho-Dorado
Objective
There are three major objectives of The Center’s National Reading Circle:
- To educate readers about the important contributions made by African American women
- To support the African American authors who have written classic work and/or scholarly literature
- To motivate the readers to engage in activism that will create possibilities and improve lives for women and their families
For more information contact Dr. Antoinette M. Rogers, Director of Programs, at arogers@deltafoundation.net.