Power Read 25 begins with a simple truth: the story of this country is incomplete without the stories of Black women.

Their lives have shaped movements, communities, and generations, yet too often their names are left out of the national conversation. This initiative, created by Unerased, Black Women Speak, gathers twenty‑five biographies that stretch across centuries and invites people everywhere to read them together. It is a national effort rooted in care, memory, and the belief that reading can bring us closer to one another.

The collection includes women whose names are widely known and women whose legacies have been overlooked. It spans eras of resistance, creativity, leadership, and quiet courage. Each biography becomes a doorway into a fuller understanding of American history, and each reading circle becomes a place where people can connect across age, background, and experience. Power Read 25 is not only about books. It is about belonging, recognition, and the shared work of honoring lives that have shaped the world we live in.

The Inaugural Power Read 25

Celebrating Black Women Through Biography

People can join this movement in ways that feel natural and welcoming. A neighborhood book club can choose one biography and read it slowly, meeting in living rooms, libraries, or community centers. Teachers can bring a title into their classrooms and let students explore the story together.

Families can choose a book to read across generations, passing it from hand to hand. Churches, civic groups, and local organizations can host public conversations that make space for reflection and learning. Even reading alone becomes a form of participation, because every reader helps carry these stories forward.

Power Read 25 also encourages communities to build their own traditions around the initiative. Some may host author talks or storytelling nights. Others may create youth reading circles using companion titles designed for younger readers. Many will share their reflections online, adding their voices to a growing chorus of people celebrating Black women’s lives. The hope is that these stories travel far beyond the page, inspiring conversations about justice, identity, democracy, and the kind of future we want to build together.

At its heart, Power Read 25 is an act of remembrance and an act of possibility. It reminds us that biography can be a civic tool—something that helps us understand where we come from and imagine where we can go. It invites us to slow down, to listen, and to honor the women whose lives have shaped our collective story. And it offers a way for communities across the country to read with intention, with curiosity, and with care.

Learn more by visiting unerasedbws.com, and watch videos at www.youtube.com/@unerasedbws.