660+ African American Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Whether you want to read about African American author's hopes and resilience or their unique struggles, you'll find what you're looking for here.

⭐️ Recommended stories

“The Last Man Kneeling” by Stephanie I

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #242

(*warning; Implied racism and mentions of slavery. *) THE LAST MAN KNEELING The man in the painting was nameless, but he knew three things for certain:1. He was depicted kneeling on a plush red carpet, his face locked in a stern expression as he gazed into the flickering flames of a grand fireplace.2. The artist who had brought him to life and placed him on display was known as Asher Vanderbilt, his elegant signature adorning the bottom of the canvas in golden letters.3. And most importantly - at night, the nameless man would come alive. It ...

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“Two Sides Of The Same Coin” by Dora Acosta

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #140

I remember my childhood in bits and pieces, like framed pictures of specific events that exist independently of all the other memories. There was the time I challenged my brother to a foot race down the steps of the rocky hill on the side of my grandfather’s house. My mother warned us to never run down the hill lest we injure ourselves. But that did not thwart us at all. We waited for her to go to work and proceeded with...

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“Divine Bloodline” by Shannon McGill

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #90

Divine Bloodline “How can you tell the Tree is a girl, Gran?” The shea butter applied to my scalp in neat little rows slid onto my forehead and mixed with beads of sweat as I sat on the front porch between my grandmother’s knees.  Every Sunday, we took my braids down and washed my hair. Then Gran braided it right back up again, greasing my scalp as she went. I can’t imagine a Sunday that...

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“The customer is always right” by Juan Farris

Submitted to Contest #246

The customer is always right “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Benard said with all the conviction his thin frame could muster. He was talking to his colleagues about a recent news headline that they had all been following closely. “The protest doesn’t affect me, so why should I care?” Benard was sharing his rather one-sided social commentary with the rest of the office, occasionally quoting an old movie line to give his argument validity and effect. As more and more people began to gather at the water cooler Benard became increasingl...

15 likes 5 comments 5

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“The Guilt” by Mary Reid

Submitted to Contest #244

“The Guilt” by Mary M Reid “Knock, knock.”  Caught off guard, Mrs. Forde quickly turned around, causing the dish she was washing to slip through her fingers. “Brianna! I wasn’t expecting you today.” “Didn’t mean to startle you,” said Brianna as she planted a kiss on her mother’s cheek. “Elie’s rehearsing for a play so I have some time and thought I’d drop by. Where’s dad?” “We’re having BBQ so he’s heating up the grill. Why don’t you join us,” said Mrs. Forde who was always pleased when her daughter was able to drop by.“Sounds good, tha...

1 like 1 comment 1

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“Three Smiles from Heaven. ” by Markeda Landrum

Submitted to Contest #244

I was so excited to see my cousin at church last Sunday. We are a very close-knit family so he's more like a brother to me. We hugged each other so tight because it seemed like it's been forever since I last saw him. His daughter dropped his Bible on accident and a few photos fell out.  I immediately helped her pick them up, but I could help but notice two particular pictures I don't even remember taking. "Deon" I asked my cousin. "When did we take these pictures?"   He said he couldn't remember but we were all there! I couldn't ho...

6 likes 0 comments 0

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“Memories and Faded Pictures” by Porsche J

Submitted to Contest #244

The strange man stared at Lorraine as she shakily took the picture from his hand. His hazel eyes scared her, the hurt peeking behind the seething anger. She tried to steady her breath long enough to take her eyes off his face and look at the photo trembling in her fingers. Lorraine exhaled, lowered her eyes to study the smiling couple. She saw the strange man, his hazel eyes twinkling with love instead of swimming in hate. He was dressed in a full tuxedo with tails, his now unruly hair, freshly cut low, diamond earring shining in h...

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“Saut d'Eau” by H.e. Ross

Submitted to Contest #244

I left Labadie for the Turks and Caicos Islands spending a year establishing a magazine there with my lovely friend, DianaLou. Every chance I got I was back in Haiti until I finally moved to a loosely situated community called Merger, twenty kilometres south of Port au Prince. It was an ugly little box of a summer cottage I rented but sat on a rectangular acre of land bordered by coconut palms, the railroad tracks and the two lane highway beyond them, a line of thorny shrubbery with fallow farmland on its other side and the sea. I had a brea...

10 likes 1 comment 1

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“Across the Karman Line” by Diego Cota

Submitted to Contest #244

Aiysha could feel her heart rate quickening as she climbed higher into the atmosphere, her pulse echoing in her ears like a distant drumbeat. The sensation of weightlessness began to envelop her as the altitude increased, a subtle but undeniable reminder of the immense power of the world around her. She momentarily shut her eyes, instinctively seeking solace in the darkness behind her eyelids, a momentary respite from the overwhelming rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Inhaling deeply through her facemask, she tasted the stale ai...

12 likes 2 comments 2

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“Grandeedee's Last Stand” by Teirrah McNair

Submitted to Contest #243

I am going to take a chance and tell you something even though Mom says I talk too much. Some things you just can’t keep quiet about and it’s something so scary happened in my house a while ago that I got to tell somebody. We called the police and the fire people and the ambulance and I wanted to call the FBI too but Mom said no. All I got to say is if you got a treasure in your house and it’s worth more than 7900 trillion dollars and something happens to it in the middle of the night you supposed to call Jesus and everybody else too.Before ...

8 likes 1 comment 1

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“Museum of souls” by Judith Green

Submitted to Contest #242

What a beautiful day to have off! It's a good day to take a stroll, something I don't often get to enjoy. I was walking down the city streets of downtown Charleston, South Carolina with nowhere in particular to go when I stumbled across the International African American Museum. I had been hearing about this place often but had yet to visit. The rectangular building was surrounded by bright green grass, palm trees, and had a sidewalk on either side. It looked very inviting. I take a step inside and am awed by the photographs and rich history...

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“The Last Man Kneeling” by Stephanie I

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #242

(*warning; Implied racism and mentions of slavery. *) THE LAST MAN KNEELING The man in the painting was nameless, but he knew three things for certain:1. He was depicted kneeling on a plush red carpet, his face locked in a stern expression as he gazed into the flickering flames of a grand fireplace.2. The artist who had brought him to life and placed him on display was known as Asher Vanderbilt, his elegant signature adorning the bottom of the canvas in golden letters.3. And most importantly - at night, the nameless man would come alive. It ...

27 likes 6 comments 6

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“Not Your Perfect Heist” by Teirrah McNair

Submitted to Contest #242

I don’t know if perfect heist is the best way to frame what I finally accomplished last Thursday.My name is Beans and that’s what I prefer to be called; don’t put a mister or doctor or reverend or any other term of endearment in front of it. Just Beans. Quick history since I know you are wondering. People who read are always nosy as all get up. So, here’s the scoop. Since I was little my daddy used to tell me and everybody who met me that I would never amount to no more than a hill of beans. Then he’d make me wear white starched shirts with ...

12 likes 3 comments 3

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“A Turn of the Tide” by Samuel Jackson

Submitted to Contest #241

A Turn of the Tide Tiberius Jackson Caution: This story contains graphic content and discusses a sensitive social issue. While this story involves two minority groups, I assure you that has been written with the upmost respect towards both parties, and serves as a lesson, not for the parties involved, but hopefully, for all mankind. For the first time in nearly six years, after having beaten the white man at his own political game – through death, uprisings, complex legislature, and historical pillaging, it seems that only now, in these mo...

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“One Night ” by Amber Gordon

Submitted to Contest #241

Maruice grew up with his two childhood friends Danny and Mel, on the west side of Detroit. Living in poverty, in a low-income neighborhood. The three had a lot in common, coming from a broken home, where their mothers were the bread winners and had to work hard just to provide the essentials. The boys tried to find ways to make money the legal way and stay out of trouble. In high school, they wore less expensive clothes, they weren't able to afford the high-priced gym shoes the other kids wore, and that encouraged them look for different way...

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“The Shot Caller” by Omar Scott

Submitted to Contest #241

Every morning when I open my eyes one question looms on my mind, who’s going to try to kill me today. That is the question that every prison Shot Caller faces. My name is Benny Hughes, and I’m serving life in prison. You see I caught my wife in bed with my best friend. I know I could’ve let it go. But fuck that. No way I was going to live in a world where those two were going to stab me in the back and live happily ever after. This was the last time somebody was going to betray me and get away with it. So I tricked those tricks who were tryi...

20 likes 6 comments 6

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“Undivided” by Mykalee Mendenhall

Submitted to Contest #240

1968, End of Civil Rights Movement. (Not intended to cause any offence by usage of Blacks and Whites as terms, they were not only commonly what they called each other and themselves in this time period, but was widely accepted as some of the best terms at the time.)She felt the wind against her back as the door lay open behind her. It was gentle, swirling around the room and causing her hair to tickle her nose until she rubbed it away with her free hand. It stubbornly flew back in her face, resuming the slight irritation, and this time she i...

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“The Shootaround” by Gregg Voss

Submitted to Contest #240

The fire sun overhead warmed the intermittent breeze, which brushed against Jimmy’s cheek in a sultry way that sparked mortal desire, and in turn, his need to be desired.            There she was, at the free throw line, knees slightly bent, the basketball balanced perfectly in her right palm.            Her shooting form was…eloquent.            Better than his, i...

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