How did your reading go this month? Did you read something that reflected on the legacy and contributions of African Americans? In February, we focused on Black History Month. The 2026 theme per the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the ASALH, is ‘A Century of Black History Commemorations’. What does that mean for us? Well, that means the Online Reading Challenge is focused on making sure we are telling an accurate and inclusive history through the books we recommend. I want to know what you chose to read this month. Share in the comments!

I read our main title: Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi. Freshwater was unlike anything that I have ever read before. It was messy, introspective, yet incredibly ferocious. This autobiographical debut novel focuses on mental illness and what it’s like to live as a fractured self. A young Nigerian woman, Ada, was born ‘with a foot on the other side’. As a result, she develops separate selves within her. How did those separate selves come to be? Well, this novel attempts to explain. Ada was always a source of deep concern for her family since she was born in Nigeria as a troubled baby. Her childhood is splintered between her parents, leading her to become volatile and moody. When she moves to America, her other selves become more prominent to the point that Ada fades into the background more and more frequently. Her life spirals out of control leading down a dangerous road. Told from multiple points of view, Freshwater highlights the many struggles the character goes through with her mental illness, sexual identity, and what makes them feel ‘other’.

Next month, we will be reading about Women’s History Month.

In addition to following the Online Reading Challenge here on our Info Cafe blog, you can join our Online Reading Challenge group on Goodreads and discuss your reads!