| 2025 | Black in Blues | Kirkus Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · 100 Must-Read | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: The Arts | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues | The New Yorker Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Also Recommended | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues: How A Color Tells the Story of My People | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Must-Read Books: Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues: How A Color Tells the Story of My People | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Our Favorite Books | |
| 2025 | Black in Blues: How A Color Tells the Story of My People | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Our Favorite Books: Top 10 | |
| 2023 | South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation | PEN America Literary Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | South to America | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | South to America | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · 100 Must-Read | |
| 2022 | South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Geography & Travel | |
| 2022 | South to America | The New Yorker Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Also Recommended | |
| 2022 | South to America | Esquire Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2022 | South to America: A Journey Below the Mason Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation | Chicago Tribune Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2022 | South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation | Barack Obama's Favorite Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Favorite Books | |
| 2022 | South to America | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | South to America | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | South to America | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | South to America | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2022 | South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon To Understand the Soul of a Nation | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Social Sciences | |
| 2022 | South to America | Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Travel | |
| 2019 | Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry | Lambda Literary Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Nonfiction | |
| 2019 | May We Forever Stand: A History of the Black National Anthem | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Nonfiction | |
| 2019 | Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry | PEN America Literary Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography | |
| 2019 | Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Nonfiction | |
| 2019 | Breathe | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2018 | Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2018 | Looking for Lorraine | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |