| 2024 | Let Us Descend | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2024 | Let Us Descend | Aspen Words Literary Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Barnes & Noble Book of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Book of the Year | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Kirkus Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Historical Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · 100 Must-Read | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | The New Yorker Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Also Recommended | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Vogue Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Oprah's Book Club source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Book Club Selection | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | The Irish Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books of the Year | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Paste Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Library Journal Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Literary Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend: A Novel | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Must-Read Books: Fiction | |
| 2023 | Let Us Descend | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Fiction | |
| 2019 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Dayton Literary Peace Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Aspen Words Literary Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Women's Prize for Fiction source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Kirkus Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Los Angeles Times Book Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · 10 Best Books | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Esquire Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Mint Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Vogue Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books: Top Ten | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Entertainment Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing: A Novel | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Barack Obama's Favorite Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Favorite Books | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Barnes & Noble Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Los Angeles Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Paste Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2017 | Sing, Unburied, Sing | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 10 | |
| 2016 | The Fire This Time | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2016 | The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2016 | The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2016 | The Fire This Time | Paste Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2014 | Men We Reaped | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Nonfiction | |
| 2014 | Men We Reaped: A Memoir | Dayton Literary Peace Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Autobiography | |
| 2013 | Salvage the Bones | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped | Chicago Tribune Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2013 | The Men We Reaped | BookPage Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped | Vulture / New York Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped: A Memoir | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped: A Memoir | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2013 | Men We Reaped: A Memoir | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 10 | |
| 2012 | Salvage the Bones | Alex Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Adult Books for Teens | |
| 2012 | Salvage the Bones | Dayton Literary Peace Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2012 | Salvage the Bones | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2012 | Salvage the Bones | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2011 | Salvage the Bones | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Fiction | |
| 2011 | Salvage The Bones | Paste Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2011 | Salvage the Bones | Washington Post Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Notable Fiction | |
| 2009 | Where the Line Bleeds | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |