Narrow down the type of fiction you would like to read. If you want to read African American fiction in the romance genre you will search differently than for fiction in the mystery genre.
Begin your search at an online literary website such as Project Gutenberg (see "Resources"). This site offers free books to download or read online. This works well if you want to search for a specific title.
Browse titles that fall directly under the category of African American fiction by visiting Daily Lit (See "Resources"). All books listed on these sites are part of the public domain and can be downloaded and distributed.
Expand your search for African American fiction by running a search for the genre of fiction you are hope to read. For example, if you want to look for young adult fiction, enter the search term "African American Young Adult Fiction Online". Several results you receive will be for purchasing books, but you can write down the titles and browse for free versions.
Visit a compendium of online African American fiction such as TimBookTu (See "Resources"). This site allows users to submit fiction and poetry to share with readers. Sites similar to this will introduce readers to new authors they would not otherwise find in bookstores.
Search for the personal websites of African American authors. These sites often have original stories, excerpts from their work, or even full books online. These sites also have recommendations of similar works that you may be interested in.