Expo brings book
publishers together
by
Kelly Starling Lyons
Originally Published in the New Pittsburgh Courier
Washington�Roland Barksdale-Hall
stood in an aisle of the African American Pavilion at BookExpo America and
smiled as he gazed at the scene around him.
On one side, award-winning publisher
Just Us Books displayed titles that celebrated the beauty of Black children.
On the other,
Amber Communications Group Inc., the king of African-American self-help
books, showcased a new book and other empowering releases. A walk down the rows
of Black publishers and industry professionals revealed literary legends like
Third World Press and emerging giants like African American Literature Book
Club (aalbc.com).
Here, in this welcoming space of the cavernous Washington Convention Center in
D.C., they united as one.
�I was so proud of African-American publishers coming together,� said
Barksdale-Hall of Sharon, who was there to promote his latest book,
The African American
Family�s Guide to Tracing Our Roots: Healing, Understanding and Restoring Our
Families (Amber Books, $14.95). �There was harmony there, community. I just
felt good all around.�
Two weeks ago, BEA, billed as the largest publishing event in the nation, hosted
more than 2,000 exhibitors who networked and debuted their newest titles. In the
African American Pavilion, the pulse of business flowed. But also something more
was at work. In the booths filled with Black authors and publishers, in the
faces of Black booksellers and professionals, you could see the signs of change
and hope.
�The Black pavilion showcases Black power,� said Bennett J. Johnson, vice
president of Third World Press, home to blockbuster
The Covenant with Black America.
Four years ago, just a handful of Black publishers exhibited at BEA, remembered
Tony Rose, CEO of Amber Communications Group Inc. They were spread out from each
other, invisible in a crowded floor of white publishers.
In 2004, Rose, Adrienne Ingrum, former associate publisher of
Black
Issues Book Review and Niani Colom of
Genesis Press, created the
African American Pavilion. That first year, fifteen exhibitors banded
together. This year, there were 38.
�The response has been phenomenal,� said Rose, founder of Amber Books. �We were
seen. People made money. We raised the visibility of Black publishers, authors
and industry professionals at BookExpo America.�
The highlights this year included an opening reception sponsored by Karibu Books
and a Saturday awards program that featured speakers like Third World Press
publisher and best-selling poet and author
Haki
Madhubuti and networking guru George Fraser.
The spirit of the pavilion thrived in quiet moments too. Publishers proudly
displayed their offerings. Booksellers complimented the quality and variety of
new books by Black authors. People hugged, offered support and encouragement.
�The African American Pavilion is critical because it seeks out and brings
together Black book publishers, bookstores, distributors, agents, editors and
other professionals�all of whom are integral to the development and distribution
of Black books, but were previously underrepresented at Book Expo America,� said
Katura Hudson, marketing director of Just Us Books. �It not only serves as a
marketplace, but a meeting place. Now that we have the Pavilion, anyone at BEA
who�s looking for books written by, about or for people of African descent,
knows exactly where to go.�
There are still obstacles to achieving parity in the publishing world.
�Getting books to the market place is perhaps the biggest challenge faced by
African-American publishers,� said Wade Hudson, president and CEO of Just Us
Books. �There are so many books published each year and those books compete for
shelf space and recognition. Only a small percentage of the titles published
will get a chance in the market place. Another major challenge faced by
African-American publishers and small, independent publishers as well, is having
sufficient capital to publish, promote and market their titles.�
But Rose said the African American Pavilion is proof of progress. When his
company first started attending BEA in 1998, he said, just one to two percent of
exhibitors were Black. Now it�s about seven percent. What does he see in the
future?
�More growth, more exhibitors,� he said. �We�ll become one of the largest
pavilions there.�
Barksdale-Hall said he puffed out his chest to know that Rose, his publisher,
helped make this happen.
�I felt like I was in a palace, like this experience happening to me was out of
a fairy tale,� said Barksdale-Hall, who co-founded the Afro-American Historical
and Genealogical Society of Pittsburgh and has been working on this genealogy
book for 25 years. The journey here started after his parents passed away while
he was a student at Pitt. Researching and writing the book helped bring meaning
to his suffering, he said.
At BEA, Barksdale-Hall said he felt like he came full circle. Once, he was
standing in line to get an autographed book from featured authors. Now, there
were people clamoring for his.
Related Links
More About the African American Pavilion at BEA 2006
http://events.aalbc.com/aap_bea_2006.htm
Kelly Starling Lyons official homepage
http://www.kellystarlinglyons.com/
