America’s 100 Bestselling Black Authors of 2025

Authors are ranked by total print sales. Compiled by AALBC using BookScan data. Discover America’s bestselling books written by Black writers.

#1

Percival Everett

Percival Everett

Percival Everett, a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California.

#2

Kamala Harris

Kamala D. Harris, Author, U.S. Vice President, and Attorney

#3

Kimberly D. Moore

Kimberly D. Moore

Dr. Kimberly D. Moore, a native of Abbeville, SC, is...

#4

Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler

Butler was the first science fiction writer to be awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship.

#5

Rachel Renée Russell

Rachel Renée Russell

Rachel Renee Russell, Attorney, Author of the bestselling Dork Diaries series.

#6

Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison: One of America’s Most Beloved Writers. A Nobel Prize-Winning Author

#7

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell is an acclaimed English-Canadian journalist and author.

#8

Jason Reynolds

Jason Reynolds, an acclaimed author and professor, aims to engage readers, especially young boys, with his exciting books.

#9

Kennedy Ryan

Kennedy Ryan, an award-winning author, uses her work to empower women.

#10

Bell Hooks

bell hooks, Author, Cultural Critic, Feminist Theorist

#11

James McBride

James McBride is a celebrated author and musician.

#12

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady, Michelle Obama

#13

Sharon M. Draper

Sharon M. Draper

Sharon M. Draper, Award Winning Children's Book Author

#14

James Baldwin

James Baldwin, Author, Playwright, Poet and Activist

#15

Michael Harriot

Michael Harriot

Michael Harriot is a renowned poet, journalist, and broadcaster, currently...

#16

S. A. Cosby

Shawn A. Cosby, an Anthony Award-winning writer from Southeastern Virginia,...

#17

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Award Winning Nigeria Author

#18

Colson Whitehead

Colson Whitehead

Colson Whitehead, born in 1969, is an acclaimed writer who...

#19

Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston

“One of the greatest writers of our time.” —Toni Morrison

#20

Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson, author of young adult, children's literature and poetry

#21

Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah, a successful African comedian and host of the...

#22

Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray are co-authors of bestselling books

#23

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Johnson on April 4, 1928, was...

#24

Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry, Author and Playwright

#25

N. K. Jemisin

Nora K. Jemisin, born in 1972, is a renowned speculative...

#26

Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas, a Mississippi-based author, gained fame with her debut...

#27

Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson - Author and Journalist

#28

Vashti Harrison

Vashti Harrison

Vashti Harrison, Author, Illustrator and Filmmaker

#29

Tananarive Due

Tananarive Due, American Book Award-winning author of nine books, holds...

#30

Tina Knowles

Tina Knowles is an American businesswoman, fashion designer, art collector, and activist.

#31

Sister Souljah

Sister Souljah (Lisa Williamson), Wife, Author, Recording Artist and Activist

#32

Snoop Dogg

Calvin Broadus, known as Snoop Dogg, is a renowned rapper from Long Beach, California.

#33

Tia Williams

Tia Williams, hailed as a style insider, is a renowned...

#34

r.h. Sin

Reuben Holmes, known as r.h. Sin, is a New York...

#35

Nikole Hannah-Jones

Nikole Hannah-Jones

Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and creator of the landmark 1619 Project.

#36

Tomi Adeyemi

Tomi Adeyemi, a Nigerian-American author and creative writing coach, is...

#37

Margot Lee Shetterly

Margot Lee Shetterly

Margot Lee Shetterly, a writer, researcher, and entrepreneur, is known...

#38

Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander, Award Winning Children’s Book Author, Poet, and Literary Activist

#39

Shanora Williams

Shanora Williams

Shanora Williams is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling...

#40

Amanda Gorman

Gorman Gorman, Poet and Activist

#41

Mellody Hobson

Mellody Hobson is co-CEO and president of Ariel Investments, the first African American-owned mutual fund company in the United States.

#42

Christopher Paul Curtis

Christopher Paul Curtis

Christopher Paul Curtis, born in Flint, Michigan, worked in a...

#43

Yaa Gyasi

Yaa Gyasi, a Ghana-born author raised in Alabama, is an...

#44

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), born into slavery, was an influential abolitionist...

#45

Crystal Hubbard

Crystal Hubbard

Crystal Hubbard romance novelist and picture book author.

#46

Jerry Craft

Jerry Craft is a renowned cartoonist, children's book illustrator, and...

#47

Dawn Staley

Dawn Staley is the NCAA national championship–winning head coach of the University of South Carolina

#48

Renée Watson

Renée Watson, Writer, Performer, Educator

#49

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates is the most critically acclaimed and journalist of his generation.

#50

Sonya Renee Taylor

Sonya Renee Taylor

Sonya Renee Taylor is the founder of 'The Body Is...

#51

Derrick Barnes

Derrick D. Barnes, a Kansas City native and Jackson State...

#52

Ross Gay

#53

B. B. Alston

B.B. Alston is a South Carolina-based author known for his...

#54

Alice Walker

Alice Walker, born 1944 in Georgia, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning...

#55

Hanif Abdurraqib

Hanif Abdurraqib

Hanif Abdurraqib, Poet, Author,

#56

Mildred D. Taylor

Mildred D. Taylor

Mildred D. Taylor, Author, YA Literature

#57

Nic Stone

Nic Stone, a New York Times bestselling author, is acclaimed...

#58

Wes Moore

Wes Moore, Author, Television Producer, and Political Analyst

#59

August Wilson

August Wilson (1945-2005), two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning African American playwright, is...

#60

Tracy Deonn

Tracy Deonn, a North Carolina-based writer and fangirl, combines her...

#61

Ashley Antoinette

Ashley Antoinette

Ashley Antoinette is an acclaimed author known for her collaborative...

#62

Kekla Magoon

Kekla Magoon, an award-winning author of eight YA novels, including...

#63

Walter Dean Myers

Walter Dean Myers

Walter Dean Myers, Author Winning Children’ Book Author

#64

Charmaine Wilkerson

Charmaine Wilkerson

Charmaine Wilkerson is a New York-based author with Jamaican roots,...

#65

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer is an Emmy award-winning actress, singer/songwriter, producer, author, television host.

#66

Angela Y. Davis

Angela Y. Davis

Angela Davis is a renowned American political activist, scholar, and...

#67

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, hailing from Spring Valley, NY, is a...

#68

Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson, Author and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative.

#69

Rita Williams-Garcia

Rita Williams-Garcia

Rita Williams-Garcia, a PEN/Norma Klein Award winner, is known for...

#70

Danielle Allen

Danielle Allen is an esteemed American political theorist and Harvard...

#71

Assata Shakur

Assata Shakur, also known as JoAnne Chesimard, was a prominent activist.

#72

Matthew A. Cherry

Matthew A. Cherry

Matthew A. Cherry, Author, Director, Producer, Editor

#73

Jewell Parker Rhodes

Jewell Parker Rhodes

Jewell Parker Rhodes, Author, Educator

#74

Sadeqa Johnson

Sadeqa Johnson, Author, Motivational Speaker, Meditation Instructor

#75

Ralph Ellison

Ralph Ellison, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize–winning author.

#76

Sherri L. Smith

Sherri L. Smith

Sherri L. Smith is a renowned author of young adult,...

#77

Nnedi Okorafor

Nnedi Okorafor, Ph.D., is a Nigerian-American novelist known for blending...

#78

Victoria Christopher Murray

Victoria Christopher Murray

Victoria Christopher Murray, a Queens native, turned from a successful...

#79

Clint Smith

Clint Smith is an award-winning author and staff writer at...

#80

Shasta Clinch

Shasta Clinch is a freelance copy editor and proofreader with nearly two decades of experience in the publishing industry.

#81

Jesmyn Ward

Jesmyn Ward, a Mississippi-born author and University of South Alabama...

#82

Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey

Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey and Arthur C. Brooks Co-authored Build the Life You Want

#83

Zetta Elliott

Zetta Elliott, a Canadian-born Black feminist writer, is known for...

#84

Will Packer

Will Packer: Hollywood Visionary and Cultural Leader

#85

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Baptist Minister, Author, Prominent Leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

#86

Fawn Weaver

Fawn Weaver, founder of HappyWivesClub.com, is a renowned marriage advocate...

#87

Danzy Senna

Danzy Senna, a celebrated novelist and essayist, focuses on identity,...

#88

Ketanji Brown Jackson

Ketanji Brown Jackson

Justice Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson, born September 14, 1970, is...

#89

Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Dolen Perkins-Valdez, a Memphis-born novelist, is renowned for her New...

#90

Kristina Forest

Kristina Forest

Kristina Forest, a critically acclaimed author of teen and adult...

#91

Bob the Drag Queen

Bob the Drag Queen

Bob The Drag Queen is the alter ego of non-binary comic/actor Caldwell Tidicue

#92

Nia Sioux

Nia Sioux is a dancer, singer, and actress.

#93

Lavaille Lavette

Lavaille Lavette

Lavaille Lavette is a bestselling author, social entrepreneur, and leadership...

#94

Arshay Cooper

Arshay Cooper is a rower, author, and motivational speaker dedicated...

#95

Ladarrion Williams

Ladarrion Williams

LaDarrion Williams is a LA-based playwright and author, leading a...

#96

Oludara Adeeyo

Oludara Adeeyo, a Los Angeles-based psychotherapist and psychiatric social worker,...

#97

Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson is an NBA All-Star and Reebok’s Vice President of Basketball.

#98

Frank Berrios

Frank Berrios is a prolific children's book author, known for...

#99

Rio Cortez

Rio Cortez is a Pushcart-nominated poet and writer, recognized with...

#100

Ishmael Beah

Ishmael Beah, a Sierra Leonean author and human rights activist,...

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