America’s 100 Bestselling Black Authors of 2026

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

#1

Kimberly D. Moore

Kimberly D. Moore

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

#2

MORRISON, TONI

#3

Rachel Ren?e Russell

Rachel Ren?e Russell

#4

Jason Reynolds

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

#5

Kennedy Ryan

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

#6

Percival Everett

Percival Everett

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

#7

HOOKS, BELL

#8

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady, Michelle Obama

#9

HARRIOT, MICHAEL

HARRIOT, MICHAEL

#10

HURSTON, ZORA NEALE

HURSTON, ZORA NEALE

#11

WHITEHEAD, COLSON

WHITEHEAD, COLSON

#12

BALDWIN, JAMES

#13

Kamala Harris

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

#14

Sharon M. Draper

Sharon M. Draper

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

#15

COSBY, S. A.

#16

CANE, CLAY

#17

BUTLER, OCTAVIA E.

BUTLER, OCTAVIA E.

#18

Iyanla Vanzant

Iyanla Vanzant - Spiritual Life Coach, Bestselling Author, Yoruba Priestess

#19

Trevor Noah

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

#20

THOMAS, ANGIE

#21

DELMONT, MATTHEW F.

DELMONT, MATTHEW F.

#22

N. K. Jemisin

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

#23

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell

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

#24

Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson - Author and Journalist

#25

SHETTERLY, MARGOT LEE

SHETTERLY, MARGOT LEE

#26

CURTIS, CHRISTOPHER PAUL

CURTIS, CHRISTOPHER PAUL

#27

HANSBERRY, LORRAINE

HANSBERRY, LORRAINE

#28

ADICHIE, CHIMAMANDA NGOZI

ADICHIE, CHIMAMANDA NGOZI

#29

ANGELOU, MAYA

#30

DOUGLASS, FREDERICK

DOUGLASS, FREDERICK

#31

BUTLER, OCTAVIA

BUTLER, OCTAVIA

#32

Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson

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

#33

BENEDICT, MARIE

BENEDICT, MARIE

#34

MCBRIDE, JAMES

#35

Linda Clemons

Linda Clemons - Body Language Expert

#36

TAYLOR, MILDRED D.

TAYLOR, MILDRED D.

#37

ERIVO, CYNTHIA

#38

WOODSON, JACQUELINE

WOODSON, JACQUELINE

#39

WILSON, AUGUST

#40

Bell Hooks

bell hooks, Author, Cultural Critic, Feminist Theorist

#41

SOULJAH, SISTER

SOULJAH, SISTER

#42

DUE, TANANARIVE

DUE, TANANARIVE

#43

SIOUX, NIA

#44

SMITH, NIKKI SHANNON

SMITH, NIKKI SHANNON

#45

WILLIAMS, SHANORA

WILLIAMS, SHANORA

#46

Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler

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

#47

HARRISON, VASHTI

HARRISON, VASHTI

#48

COATES, TA-NEHISI

COATES, TA-NEHISI

#49

SMITH, SHERRI L.

SMITH, SHERRI L.

#50

GYASI, YAA

#51

James Baldwin

James Baldwin, Author, Playwright, Poet and Activist

#52

STONE, NIC

#53

Mellody Hobson

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

#54

Sonya Renee Taylor

Sonya Renee Taylor

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

#55

REYNOLDS, JASON

REYNOLDS, JASON

#56

KING, MARTIN LUTHER

KING, MARTIN LUTHER

#57

HANNAH-JONES, NIKOLE

HANNAH-JONES, NIKOLE

#58

WILLIAMS, TIA

#59

BERRIOS, FRANK

#60

ELLISON, RALPH

#61

Jerry Craft

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

#62

LARSEN, NELLA

#63

SHAKUR, ASSATA

#64

ANTOINETTE, ASHLEY

ANTOINETTE, ASHLEY

#65

WALKER, ALICE

#66

MUHARRAR, AISHA

MUHARRAR, AISHA

#67

CAMPBELL, CEBO

#68

MOORE, WES

#69

RHODES, JEWELL PARKER

RHODES, JEWELL PARKER

#70

SIN, R. H.

#71

ADJEI-BRENYAH, NANA KWAME

ADJEI-BRENYAH, NANA KWAME

#72

GAY, ROSS

#72

WATSON, REN?E

#74

PERKINS-VALDEZ, DOLEN

PERKINS-VALDEZ, DOLEN

#75

Tomi Adeyemi

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

#76

DAVIS, ANGELA Y.

DAVIS, ANGELA Y.

#77

GORMAN, AMANDA

#78

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates

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

#79

HUBBARD, CRYSTAL

HUBBARD, CRYSTAL

#80

ALSTON, B. B.

#81

SMITH, CLINT

#82

Tracy Deonn

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

#83

FLOURNOY, ANGELA

FLOURNOY, ANGELA

#84

CLARK, P. DJ?L?

CLARK, P. DJ?L?

#85

BABALOLA, BOLU

#86

ALEXANDER, KWAME

ALEXANDER, KWAME

#87

OBAMA, MICHELLE

OBAMA, MICHELLE

#88

Snoop Dogg

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

#89

NELSON, KADIR

#90

ELLIOTT, ZETTA

#91

MYERS, WALTER DEAN

MYERS, WALTER DEAN

#92

PINKNEY, BRIAN

#93

TATE, RESHONDA

#94

JOHNSON, SADEQA

JOHNSON, SADEQA

#95

WILLIAMS-GARCIA, RITA

WILLIAMS-GARCIA, RITA

#96

TRUSTY, KATHY

#97

GAINES, ERNEST J.

GAINES, ERNEST J.

#98

ALLEN, DANIELLE

ALLEN, DANIELLE

#99

Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson

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

#100

FOWLER, JERMAINE

FOWLER, JERMAINE

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