American Book Award Winners of African Descent

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First presented in 1980, by the Before Columbus Foundation, “the American Book Awards Program respects and honors excellence in American literature without restriction or bias with regard to race, sex, creed, cultural origin, size of press or ad budget, or even genre. There would be no requirements, restrictions, limitations, or second places. There would be no categories. The winners would not selected by any set quota for diversity, because diversity happens naturally. Finally, there would be no losers, only winners. The only criteria would be outstanding contribution to American literature in the opinion of the judges.”

Here we present the American Book Award recipients of African descent.

2 Books Honored in 1981


Fiction
The Salt Eaters

The Salt Eaters

by Toni Cade Bambara

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Imprint: Vintage (Jun 30, 1992)
Fiction, Paperback, 304 pages
Publisher: Penguin Random House
ISBN: 9780679740766
Book Description:
Set in Claybourne, a small town somewhere in the South, THE SALT EATERS is the story of a community of black faith healers who, searching for the healing properties of salt, witness an event that will change their lives forever.
Poetry
On Call

On Call

by Miguel Algarin

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Imprint: Arte Público Press (Aug 01, 1994)
Poetry, Paperback, 76 pages
Publisher: Arte Público Press
ISBN: 9780934770033
Book Description:

A book of poems on the cutting edge of cultural innovation. On Call is the model of Algarns esthetics; it transcends the search for identity, roots, and heritage. On Call reaches down into the recesses of our callused sensitivity, awakens us and, in so doing, makes us part of the poetic process.