American Book Award Winners

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.

Select Year202320222019201820172016201520142012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220011999199819971995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980

2 Books Honored in 1985

Poetry

Book Description: 
A remarkable book of poetry by a remarkable poet.

Poetry

Book Description: 
“Only a poet with an innocent heart can exorcise so much pain with so much beauty.”—Isabel AllendeA reprint of Sonia Sanchez’s award-winning collection, which contains some of her seminal work. Winner of the American Book Award.Sonia Sanchez is a poet, activist, and scholar and one of the most important writers of the Black Arts Movement. She is the author of sixteen books and lives in Philadelphia.