AALBC Search
Dhonielle Clayton
Dhonielle Clayton 0000000449631049 Dhonielle Clayton, co-author of the Tiny Pretty Things series and co-founder of CAKE Literary, is a former teacher and librarian. Passionate about diverse literatur...
Charmaine Wilkerson
Charmaine Wilkerson NONE Charmaine Wilkerson is a New York-based author with Jamaican roots, known for her NY Times bestselling debut novel, 'Black Cake', now being adapted for Hulu. A former US news...
J. California Cooper
J. California Cooper 000000011687953X J. California Cooper was a renowned author and playwright, named Black Playwright of the Year in 1978. Encouraged by Alice Walker, she transitioned to fiction, w...
Yolanda T. Marshall
Yolanda T. Marshall NONE Yolanda T. Marshall, born in Guyana, is a writer and manager for Canada's largest Academic Publishing Company. With a passion for guitar and poetry, she published her first b...
asha bandele
asha bandele 0000000385071694 Asha Bandele is an award-winning author and former features editor for Essence Magazine. She's known for her 1999 debut, The Prisoner's Wife, a memoir about her relation...
Ben Greenman
Ben Greenman 0000000043364577 Ben Greenman, a New Yorker contributor and New York Times bestselling author, writes both fiction and non-fiction. Notably, he collaborated with Questlove on a hip-hop m...
Nicole Bailey-Williams
Nicole Bailey-Williams NONE Nicole Bailey-Williams is a Philadelphia-born educator, author, and radio personality. A graduate of Hampton and Temple University, she pioneered “The Literary Review” on ...
Melissa Brown Levine
Melissa Brown Levine NONE Melissa Brown Levine is a versatile writer and meticulous editor, proofreader, and manuscript evaluator. With a keen eye for detail, she specializes in refining literary wor...
Ntozake Shange
Ntozake Shange 0000000110376632 Ntozake Shange was an educator, dancer, poet, and playwright, best known for her theatre piece 'For Colored Girls'. Born on October 18, 1948, she studied at Barnard Co...
D
D 0000000110164613 Writing since the age of eight, D (the author of Got and Cake) has never held a legitimate job in his life. His words, however, have appeared in VIBE and other urban publications....
Patty Pinner
Patty Pinner NONE Patty Pinne is an acclaimed author known for her cookbook, 'Sweets: A Collection of Soul Food Desserts and Memories', recognized as one of the year's best by The New York Times and ...
Robin W. Pearson
Robin W. Pearson NONE Robin W. Pearson is a Southern-rooted author whose writing is inspired by her family history and faith. A Wake Forest University graduate and experienced editor, she's been a fi...
Tembi Locke
Tembi Locke 0000000500051382 Tembi Locke is a writer, entrepreneur, and thought leader in creativity and resilience. She is a New York Times bestselling author, television producer, actor, and scree...
Elizabeth Nunez
Elizabeth Nunez 0000000080832288 Elizabeth Nunez, a Trinidad-born, award-winning author, wrote ten novels and a memoir, with several recognized by the New York Times and Oprah's book club. Her works,...
K. Reshay
K. Reshay NONE K. Reshay is a versatile author, poet, and playwright, known for her thought-provoking book series 'Appearances'. She is the Founder of Me Time Book Club, aimed at promoting literacy a...
Bernard N. Lee, Jr.
Bernard N. Lee, Jr. MULTIPLE Bernard N. Lee, Jr., also known as Bernie, is a former military kid whose childhood experiences shaped his memoir series, “A Look Back in Time.” He studied engineering an...
Patricia Raybon
Patricia Raybon 0000000067719627 Patricia Raybon is an award-winning author and essayist known for her works on faith, race, and grace. Her books include the Christopher Award-winning memoir 'My Firs...
Solomon Northup
Solomon Northup 0000000374327420 Born free, Solomon Northup was kidnapped into slavery in 1841, enduring this for 12 years in Louisiana. Regaining his freedom in 1853, he penned the memoir “Twelve Ye...
S.R. Martin
S.R. Martin NONE S.R. “Rudy” Martin Jr. (1935-2016) was a founding faculty of The Evergreen State College, teaching American/African American Studies. He authored a family memoir and a novel before r...
Shelia P. Moses
Shelia P. Moses 000000004377316X Shelia P. Moses, a North Carolina-born poet, author, playwright, and producer, is best known as the co-author of Dick Gregory's memoir and the award-winning author of...
Charles M. Blow
Charles M. Blow 0000000434813325 Charles M. Blow is a renowned journalist and op-ed columnist for the New York Times, appearing regularly on CNN. He is also the author of a bestselling memoir. A magn...
Jake Lamar
Jake Lamar 0000000042394002 Jake Lamar, a Bronx native, is a renowned author of the memoir, Bourgeois Blues, and novels including The Last Integrationist and Close to the Bone. Residing in Paris sinc...
Hans J. Massaquoi
Hans J. Massaquoi 0000000078269078 Hans Massaquoi, former Ebony magazine editor and author, notably known for his memoir on his unique childhood in Germany, passed away at the age of 87 in Jacksonvil...
Iceberg Slim
Iceberg Slim 0000000107778710 Iceberg Slim, originally Robert Maupin, was a notorious pimp turned acclaimed author. Known for his icy demeanor and ruthless tactics, he controlled over 400 women durin...
Mary Williams
Mary Williams NONE Mary Williams, adopted daughter of Jane Fonda, worked with humanitarian organizations and founded the Lost Boys Foundation. She lived in various locations, including Africa and acr...
Albert French
Albert French 0000000054146305 Albert French, a Vietnam war veteran and former US Marine, turned his distressing war experiences and emotional struggle into powerful memoirs and novels. His works inc...
Susan D. Peters
Susan D. Peters NONE Susan D. Peters, a Chicago native and DePaul University graduate, lived in Liberia for 11 years. Her experiences during the Liberian Civil War inspired her award-winning memoir, ...
Lillian McEwen
Lillian McEwen NONE Lillian McEwen, a retired Justice, served in multiple legal roles in Washington, D.C. Her memoir, “D.C. Unmasked & Undressed,” offers a candid look into her personal life, includi...
zaji
zaji NONE Zaji is an accomplished author and freelance writer with a B.A. in English and M.S. in Journalism from Iona College. She's written a novel, poetry book, short stories, and is working on her...
MK Asante
MK Asante NONE MK Asante, Jr., a bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, and professor, uses his talent for storytelling to overcome personal struggles. Known for his memoir 'Buck,' Asante's wor...
Sarah Gordon Weathersby
Sarah Gordon Weathersby NONE Born in a Virginia rectory, Sarah Weathersby attended segregated schools before moving to DC, graduating from Drew University, and raising two sons in North Carolina. Aft...
Stacey Patton
Stacey Patton NONE Dr. Stacey Patton, an adoptee and child abuse survivor, is a children’s advocate, journalist, historian, and motivational speaker. She authored 'That Mean Old Yesterday: A Memoir' ...
Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany
Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany MULTIPLE Sarah Delany, the last of the Delany sisters, passed away at 109. Born to a former slave, she was the first colored woman to teach home economics in w...
Michel Marriott
Michel Marriott NONE Michel Marriott was a renowned journalist for over 20 years with The New York Times and other publications. He was also a celebrated memoir workshop instructor at Baruch College,...
Malaika Adero
Malaika Adero 0000000384232281 Malaika Adero runs a literary agency, Adero's Literary Tribe, where she works with publishers and individual clients. She is the author of several books including “Up S...
Veronica Chambers
Veronica Chambers 0000000063184848 Veronica Chambers is a celebrated author known for her memoir, Mam's Girl. Born in Panama and raised in Brooklyn, her Afro-Latina heritage often influences her work...
Jael Richardson
Jael Richardson NONE Jael Ealey Richardson is a Toronto-based author and educator with an MFA in Creative Writing. Known for her memoir and children's book, both titled The Stone Thrower, her work re...
Ingrid M. Ellis
Ingrid M. Ellis NONE Ingrid M. Ellis, a New York-born, California-educated author, turned a passion for writing into a 20-year career. From children’s series to a stirring memoir, she bravely self-pu...
Jayson Blair
Jayson Blair 0000000049735885 Jayson Blair, born in 1976, is a former New York Times journalist who resigned in 2003 following a plagiarism and fabrication scandal. Post-scandal, Blair wrote a memoir...
Patricia Storace
Patricia Storace 0000000034695024 Patricia Storace, born in Chicago and raised in Alabama, is an award-winning author educated at Columbia University and Cambridge. She has written a travel memoir, a...
Victoria Rowell
Victoria Rowell 0000000059397373 Victoria Rowell, renowned for her role as Drucilla Winters in The Young and the Restless, is a bestselling author celebrated for her memoir, The Women Who Raised Me. ...
Tiffany Haddish
Tiffany Haddish 0000000475934019 Tiffany Sarac Haddish is a pioneering black female stand-up comedian, popularly known for hosting SNL and her role in 'Girls Trip'. She's also a successful author, wi...
Patrisse Khan-Cullors
Patrisse Khan-Cullors 0000000486461392 Patrisse Khan-Cullors, an LA-based artist and freedom fighter, is known for co-founding Black Lives Matter and Dignity and Power Now. A Fulbright scholar and NA...
Goldie Taylor
Goldie Taylor 0000000051784985 Goldie Taylor is an accomplished journalist and editor at the Daily Beast, known for her work on news networks, talk shows, and publications like Salon and Ebony. She w...
Fred Beauford
Fred Beauford NONE Fred Beauford is a prolific novelist, essayist, and editor, known for his eight novels, memoir, essay collections, and contributions to notable literary series. He's also the found...
Randall Horton
Randall Horton 0000000048702491 Award-winning author Randall Horton, known for his poetry collections and memoir, is a recipient of the Bea Gonzalez Poetry Award, GLCA New Writers Award, and a Nation...
Elona Washington
Elona Washington NONE Elona Washington, a DC native and best-selling author, is a sexual assault survivor turned advocate who has worked with RAINN since 2011. A successful publisher, TV host, and bl...
Kwame Onwuachi
Kwame Onwuachi NONE Kwame Onwuachi, winner of the 2019 James Beard Foundation Award, shares his inspiring journey in his memoir. From selling candy on the subway, to running a failed acclaimed restau...
Scholastique Mukasonga
Scholastique Mukasonga 0000000073708975 Scholastique Mukasonga, born in Rwanda in 1956, experienced ethnic conflicts and genocide, which claimed 37 of her family members. She later settled in France....
Joan Potter
Joan Potter NONE Joan Potter is a co-author of three books, a prolific article writer, and an essayist featured in anthologies and literary journals. She's also a memoir workshop instructor based in ...
James F. Daniels
James F. Daniels NONE James F. Daniels, author of 'Metamorphosis: From Cotton Picker to Community Leader', shares his journey from growing up as a sharecropper in the Jim Crow South to becoming a com...
James McBride
James McBride 0000000121485295 James McBride is a celebrated author and musician, known for his memoir 'The Color of Water' and his novel 'Miracle at St. Anna'. He has written for notable publication...
M.J. Fievre
M.J. Fievre NONE M.J. Fievre, a Haiti-born author, currently writing from Miami, began her publishing career as a teenager. Renowned for her nine French books, she also published a trilingual childre...
Jerald Walker
Jerald Walker NONE Jerald Walker is a distinguished author known for his memoirs and essays, with recognitions like the 2011 PEN New England Award for Nonfiction and honors from the National Book Awa...
Staceyann Chin
Staceyann Chin 0000000040460475 Staceyann Chin is a multifaceted poet, actor, and artist known for her memoir “The Other Side of Paradise” and her performances in Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam. Feat...
June Cross
June Cross NONE June Cross is a two-time Emmy and duPont-Columbia Journalism award-winning documentary television producer and professor at Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism. Known for her 199...
Dedrick Moone
Dedrick Moone NONE Dedrick L. Moone, COO of The Rules of a Big Boss LLC, is an author, philanthropist, and motivational speaker offering empowerment products and services. He authored 'The Unexpected...
Albert J. Raboteau
Albert J. Raboteau 0000000081058642 Albert J. Raboteau (1943-2021) was a renowned professor of religion at Princeton University. Born into a Catholic family in segregated Mississippi, his experiences...
Dana Canedy
Dana Canedy 000000011303526X Dana Canedy, SVP and Publisher at Simon and Schuster, is a former New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of bestseller “A Journal For Jordan.” With e...
Ron Lacks
Ron Lacks NONE "Ron Lacks, the oldest grandson of Henrietta Lacks, shares a deeply personal memoir in 'Henrietta Lacks The Untold Story', revealing the past 9 years of his family's history. The book ...
Ronald Ancrum
Ronald Ancrum NONE Ron Ancrum, a nonprofit management and organizational development expert, has a diverse career as a professor, consultant, executive, and musician. A graduate of University of Conn...
Susie King Taylor
Susie King Taylor 0000000084839030 Susan Taylor Baker King, born into slavery in 1848, overcame adversity to become a teacher, nurse, and author. Despite education restrictions, she attended secret s...
Chris Washburn
Chris Washburn NONE "Ex-high school basketball star, Chris Washburn, shares his journey from NBA fame to losing everything due to a 14-year crack addiction in his upcoming memoir. His redemptive stor...
Jackie Kay
Jackie Kay 0000000108753136 Jacqueline Margaret Kay is a celebrated author and former National Poet of Scotland known for her memoir Red Dust Road and various acclaimed poetry collections. Her first ...
Ishmael Beah
Ishmael Beah 0000000368812665 Ishmael Beah, a Sierra Leonean author and human rights activist, became known for his memoir, “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.” A former child soldier, Beah w...
Liz Montague
Liz Montague NONE Liz Montague is a cartoonist, writer, and illustrator known for her work on self and social awareness. She's contributed to the New Yorker, the US Open, Food Network, Google, and th...
Loida Lewis
Loida Lewis 000000008483319X Loida Nicolas Lewis is a Filipino-American CEO, immigration lawyer, and philanthropist. As the current chairperson of TLC Beatrice, she oversees diverse business sectors....
Mark Mathabane
Mark Mathabane 0000000108774033 "Mark Mathabane is a South African author and human rights activist, known for his memoir 'Kaffir Boy' which sheds light on his life under apartheid. His works, transl...
Douglas Century
Douglas Century 0000000120268336 Douglas Century is a bestselling author and investigative journalist known for works such as Under and Alone, Hunting El Chapo, and Takedown. He was a 2003 Edgar Awar...
Marvin V. Arnett
Marvin V. Arnett NONE Marvin V. Arnett, a retired Federal Manager from Detroit, had a successful career receiving numerous awards for job performances and cost-cutting suggestions. She served as Nati...
Tanya Smith
Tanya Smith NONE “What Does It Take to Become a Prodigy Scam Artist?” — The New York Times (Aug. 28, 2024) Tanya Smith, a Minneapolis native, grew up in a theater that fostered Princ...
Caron Butler
Caron Butler NONE Caron Butler is a former two-time NBA all-star who played for fourteen seasons. He is currently [2024] an assistant coach for the Miami Heat. He has written a memoir and children's ...
Joseph Earl Thomas
Joseph Earl Thomas NONE Joseph Earl Thomas is an author known for his unique and poignant storytelling. His first major work, Sink: A Memoir, published in 2022, explores his challenging upbringing i...
M. Nicole Bryant
M. Nicole Bryant NONE M. Nicole Bryant, born in Missouri, is a breast cancer survivor and advocate turned author. After her diagnosis at 42, she was driven to raise awareness, especially amongst Afri...
Quincy Troupe
Quincy Troupe 0000000376418772 Quincy Troupe, born in 1939, is an award-winning author, recognized for his poetry, children's books, and non-fiction works. His notable titles include a memoir of Earl...
Tania Grossinger
Tania Grossinger NONE Tania Grossinger is an author, consultant, raconteur, talk show guest, travel writer, and self-described troublemaker. A member of the American Society of Journalists and Autho...
Sonya Atkins
Sonya Atkins NONE Sonya Atkins: "I am a twenty-five-year-old English instructor at Northeast Louisiana University. However, I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Grambling State...
Traci Brooks
Traci Brooks NONE Traci Brooks is a San Francisco State University graduate, poet, public speaker, and writer dedicated to empowering Black people through her works. Her first published piece, 'Stepp...
Katie McCabe
Katie McCabe NONE Katie McCabe is an award-winning freelance writer featured in Washingtonian Magazine, Baltimore Magazine, and Reader’s Digest. Her piece on Vivien Thomas was adapted into a Peabody ...
Jamila Minnicks
Jamila Minnicks NONE Jamila Minnicks is the author of Moonrise Over New Jessup, the 2021 winner of the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Her work is also published in CRAFT Literary...
Brian Pinkney
Brian Pinkney 0000000063549392 As a child, Brian Pinkney loved drawing pictures on every piece of paper he could find. He also loved watching his father, Jerry Pinkney, illustrate books for children...
Booker T. Mattison
Booker T. Mattison NONE Booker T. Mattison is an author and filmmaker who wrote the screenplay for and directed the film adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's classic story "The Gi...
C. Alexandra Allen
C. Alexandra Allen NONE C. Alexandra Allen was born in Mount Vernon, New York and raised in the borough of Queens, New York. In 1992, she began her studies at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georg...
Carl Patterson
Carl Patterson NONE Carl Patterson started writing at 45, inspired by his late wife's positive outlook on life. Initially a poet, he transitioned into novel-writing upon her suggestion. His works, in...
Gabriel Okara
Gabriel Okara 0000000109284773 Gabriel Okara, a self-taught Nigerian poet and novelist, is known for his multilingual poetry and award-winning piece 'The Call of the River Nun'. His works, characteri...
Fiston Mwanza Mujila
Fiston Mwanza Mujila 0000000107622783 Fiston Mwanza Mujila, born in Congo in 1981, is a critically acclaimed author and scholar currently residing in Austria. His literature, inspired by Congo's poli...
David T. Boyd
David T. Boyd NONE Chicago-born author David T. Boyd discovered his passion for writing early, penning his first story at nine. Inspired by authors like Stephen King, he developed his short story int...
Joy Elan
Joy Elan NONE Joy Elán, an award-winning author and spoken word artist from Oakland, CA, has penned six books. Despite being born with hearing loss, she overcame adversity to earn degrees from UC Be...
Abel Garcia
Abel Garcia NONE Dallas-based artist Abel Garcia, inspired by The Bible, hip-hop, graffiti, and the high renaissance, creates unique art using screen printing, acrylic and oil painting. Recognized as...
Ray Anthony Shepard
Ray Anthony Shepard 0000000084780219 “As a fifth-grader in Nebraska, I was one of the few Black students in the class, and when American slavery was taught I was embarrassed by the topic.”...
Sereniti Hall
Sereniti Hall NONE Sereniti Hall, President of 7 Figure Publications, is a prolific author of four novels and a self-help book. Her debut novel, Feenin', was recognized as a top street literature pie...
Ptah-Hetep
Ptah-Hetep NONE Ptah-Hotep, a key figure from Ancient Kemet, is known as the first philosopher of moral values, renowned for his works on Egyptian wisdom literature, translated and published by vario...
Joe Parkinson & Drew Hinshaw
Joe Parkinson & Drew Hinshaw MULTIPLE Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw, Pulitzer Prize finalists and experienced Wall Street Journal correspondents, have covered Nigeria extensively. Parkinson, the Afr...
Melissa Koby
Melissa Koby NONE Melissa Koby, a Jamaican-born illustrator based in Tampa, uses art as a form of self-healing. Her faceless figures encourage viewers to see themselves in her work, focusing on emoti...
Kaven Brown
Kaven Brown NONE Kaven Brown, a multifaceted entrepreneur known for his work as an author, photographer, and producer, has been influential in the publishing and music video industry. Brown's work ra...
Erica Hunt
Erica Hunt 0000000382845383 Erica Hunt is a renowned poet and essayist, known for works like Local History and A Day and Its Approximates. Her writings appear in various publications and she has been...
Leonard Jenkins II
Leonard Jenkins II NONE Leonard Jenkins II, an author from Birmingham, AL, is a passionate sports fan and writer. He self-published “Relationships (volume 1): Lessons Before Dying” using his skills i...
Margaux Carpentier
Margaux Carpentier NONE Margaux Carpentier is a versatile artist based in London, known for her symbolic imagery inspired by the world's colors and the rhythms of life. Her portfolio includes murals,...
Dee Miller
Dee Miller NONE Dee Miller is a versatile “Closet Artist” and wordsmith known for her wide-ranging artwork, from serious depictions to graffiti art, and thought-provoking writings. She has self-publi...
Keela Buford
Keela Buford NONE Keela Buford, a content strategist and author of 'Pride, and Joy,' is recognized in film and screenplay festival circuits. Her work ranges from science fiction to contemporary, with...