AALBC Search
The Gilded Six-Bits, A Short Story
The Gilded Six-Bits, A Short Story Zora Neale Hurston Article A screening of the film The Gilded Six-Bits was held July 29, 2010 as part of the AALBC.com Brownstones Series in Harlem, New York. B...
Stevie Wonder Concert Clip
Stevie Wonder Concert Clip Troy Johnson Article Stevie Wonder Concert Clip I drove from NYC and paid almost 3 times face for a pair of tickets to see Stevie Wonder perform on a chilly evening on the ...
Anita Hemmings, the First Black Student to Attend Vassar College
Anita Hemmings, the First Black Student to Attend Vassar College Troy Johnson Article Karin Tanabe’s gripping new historical novel, The Gilded Years (Washington Square Press, June 7, 2016) is based o...
AALBC in the Media
AALBC in the Media Troy Johnson article AALBC.com is Frequently Cited in Major Media (Clips Pre-2003) Lists AALBC.com, i...
Gloria Naylor Discusses Her Novel The Men of Brewster Place on Barnesandnoble.com
Gloria Naylor Discusses Her Novel The Men of Brewster Place on Barnesandnoble.com Gloria Naylor Article Moderator: Welcome, Gloria Naylor! Thank you for taking the time to join us online this evening...
Blacktrospective 2012 - Annual Assessment of the Best in Black Film
Blacktrospective 2012 - Annual Assessment of the Best in Black Film Troy Johnson Article Each year we publish our annual list of the best in Black cinema. This list is unique in that it assesses...
African Voices Magazine
African Voices Magazine Troy Johnson Article African Voices Communications, Inc. http://www.africanvoices.com 270 West 96th Street New York, NY, 10025 Office: 212-285-2982 Fax: 212-316-3335 ...
New World of Words: Black Writers and poets spin tales of imagination and reality from Detroit to the world
New World of Words: Black Writers and poets spin tales of imagination and reality from Detroit to the world Renee Prewitt Killingsworth Article Originally featured in Detroit’s Cityview News...
Spike’s New Film is Bad, Kickstarter Funding is Worse
Spike’s New Film is Bad, Kickstarter Funding is Worse Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com’s movie critic, Kam Williams, is my friend. He is one of the most easy going guys I know. He has reviewed thousa...
Get On Up - A New James Brown Movie Coming!
Get On Up - A New James Brown Movie Coming! Troy Johnson Article I just learned about this up coming film from my online buddy, CD Burns, an hour ago. After watching the trailer, I figured I’d shar...
More Bios.
More Bios. Troy Johnson Article 360� A Revolution of Black Poets Produced in the tradition of the Black Poetry Festivals and Conferences of the Black Arts Movement, this first Nati...
AAFCA Honored MOONLIGHT as Top Film & QUEEN SUGAR as the Top TV Show
AAFCA Honored MOONLIGHT as Top Film & QUEEN SUGAR as the Top TV Show Troy Johnson Article FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AFRICAN AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION (AAFCA) HONORED MOONLIGHT AS THE TOP ...
2003's List
2003's List Troy Johnson Article Maximizing the Potential of the World Wide Web (September 2003) by Troy Johnson, Founder AALBC.com The Internet is a vast place and contains an amazing ...
Prince Among Slaves - Abdul Rahman Sori’s Story
Prince Among Slaves - Abdul Rahman Sori’s Story Troy Johnson Article With the recent popularity of the film 12 Years a Slave and focus on Solomon Northup’s the tragic story story, we tend to forget ...
Documentary Film on History of Blacks in Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction Books
Documentary Film on History of Blacks in Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction Books Troy Johnson Article https://www.youtube.com/embed/uvDW5z0b9po “The Invisible Universe documentary reveals the his...
Introducing Bestselling Author Nina Foxx
Introducing Bestselling Author Nina Foxx Troy Johnson Article Editor’s Note: (Foxx received a nomination for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work)! Nina Foxx is an award-winn...
By 2034 95% of Americans Will be Obese or Overweight
By 2034 95% of Americans Will be Obese or Overweight Troy Johnson Article I saw the new documentary film Fed Up and was both outraged and saddened. Simply put, food companies are killing us and this...
Dark Matter II
Dark Matter II Troy Johnson Article The Call for submission has ended DARK MATTER II : Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora Edited by Sheree R. Thomas GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION...
Obama Rises, Old Guard Civil Rights Leaders Scowl
Obama Rises, Old Guard Civil Rights Leaders Scowl William Jelani Cobb Article President Elect, Barack Obama, D-Ill. Speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memori...
Death of the Black Owned, Independent, Bookstore
Death of the Black Owned, Independent, Bookstore Troy Johnson Article Editor's Note: We published an update of our bookstores in March of 2014. One of the very first things I put on AA...
A Reaction to the Opinion, “Watched Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song for the first time. It was really bad.”
A Reaction to the Opinion, “Watched Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song for the first time. It was really bad.” W. Paul Coates Article Maybe, but I do agree with you on the acting; not much there to crow abo...
Interview with Production Designer Wynn Thomas
Interview with Production Designer Wynn Thomas Booker T. Mattison Article Production designer Wynn Thomas started working in theatre as a teenager growing up in Philadelphia. Upon graduation...
SECRETS World Premieres, September 16 at 8:00 p.m. on BET
SECRETS World Premieres, September 16 at 8:00 p.m. on BET Troy Johnson Article One Man’s Lustful Affair, A Brother's Jealousy and A Wife’s Suspicions Collide and Unravel a Once Perfect Home in Debu...
Getting in Dialogue
Getting in Dialogue Troy Johnson Article INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS Interested in being interviewed or having your project considered for DIALOGUE? Mail your biographical sketch and a detailed de...
5 Things Writers Must Do To Survive Online
5 Things Writers Must Do To Survive Online Troy Johnson Article Today, despite all the technology and social media at our disposal, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the average writer to ear...
The Pimping of Wikipedia
The Pimping of Wikipedia Troy Johnson Article The Pimping of Wikipedia: Contributing to the Decline of the World Wide Web From the late 1990s and in to the following decade, the World Wide Web was a...
Black Book Websites Need Love Too
Black Book Websites Need Love Too Troy Johnson Article Over the last decade there has been a great deal of lamenting over the closing of Black owned, independent brick and mortar book stores. Recent...
12 Axioms for Understanding the Book Business
12 Axioms for Understanding the Book Business Troy Johnson Article Based upon my experience; selling books (on-line and off); publishing book reviews; witnessing the careers of many authors for a dec...
Mah Niggaz
Mah Niggaz Troy Johnson Article I've been writing newsletters to highlight the most recent work on AALBC.com for at least 8 years. I'm a facts and figures kind of guy, so I always review the statisti...
Favorite 50 African American Authors and Favorite 100 Titles of the 20th Century
Favorite 50 African American Authors and Favorite 100 Titles of the 20th Century Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com’s Favorite 50 African American Authorsand Favorite 100 Titles...
December 2016 Newsletter - Great New Books, Best Film of the Year, and More
December 2016 Newsletter - Great New Books, Best Film of the Year, and More Troy Johnson Article Cerece Rennie Murphy – Our eNewsletter Sponsor for December Experience The Love of A Lifetime ~ T...
Dr. John Henrik Clarke - A Great and Mighty Walk - Watch This Film!
Dr. John Henrik Clarke - A Great and Mighty Walk - Watch This Film! Troy Johnson Article "...the first light of human consciousness and the world's first civilizations were in Africa."-Dr. John Henr...
AALBC.com's Founder's Take on For Colored Girls
AALBC.com's Founder's Take on For Colored Girls Troy Johnson Article I do not think For Colored Girls was a male bashing film. If anything, women could make a much better case for being offended. ...
Essence Atkins: The “Are We There Yet?” Interview
Essence Atkins: The “Are We There Yet?” Interview Kam Williams Article Essence Atkins was born in New York City on February 7, 1972. Between her innate sense of comedy and girl-next-door ch...
Jayne Allen’s Inspiration for Black Girls Must Die Exhausted
Jayne Allen’s Inspiration for Black Girls Must Die Exhausted Jayne Allen Article I knew that I wanted to write a story that gave authentic purpose to showcasing a Black female protagonist. I wanted...
Introducing An American Story
Introducing An American Story Kwame Alexander Article An American Story Written by Kwame Alexander, Art by Dare Coulter Kwame Alexander, the #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning ...
Rappers Delight – Jay Z’s new book and the RZA interviewed
Rappers Delight – Jay Z’s new book and the RZA interviewed Troy Johnson Article “My life after childhood has two main stories: the story of the hustler and the story of the rapper, and the two ov...
Black Writers Dominate the 2017 Pulitzer Prizes
Black Writers Dominate the 2017 Pulitzer Prizes Troy Johnson Article Back in January of this year, I took the time to try to figure out how many Black writers have won Pulitzer Prizes in the six ...
Black Women Lead the Way Promoting Black Culture through Books
Black Women Lead the Way Promoting Black Culture through Books Troy Johnson Article “Where a woman rules, streams run uphill.” —Ethiopian proverb AALBC.com’s Bestselling Books - January to February ...
Reflections on Black Book Reviews
Reflections on Black Book Reviews Troy Johnson Article For more than a decade I, through AALBC.com, have published hundred's of reviews of books written by or about Black people. Over the years thi...
Would You Stop Buying Books from Amazon.com to Save the Book Industry?
Would You Stop Buying Books from Amazon.com to Save the Book Industry? Troy Johnson Article Boycotting Amazon’s bookstore might mean, at least initially, that you’ll have pay a little more for books,...
The Music Moguls Who Bled Millions from a Black Legend
The Music Moguls Who Bled Millions from a Black Legend Reclamation Project Article Originally Published by the NOI Research Group The recent death of the great Rock & Roll pioneer Chuck Berr...
Aesop’s Fables (84 Fables)
Aesop’s Fables (84 Fables) Aesop Article This Text Is part of the PUBLIC DOMAIN BOOKS OF KNOWN HERITAGE Aesop: Fables, George Fyler Townsend translation, project Gutenberg The Cock and the Pearl...
Nominee Shares Her Experience at the 2015 NAACP Image Awards Ceremony for Outstanding Literary Work
Nominee Shares Her Experience at the 2015 NAACP Image Awards Ceremony for Outstanding Literary Work Gwen Richardson Article African-American authors rarely receive national recognition for their work...
Caribbean Books You Should Know
Caribbean Books You Should Know Joanne C. Hillhouse Article By Joanne C. Hillhouse "I come from Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean. I write stories of and from the Caribbean. My first boo...
U.B. & U.S.
U.B. & U.S. Troy Johnson Article "BLACK AMERICA'S MOST RELIABLE, PRINTER, PUBLISHER AND DISTRIBUTOR" 912 West Pembroke Avenue Hampton, Virginia 23669 (757) 723-2696 First United Brother, H...
“Who Will Write a Story for the Children of Eric Garner?”
“Who Will Write a Story for the Children of Eric Garner?” Troy Johnson Article AALBC Guest Post by Zetta Elliott “Who will write a story for the children of Eric Garner?” This question came to mi...
Video Coverage of the 2018 National Book Club Conference
Video Coverage of the 2018 National Book Club Conference Troy Johnson Article I attended the 2018 National Book Club Conference August 3rd and 4th. I have not attended since the 2010. The confer...
Nat Turner’s Mental and Military Motivations
Nat Turner’s Mental and Military Motivations Ezrah Aharone Article Nate Parker’s movie The Birth of a Nation has revived the question: What caused Nat Turner’s 1831 uprising? Turner, firs...
New List! Best-Selling Children’s Books
New List! Best-Selling Children’s Books Troy Johnson Article We've Just Added an Additional Category to Our Popular Best Sellers List—Children’s Books! Over the years, there has always been a gre...
AALBC.com eNewsletter – December 31st 2012 – Issue #197
AALBC.com eNewsletter – December 31st 2012 – Issue #197 Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com eNewsletter – December 31st 2012 – Issue #197 I hope you enjoy AALBC.com's last eNewsletter for 2012. Please ta...
AALBC.com eNewsletter – November 30th 2012 – Issue #196
AALBC.com eNewsletter – November 30th 2012 – Issue #196 Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com would like to thank all of you for being loyal readers of our eNewsletter. We are proud to have continuously...
Orgasm, Inc - Scathing Expose’ Uncovers Pharmaceutical Industry Plot to Exploit Female Pleasure
Orgasm, Inc - Scathing Expose’ Uncovers Pharmaceutical Industry Plot to Exploit Female Pleasure Troy Johnson Article In our culture, seemingly anything can and will be distorted in such a way to ...
AALBC.com's The “For Colored Girls” Interview with Thandie Newton
AALBC.com's The “For Colored Girls” Interview with Thandie Newton Troy Johnson Article Read the Interview with Thandie Newtown and also check out AALBC.com's interview with Janet Jackson, and a r...
Remembering Ossie Davis, With Love
Remembering Ossie Davis, With Love Jamie Walker Article “In the light of Africa, there is Ossie Davis.” —Attallah Shabazz
Julie Dash discusses Daughters of the Dust on banresandnoble.com
Julie Dash discusses Daughters of the Dust on banresandnoble.com Julie Dash Article Moderator: Welcome, Ms. Dash! We are so pleased you can join us this evening! Do you have any opening comments? ...
Critical Book Reviews & Author Interviews
Read thousands of in-depth book reviews, critical literary commentary, and film reviews covering major and independent Black writers.
Dialogue
Dialogue Troy Johnson Article Please note Dialogue is currently on hiatus (as of this notice, March 2002) Visit Dialogue's web site http://www.ace-dialogue.org D I A L O G U E A Discussion ...
Bing Site Search is a Great Alternative, to Google Site Search, for a Website’s Search Engine
Bing Site Search is a Great Alternative, to Google Site Search, for a Website’s Search Engine Troy Johnson Article If you are reading this article, which has nothing to do with the primary focus of ...
AALBC.com Partners with What's The 411 TV
AALBC.com Partners with What's The 411 TV Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com has partnered with What’s The 411 TV to bring information about Black books, authors, events, and news to both What’s The 411T...
Exercise Your Mind With a Good Book – July 29, 2014 eNewsletter
Exercise Your Mind With a Good Book – July 29, 2014 eNewsletter Troy Johnson Article You may receive this eNewsletter directly in your email-box by subscribing. It may also be read on your Kindle eb...
Huria Search - Search the Global Black Community
Huria Search - Search the Global Black Community Troy Johnson Article Editors Note: As of March 2016, after a 5 year run, Huria Search's run as a standalone site has ended. The Search engine and the...
Don't Bring Home a White Boy
Don't Bring Home a White Boy Troy Johnson Article A couple of days ago I posted a video (below) of Karen Hunter and Karyn Langhorne Folan, who are the publisher and author, respectively, of the b...
An Author You Should Know: Lalita Tademy
An Author You Should Know: Lalita Tademy Troy Johnson Article [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="559" caption="Lalita Tademy (Photo Credit © InMenlo LLC, 2010)"][/caption] Recently a visitor ...
Edwidge Danticat The “Create Dangerously” Interview with AALBC.com
Edwidge Danticat The “Create Dangerously” Interview with AALBC.com Troy Johnson Article [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="596" caption="Edwidge Danticat - 2010 Nancy Crampton"][/caption] E...
2009 ALA Midwinter Meeting - Denver, CO
2009 ALA Midwinter Meeting - Denver, CO Troy Johnson Article As part of my role as a board member of the Literary Freedom Project, and a full page ad in Mosaic Magazine, I offered to help Ron work th...
AALBC.com to Offer Self Published and Small Press Books Direct to Consumers at Competitive Discounts
AALBC.com to Offer Self Published and Small Press Books Direct to Consumers at Competitive Discounts Troy Johnson Article The African American Literature Book Club (AALBC.com) to Offer Self Published...
Top Ten Reasons Why African American Bookstores Are Closing
Top Ten Reasons Why African American Bookstores Are Closing Gwen Richardson Article Editor’s Note: On March 25, 2012 we published our new bookstore database. At the same time we also publ...
100 Bestselling Black Authors Leaderboard
The 100 all-time and yearly bestselling Black authors leaderboard based on total weeks on national and independent bestseller lists.
The Last Poets: Still On a Mission
The Last Poets: Still On a Mission DuEwa M. Frazier Article Before hip hop pioneers like the Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel or Run DMC, there was The Last Poets. Called the "...
BCP Digital Printing
BCP Digital Printing Troy Johnson Article BCP Digital Printing Visit them at http://www.bcpdigital.com SPECIALIZING IN DIGITAL COLOR, SHORT RUN AND JUST-IN-TIME ...
Black Renaissance Noire
Black Renaissance Noire Troy Johnson Article Black Renaissance Noire African American Literature Book Club - The #1 Site for "Readers of Blac...
Blockson Literary Collective
Blockson Literary Collective Troy Johnson Article Charles L. Blockson The Charles L. Blockson Literary Collective is dedicated to sponsoring programs and initiates designed to promote ...
Doula: Jrnl of Rap Music & Hip Hop Cltr
Doula: Jrnl of Rap Music & Hip Hop Cltr Troy Johnson Article URBAN THINK TANK, INC. For the Body of Thinkers in the Hip Hop Community http://www.urbanthinktank.org Urban Think Tank, Inc. is ...
PageTurner.net
PageTurner.net Troy Johnson Article Pageturner.net is a professional web services firm that specializes in Web Design, Internet Marketing and Literary Services. Founded in 1998, the Ho...
Bklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors
Bklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors Troy Johnson Article Brooklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors by Leah Mullen Perhaps the most overlooked and under acknowledged heroines and heroes...
What is typical discount to book sellers?
What is typical discount to book sellers? Troy Johnson Article "I have self published my own book and I am presently looking to place it with local bookstores. Is there a customary discount giv...
August 2018 eNewsletter Recommended Reads, Videos, and More
August 2018 eNewsletter Recommended Reads, Videos, and More Troy Johnson Article Videos from the National Book Club Conference I attended the 2018 National Book Club Conference August 3rd and 4th....
The Kevin M. Weeks Story: Never Say Die; Be Optimistic
The Kevin M. Weeks Story: Never Say Die; Be Optimistic Kevin M. Weeks Article The Kevin M. Weeks Story: Never Say Die; Be Optimistic ’Never Say Die; Be Optimis...
Bebop Books
Bebop Books Troy Johnson Article Bebop Books is currently accepting manuscripts for emergent readers with multicultural themes. Emergent readers are used by kindergarten and first-grade teachers ...
Take Your Pleasure Where You Find It<em> (2nd review)</em>
Take Your Pleasure Where You Find It (2nd review) Thumper Article I am usually excited when I get to read a new J. D. Mason novel. Over the years, she has become one of my favorite authors. When I ...
378 Excellent Books, 77 Important Events
378 Excellent Books, 77 Important Events Troy Johnson Article Top 100+ Recommended Children’s Books Children book authors, industry professionals, and avid readers contributed their favorite chi...
NAACP Image Award Winner, Tony Rose pens, “America the Black Point of View”
NAACP Image Award Winner, Tony Rose pens, “America the Black Point of View” Troy Johnson Article An Autobiographical History Book by, NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literature, Tony Rose ...
Russell Simmons Hosts Book Party for CNN’s Soledad O’Brien
Russell Simmons Hosts Book Party for CNN’s Soledad O’Brien Troy Johnson Article [caption id="attachment_199" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="photograph Steve Fenn/CNN"][/caption] Over the...
To Journey Home (a short story)
To Journey Home (a short story) Douglas E. McIntosh Article COPYRIGHT DOUGLAS E. MCINTOSH Akua screamed and drew her legs inward, while at the same time, flailing wi...
Who Was Frank Yerby?
Who Was Frank Yerby? Eugene Stovall Article Frank Garvin Yerby (September 5, 1916 — November 29, 1991) Frank Yerby was an African American writer who gave the world a body of ...
Thumper’s Picks
Thumper’s Picks Thumper Article It’s been a while but I’m back with a whole new set of books that I have fallen in love with, passed around, and will sing the praises of at the drop of ...
Shine On: The Writings of Diane Oliver
Shine On: The Writings of Diane Oliver Michael A. Gonzales Article In 2021 my friend Paul Price was cleaning out a storage unit when he stumbled on collection of Black literature called Right On! A...
KIP Business Report
KIP Business Report Troy Johnson Article http://www.kipbusinessreport.com Story Ideas and Article Submissions Is there a topic you’d like to see explored in KBR? Do you know of interesting p...
What I’d Say: On Writing “Frankie Five Hundred”
What I’d Say: On Writing “Frankie Five Hundred” Michael A. Gonzales Article Recently my short story “Frankie Five Hundred” was published on the literary website Evergreen Review. Founded ...
Notes on “Quotes” from An American Marriage
Notes on “Quotes” from An American Marriage Tayari Jones Article “But home isn’t where you land; home is where you launch. You can’t pick your home any more than you can choose your...
Ghost Boys, a Powerful New Novel, for Young Readers, from Jewell Parker Rhodes
Ghost Boys, a Powerful New Novel, for Young Readers, from Jewell Parker Rhodes Troy Johnson Article The #1 Kids’ Indie Next Pick A heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a po...
Blue Nile Press Presents: Raisins in Milk by David Covin
Blue Nile Press Presents: Raisins in Milk by David Covin Troy Johnson Article In 1977, when Toni Morrison was an editor for Random House, she read an early version of Raisins in Milk. In a letter she...
March 1, 2017 Newsletter — Book Award Announcements, New Books, and More
March 1, 2017 Newsletter — Book Award Announcements, New Books, and More Troy Johnson Article New Books Coming Out March 2017 Helene Cooper tells the amazing of story Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, leader o...
New Books February 2017, Book Reviews, Events, and More
New Books February 2017, Book Reviews, Events, and More Troy Johnson Article New Books Coming Out February 2017 Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson A timely and powerful story about a teen gir...
Donald Trump is a Negger
Donald Trump is a Negger AALBC Staff Writer Article It’s not a typo. Donald Trump used a pick-up artist’s strategy to win the presidency. For those of you who don’t know much abo...
Celebrating the Best in Black Literature (May 31, 2016 Newsletter)
Celebrating the Best in Black Literature (May 31, 2016 Newsletter) Troy Johnson Article Subscribe to AALBC.com’s eNewsletter Books to be Published in June Summer will heat up with some great new ...
Our 10 Most Popular Discussions (and Why Discussion Forums Matter)
Our 10 Most Popular Discussions (and Why Discussion Forums Matter) Troy Johnson Article Our discussion forums have been running for more than 17 years. According to Google's Analytics, these are the...
Power List of Best-Selling African-American Books - Fall 2014
Power List of Best-Selling African-American Books - Fall 2014 Troy Johnson Article Strong Sales Shown Among Hardcover Non-Fiction Titles in Fall Edition of the Power List of Best-Selling African-...
Unpublished Stories From Octavia Butler Available for the First Time
Unpublished Stories From Octavia Butler Available for the First Time Troy Johnson Article Octavia E. Butler (1947–2006) was a bestselling and award-winning author, considered one of the best scie...