AALBC Search
Mumia Abu-Jamal
Mumia Abu-Jamal 0000000117671001 Mumia Abu Jamal, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, was convicted for allegedly killing a cop in 1981. His trial was denounced by Amnesty Internatio...
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta 0000000121015234 Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, born in 1897, was a prominent leader of African nationalism. He studied anthropology at the London School of Economics. As the first native-born Pre...
S. D. Hines
S. D. Hines NONE Scot “S.D.” Hines is an Alaskan-based author and medical practitioner. He authored “No Man's Compass,” a historical tale about the compelling story of Michael Healy. When not writing...
Anthony Ray Hinton
Anthony Ray Hinton NONE Anthony Ray Hinton, wrongfully sentenced to death row for 28 years, now advocates for prison reform and faith following his 2015 release. Living in Alabama, his book was chose...
Louis Emanuel Lomax
Louis Emanuel Lomax 000000010988746X Dr. Louis Emanuel Lomax, born in 1922, was the first African-American TV journalist and a Yale Ph.D. graduate. Known for co-producing a documentary about the Nati...
Biyi Bandele
Biyi Bandele 0000000120964833 Biyi Bandele-Thomas (1967-2022) was a renowned Nigerian novelist, playwright, director, and photographer. He was celebrated as one of Africa's top 50 artists. Bandele's ...
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...
Henry Dumas
Henry Dumas 0000000110288296 Henry Dumas (1934-1968) was a celebrated writer and poet who greatly influenced American literature despite his premature death. Born in Arkansas, Dumas later moved to Ne...
June Jordan
June Jordan 0000000114793687 June Millicent Jordan (1936-2002) was a renowned poet, activist, teacher, and essayist, known for her influential voice in liberation. A professor at UC Berkeley, she dir...
My Haley
My Haley NONE Myran “My” Haley, a PhD graduate from The Ohio State University, is a renowned writer who collaborated with her late husband, author Alex Haley, on projects including the book and minis...
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...
Don Freeman
Don Freeman 000000010880233X Don Freeman was a California-born artist and musician who turned to sketching Broadway shows in New York after losing his trumpet. He found his true calling in children's...
Gerry Wright
Gerry Wright NONE Gerry Wright is a former professional basketball player and author. After earning All-American honors in high school and playing basketball at the University of Southern California ...
Method Man and Sanford Greene
Method Man and Sanford Greene MULTIPLE Method Man, a Grammy-winning rapper and actor, is part of the Wu-Tang Clan and resides in New York. Sanford Greene, a renowned comics artist for DC Comics, Imag...
Melvin Van Peebles
Melvin Van Peebles 000000038553859X Melvin Van Peebles, founding father of Black American cinema, was a multi-talented artist known for directing, writing, and acting in groundbreaking films. He was ...
David Walker
David Walker 0000000115650573 David Walker was a prominent African-American abolitionist who published an influential pamphlet in 1829 arguing against slavery and for racial equality using religious ...
Christopher C. Bell Jr.
Christopher C. Bell Jr. NONE Chris Bell Jr., a Black poet, essayist, educationist, novelist, and retired army Major, holds a Doctorate in Education. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia during racial...
Neoma Nwasike
Neoma Nwasike NONE Neoma Nwasike, born in Manhattan and raised in a Nigerian household in Long Island, is a hardworking undergraduate student at Medgar Evers College. Despite her father's death, she ...
Ralph Ellison
Ralph Ellison 0000000121178826 Ralph Ellison, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Invisible Man, whose powerful prose and profound insights on race, identity, and the human spirit continue to shape Amer...
J. Thurman
J. Thurman 0000000014023511 J. Thurman, a Chicago-born author with degrees in Psychology and Political Science, is renowned for his impactful empowerment sessions and motivational speaking. A publish...
Julian Bond
Julian Bond 0000000110860184 Horace Julian Bond was a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement, politician, professor, and writer. He co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and t...
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes 0000000121303076 “Democracy will not come / Today, this year, nor ever / Through compromise and fear.” Langston Hughes, The Poet Laureate of Harlem: Author, Poet, Essayist, Novelist, P...
Diane Oliver
Diane Oliver 000000012330550X Diane Oliver (1943-1966) was a notable author and Managing Editor of The Carolinian. She published seven short stories, won an O. Henry Award, and attended the Universit...
Phillis Wheatley
Phillis Wheatley 0000000121244897 Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784) was the first published African-American female poet, originally enslaved but later emancipated by the Wheatley family. Despite her d...
Robert Hayden
Robert Hayden 0000000114660665 Hayden was Named U.S. Poet Laureate for (1976–1978) Robert Hayden (1913-1980) was a renowned African-American poet, essayist, and educator. He was the first Africa...
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe 0000000087759773 Arthur Ashe, born in 1943, was the first and only African-American male tennis player to win the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open, with three Grand Slam titl...
Christopher D. Burns
Christopher D. Burns NONE Christopher D. Burns, from Memphis, served in the US Navy as an electrician before becoming a QA analyst and basketball coach. He wrote his first book after an injury halted...
Kiki Swinson
Kiki Swinson NONE “Kiki captures the heat of the streets.” —Wahida Clark KiKi Swinson, born in Portsmouth, Virginia, discovered her writing talent while in federal prison, resulting ...
Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith 000000012276857X Zadie Smith, born Sadie Smith in 1975, is a renowned British author of Jamaican-English heritage. Her debut novel, “White Teeth,” won numerous awards, and subsequent nove...
Deya Smith
Deya Smith NONE Deya “Direct” Smith, lead content producer for the Tom Joyner Morning Show, is the creator of “The Man Whisperer” series. Known for her provocative communication style, she's a freque...
Douglas Kearney
Douglas Kearney 0000000038213846 Douglas Kearney, a renowned poet and professor, is known for his works addressing race and history. His first book, “Fear, Some,” was published in 2006, followed by o...
Malcolm D. Lee
Malcolm D. Lee 0000000041786688 Malcolm D. Lee is an award-winning writer, director, and producer whose celebrated work includes The Best Man, Girls Trip, Night School, and Space Jam: A New Legacy. ...
Barry Fletcher
Barry Fletcher 000000004196937X Barry Fletcher, a renowned celebrity hairstylist, offers his expertise to A-list clientele including Halle Berry and Tina Turner, and influential figures like Condolee...
Paul C. Thornton
Paul C. Thornton NONE Paul C. Thornton, a Brooklyn native, served in the US Army as a mental health specialist. His diverse career includes roles as a financial executive, retail entrepreneur, city g...
C. Michelle Atkins, Dannielle Brown, Amanda Garcia, Nisha, Lori Obayomi, Lisa McGovern, Stephanie Thomas, Tracee Upteen, and Elona Washington
C. Michelle Atkins, Dannielle Brown, Amanda Garcia, Nisha, Lori Obayomi, Lisa McGovern, Stephanie Thomas, Tracee Upteen, and Elona Washington MULTIPLE C. Michelle Atkins, Dannielle Brown, Amanda Garc...
Valerie Wilson Wesley
Valerie Wilson Wesley 0000000108586470 Valerie Wilson Wesley, author of the Tamara Hayle mystery series, has also written adult-themed novels, children's books, and various fiction and non-fiction wo...
Elijah Muhammad
Elijah Muhammad 0000000083721495 Elijah Muhammad, born Elijah Poole, was an influential African-American religious leader who led the Nation of Islam from 1934 until his death in 1975. He was a mento...
Jay Lemming
Jay Lemming NONE Jay Lemming is a Washington, DC-based author known for dark literary fiction and horror. Works include 'Billy Maddox Takes His Shot', 'The Curse of Jaxx', and 'Death to the Children ...
Ina Yalof
Ina Yalof NONE Ina Yalof, a sociologist and author, has penned numerous cultural articles and books over 30 years. She has taught writing at Dartmouth College's ILEAD program and has 14 published boo...
John Riddick, Jr.
John Riddick, Jr. MULTIPLE John Riddick, Jr., editor of Rhapsody in Black, a quarterly literary magazine, showcased selected national writers and artists' talents. This publication aimed to promote d...
Damien Echols and Lorri Davis
Damien Echols and Lorri Davis MULTIPLE Bestselling author and visual artist Damien Echols, known for his wrongful death row sentence and magick practice, has penned six books, including two with his ...
Nawal El Saadawi
Nawal El Saadawi 0000000120296695 Nawal El Saadawi was an Egyptian feminist writer, activist, and physician renowned globally for her fearless advocacy for women's rights. Her writings, including “Wo...
Leslie Jones
Leslie Jones 0000000447812524 Leslie Jones, born in 1967, is an award-nominated actress known for her work on Saturday Night Live and HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death. She's been recognized as one...
Nelson George
Nelson George 0000000115805862 Nelson George, born in 1957, is a renowned columnist, critic, journalist, filmmaker, and author of 21 books, including bestseller 'The Michael Jackson Story'. A pioneer...
Darnell Lamont Walker
Darnell Lamont Walker NONE Darnell Lamont Walker is a celebrated death doula, Emmy-nominated writer, and storyteller redefining how we talk about life, loss, and everything in between. He guides ind...
Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull
Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull MULTIPLE Calvin Duncan is the founder and director of the Light of Justice program, which focuses on improving legal access for incarcerated individuals. Falsely accuse...
Kathryn M. Johnson
Kathryn M. Johnson NONE Compiler of “The Two Foot Shelf of Negro Literature” Kathryn Magnolia Johnson, born in the Jim Crow Era, was a champion for literacy, education, and social justice....
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...
William Craft and Ellen Craft
William Craft and Ellen Craft MULTIPLE William and Ellen Craft, escaped slaves from Georgia, became famous fugitives in the 1840s. Disguised as a white man and his servant, they reached the North and...
John A. Williams
John A. Williams 0000000081606231 “…arguably the finest African-American novelist of his generation.” John Alfred Williams (1925-2015), a renowned author and professor, had a distin...
Mae V. Cowdery
Mae V. Cowdery 0000000068646714 Mae V. Cowdery (1909–1948) was a gifted poet of the Harlem Renaissance whose work explored racial pride, love, and sensuality with unusual candor for her era. Born in...
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...
Chris Abani
Chris Abani 0000000083877772 Chris Abani, born in Nigeria in 1966, is a renowned author and educator who faced imprisonment for his literary work. After escaping to the US, he published eight books o...
Hugh Holton
Hugh Holton NONE Hubert “Hugh” Holton, son of a police officer, was a prolific author who passed away in 2001. Raised in Woodlawn, he attended Saint Anselm elementary school and Mount Carmel high sch...
Jean Toomer
Jean Toomer 0000000120198120 Jean Toomer (1894-1967), born as Nathan Pinchback Toomer, was a leading African American poet and novelist of the Harlem Renaissance and Modernism. Born to wealthy parent...
Dennis A. Williams
Dennis A. Williams NONE Dennis A. Williams is a Syracuse-born author and educator. Raised in a multicultural neighborhood, his experiences shaped his writing, including his 1973 novella “Them That’s ...
Pinkie Gordon Lane
Pinkie Gordon Lane 0000000025290746 Pinkie Gordon Lane (1923-2008) was an influential poet, editor, and educator. Born in Philadelphia, she overcame hardships to earn degrees from Spelman College and...
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...
The Last Poets
The Last Poets 0000000109403584 The Last Poets, formed in 1969, are influential street poets who gained fame with their debut LP in 1970, reaching the U.S. Top 10 album charts. Members include Abiodu...
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...
Michael B. Jackson
Michael B. Jackson NONE Michael B. Jackson, a retired juvenile corrections worker, is an author of 4 books and a passionate advocate for the rights of formerly incarcerated people. He's also an inspi...
D.T. Pollard
D.T. Pollard NONE D.T. Pollard, an Essence Bestselling author from Texas, discovered his passion for writing at a young age but paused during college. After a 25-year career in technology sales, he r...
Earvin Magic Johnson
Earvin Magic Johnson 0000000368581203 Earvin “Magic” Johnson is a former NBA player born in Lansing, Michigan. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, earning multiple championships and MVP awards. Aft...
Larry Neal Shorter
Larry Neal Shorter NONE Larry Neal Shorter, also known as “Big Larry”, is a Baltimore-born author who has made a name for himself in the urban literature scene. After moving to Los Angeles and studyi...
Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.
Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. MULTIPLE Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., a Philadelphia native, is a respected theologian and pastor. After serving in the military, he completed his higher education at How...
Madeline Hampton
Madeline Hampton NONE Madeline Hampton is a romance novelist who began reading and writing at a young age. After serving in the U.S. Military, she pursued a career in health, during which she continu...
Marilyn Tyner
Marilyn Tyner NONE Marilyn Tyner (1943-2014) was an author from Pittsburgh, PA. An avid reader, Tyner attended Howard University studying psychology and zoology, and worked on the college literary ma...
Randall Woodfin
Randall Woodfin NONE Randall Woodfin worked at City Hall (in jobs for the mayor and the city council) and for the Jefferson County Committee on Economic Opportunity, attended Cumberland School of Law...
Supreme Understanding, C&rsquo,Bs Alife Allah, Dick Gregory, Supa Nova Slom, Wise Intelligent, Scott Whitaker, Afya Ibomu, Stic.Man, Bryant Terry and Vernellia Randall
Supreme Understanding, C&rsquo,Bs Alife Allah, Dick Gregory, Supa Nova Slom, Wise Intelligent, Scott Whitaker, Afya Ibomu, Stic.Man, Bryant Terry and Vernellia Randall MULTIPLE
Taye Diggs
Taye Diggs 0000000040750720 Taye Diggs, an award-winning actor recognized by the NAACP and Screen Actors Guild, is known for his performances in film (The Best Man Holiday, Chicago), stage (Rent, Wic...
Paul Beatty
Paul Beatty 0000000084014450 Paul Beatty, born 1962, the first American to win the Man Booker Prize in 2016 for his novel “The Sellout.” An LA native and graduate of Brooklyn College and Boston Unive...
Peter J. Harris
Peter J. Harris NONE Peter J. Harris, founder of The Black Man of Happiness Project, explores African American life and history through a unique lens: the happiness of Black men. This innovative proj...
Raoul Peck
Raoul Peck 0000000081402175 Raoul Peck is a renowned filmmaker known for narrative films and documentaries like Lumumba and I Am Not Your Negro. A jury member at Cannes and Berlinale, he chairs the b...
Frank Hercules
Frank Hercules NONE Frank Hercules, born in Trinidad and Tobago (1917), was a renowned author and scholar. Known for his insightful novels on colonial oppression and interracial marriage, and his his...
Clarence Cooper, Jr.
Clarence Cooper, Jr. MULTIPLE “…One of the most under-rated writers in America…” —John A. Williams Clarence L. Cooper Jr., born in 1934, was an author whose works, like...
Jonathan Eig
Jonathan Eig 0000000036580570 Jonathan Eig is a former Wall Street Journal writer and New York Times bestselling author of five books, praised as a “master storyteller” by Ken Burns. His work has bee...
Nnedi Okorafor
Nnedi Okorafor 0000000037028083 Nnedi Okorafor, Ph.D., is a Nigerian-American novelist known for blending African culture into her creative works. The New York Times has praised her stunning imaginat...
John Lewis
John Lewis 0000000114586629 Born to sharecroppers, John Robert Lewis became a key figure in the US Civil Rights Movement. As chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and a speaker at...
Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth 0000000109884285 One of the “100 Most Significant Americans of All Time” Sojourner Truth (c. 1797 – November 26, 1883) was an abolitionist and women’s rights a...
Agymah Kamau
Agymah Kamau 0000000067721508 Originally from Barbados, the author pursued their passion for writing after a career in economics in New York. Studied under Paule Marshall, authored a trilogy starting...
Garcelle Beauvais
Garcelle Beauvais 0000000046979075 Garcelle Beauvais is a versatile Hollywood force as an actress, author, producer, and humanitarian. From a modeling career to major roles in TV and films like The J...
Demoine Kinney
Demoine Kinney NONE Demoine Kinney is a pastor, Air Force veteran, actor, comedian, and self-taught saxophonist known for his positive messages and unique style. Noted for his role in The Avengers, h...
Herbert J. Seligmann
Herbert J. Seligmann 0000000108046757 Herbert J. Seligmann was a New York-based author and journalist, Harvard graduate, and contributed to various prominent publications. Notable works include 'The ...
Reggie Tuggle
Reggie Tuggle NONE Rev. Reggie Tuggle, a scholar, pastor, civil rights leader, and former corporate executive, has dedicated his life to overcoming adversity and sharing his blessings. Raised in Denv...
Nicholas Boggs
Nicholas Boggs 000000049899943X Nicholas Boggs was an undergraduate when he discovered James Baldwin’s out-of-print children’s book, Little Man, Little Man: A Story of Childhood, in the Beinecke Rar...
Samuel R. Delany
Samuel R. Delany 0000000109208949 Samuel R. Delany, a renowned author of science fiction and nonfiction, is known for works like Dhalgren and The Mad Man. A former English and Creative Writing profes...
Walter Zacharius
Walter Zacharius NONE Walter Zacharius (1923-2011) was a WWII veteran and a noted philanthropist. He co-founded Kensington Publishing in 1974, expanding the romance genre and supporting diverse reade...
Clarence B. Jones
Clarence B. Jones 0000000036182118 AALBC mourns the passing of Clarence B. Jones Dr. Clarence Benjamin Jones (January 8, 1931 – May 22, 2026) the lawyer who served as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s pe...
Annette Gordon-Reed
Annette Gordon-Reed 0000000035723517 Annette Gordon-Reed, a professor of law and history, authored “Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy.” She delves into the complex and intim...
Faye Thompson
Faye Thompson NONE Faye Thompson, a passionate author, discovered her love for writing at a young age. After a life diversion and a degree in psychology, an epiphany led her back to her true calling....
Charlie Murphy
Charlie Murphy 0000000114942873 Born on July 12, 1959, Charles Quinton Murphy, Jr. grew up in Roosevelt, Long Island. He served in the U.S. Navy before following his brother Eddie into show business....
Vanessa Vanzie
Vanessa Vanzie NONE Vanessa Vanzie, an Early Childhood Educator from Brooklyn, NY, overcame hurdles to earn her Associate's degree in Education and is currently pursuing further study. She works full...
Hoyt Fuller
Hoyt Fuller NONE Hoyt W. Fuller was a key figure in the Black Arts Movement as an editor, educator, critic, and author. He founded the OBAC writers' collective, edited the influential Negro Digest/Bl...
Devin Allen
Devin Allen NONE Devin Allen is a self-taught artist from Baltimore. He's known for his powerful photographs published on Time magazine covers, notably during the Baltimore Uprising and BlackTrans Li...
Phina Oruche
Phina Oruche NONE “Everything I am passionate about has storytelling in the center.” Phina Oruche, known for roles in BBC's Anthony and ITV's Footballers’ Wives, released a children's book...
Jarvis Jay Masters
Jarvis Jay Masters 0000000033485674 Jarvis Jay Masters, a San Quentin inmate since 19, is an award-winning author known for “Finding Freedom.” Convicted for conspiracy in a guard's murder, his case i...
Remi Adeleke
Remi Adeleke NONE Remi Adeleke, author of 'Transformed', is a former Navy SEAL turned business consultant and filmmaker. Born in Africa and raised in the Bronx, his journey from regrettable decisions...
Olaudah Equiano
Olaudah Equiano 0000000110225228 Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) was a freed slave and influential abolitionist. His autobiography, published in 1789, played a crucial role in ending the African slave tr...