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My Favorite Readings from the 2013 National Book Award Finalists
My Favorite Readings from the 2013 National Book Award Finalists Troy Johnson Article I covered this year's National Book Foundation's National Book Awards Finalists Reading for AALBC.com. The readin...
36 African-American Nominees for National Book Awards
36 African-American Nominees for National Book Awards Troy Johnson Article November 11, 2015 Update: A complete list of National Book Award Honorees, of African descent, is now available. The mi...
Susan Taylor Baker King’s Memoir
Susan Taylor Baker King’s Memoir Susie King Taylor Article An Excerpt from Susan Taylor Baker King’s Memoir:Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33rd US Colored Troops, Late 1st S.C. Vol...
Are Reading Rates Declining in the African American Community?
Are Reading Rates Declining in the African American Community? Troy Johnson Article Frequent AALBC.com visitors may already know I consider search results biased toward large corporate sites t...
How is African American Literature Really Doing?
How is African American Literature Really Doing? Troy Johnson Article For those in the business of Black books in America, this is a common question; “How is African American Literature Doing?” Some...
2016 National Black Writers Conference
2016 National Black Writers Conference Troy Johnson Article Update: March 25, 2016 The Conference's Complete and final Schedule of Events is Now Available. Greetings Colleagues, We are excited a...
National Book Awards Honors IBPA Members’ Impact
National Book Awards Honors IBPA Members’ Impact Troy Johnson Article This article was originally published in the April 2025 issue of the IBPA Independent magazine, the magazine for members of the I...
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 ...
Spotlight on the 14th National Black Writers Conference: March 22 – March 25, 2018
Spotlight on the 14th National Black Writers Conference: March 22 – March 25, 2018 Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com is Hosting an Independent Publishing Workshop How to Publish Your Book Independently...
National Conference of African American Librarians
National Conference of African American Librarians Troy Johnson Article Authors and Publishers: Exhibit at the National Conference of African American Librarians The Black Caucus of the American...
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...
Reading Tony Martin Matters
Reading Tony Martin Matters Rhone Fraser Article In my interview with Paul Coates about his 2024 Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, he made the point that the works of Tony Martin sh...
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 ...
W. Paul Coates Literarian Award Acceptance Speech from the 2024 National Book Awards
W. Paul Coates Literarian Award Acceptance Speech from the 2024 National Book Awards W. Paul Coates Article Watch a Video of Walter Mosleys’s Introduction and Paul Coates Acceptance Speech. ...
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...
AALBC Online Book Club’s Summer Reading List
AALBC Online Book Club’s Summer Reading List Troy Johnson Article AALBC’s Online Book Club’s Summer Reading List Participating in AALBC’s Online Book Club is easy. Discussions are held on the...
Happy New Year From AALBC.com’s Troy Johnson
Happy New Year From AALBC.com’s Troy Johnson Troy Johnson Article 2013, what a year! With so many great new books and films last year, there was a lot to celebrate. We also extended our reach through...
Book Club Picks - $10 Classics from HarperCollins - Plus More in AALBC’s eNewsletter
Book Club Picks - $10 Classics from HarperCollins - Plus More in AALBC’s eNewsletter Troy Johnson Article Books a Few Book Clubs are Enjoying this Month The Tea’s October Selection – We Shou...
What Was The Last Book You Read? The Celebrity Edition
What Was The Last Book You Read? The Celebrity Edition Troy Johnson Article Over the years we've published hundreds of interviews with celebrities. Each one is usually asked, what is now know as the...
Richard Wright to Jay-Z: The Decline of Young Black Male Literary Writers
Richard Wright to Jay-Z: The Decline of Young Black Male Literary Writers K.L. Reeves Article Young Writers Need Models Young writers need models. Early in my apprenticeship my predecessors fed me ...
Can I Get An Amen?
Can I Get An Amen? Ruth C. Taylor Article This article was originally published on now defunct, but historically significant, The Black World Today website and is shared here for archival purposes....
June 2016 Newsletter Celebrating the Best in Black Literature
June 2016 Newsletter Celebrating the Best in Black Literature Troy Johnson Article Subscribe to AALBC.com’s eNewsletter Carter G. Woodson Award Winning Books The National Council for the Social...
New Self-Publishing Literary Award to Promote Diverse Books in Libraries
New Self-Publishing Literary Award to Promote Diverse Books in Libraries Troy Johnson Article BCALA; SELF-e partner for new self-publishing literary award to promote diverse books in libraries The B...
7 Award Winning Books You Will Definitely Enjoy
7 Award Winning Books You Will Definitely Enjoy Troy Johnson Article [caption id="attachment_2853" align="alignright" width="140"] Ernest J. Gaines[/caption] The following seven books are all winn...
Panel discussion entitled Their Eyes Were Reading Smut:
Panel discussion entitled Their Eyes Were Reading Smut: Troy Johnson Article I attended a panel discussion entitled Their Eyes Were Reading Smut: The Impact of Ghetto Fiction on African American Lite...
Ben-Jochannan, Clarke & Van Sertima's Reading Lists
Ben-Jochannan, Clarke & Van Sertima's Reading Lists Troy Johnson Article Dr. Ivan Van Sertima (Jan 26, 1935 – May 25, 2009), Dr. Yosef “Dr. Ben” Ben-Jochannan (Dec 31, 1918 - March 19, 2015), and Dr...
Greene Response to “Their Eyes Were Reading Smut”
Greene Response to “Their Eyes Were Reading Smut” Brenda M. Greene Article Brenda M. Greene, Ph.D.,Professor of English Medgar Evers College, CUNY The Op-Ed Page 229 We...
On Reading the Sad News: Ama Ata Aidoo
On Reading the Sad News: Ama Ata Aidoo Rashidah Ismaili Article Ama Ata Aidoo (March 23, 1942 – May 31, 2023) Just after reading the New York Times Art section where I see the continued resi...
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 3
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 3 Kalamu ya Salaam Article Report from the Field National Black Writers Conference 2000 Part 3 of 3 “E...
Dwayne Alexander Smith on Winning the 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work—Debut Author
Dwayne Alexander Smith on Winning the 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work—Debut Author Dwayne Alexander Smith Article When I reached the podium, after the applause had faded, the fir...
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 2
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 2 Kalamu ya Salaam Article Report from the Field National Black Writers Conference 2000 Part 2 of 3 “E...
Book Review <em>The Emperor of Ocean Park</em> by Stephen L. Carter
Book Review The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter Linda Watkins Article ADD TO CART Buy the Audiobook Selected for 1 Book Club’s Reading List2003 BCALA Literary AwardPub...
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....
2015 Year End Thank You!
2015 Year End Thank You! Troy Johnson Article Coming in the New Year The biggest news for the new year is our website upgrade. We are redesigning AALBC.com from scratch, and we have the benefit of 1...
Highlighting Books Needed for Survival
Highlighting Books Needed for Survival Troy Johnson Article Our August 23rd Newsletter is Sponsored by Knopf Expanding Awards Section Our lists of award winning books have greatly increased i...
Taking Over Wall Street with Books by Charisse Carney-Nunes
Taking Over Wall Street with Books by Charisse Carney-Nunes Charisse Carney-Nunes Article The Lit Bit Wall Street is in for another invasion… no, not just more protestors armed with ...
Troy at the National Black Book Club Conference
Troy at the National Black Book Club Conference Troy Johnson Article This past August I participated in the National Black Book Club Conference. It was by 3rd time attending and 2rd time taking an ac...
Harlem Book Fair 2013: Video, Photos & Awards
Harlem Book Fair 2013: Video, Photos & Awards Troy Johnson Article All Photos © 2013 AALBC.com, LLC - Feel free to use them but please provide a photo credit to Troy Johnson, AALBC.com and a link...
Book-Remarks.com
Book-Remarks.com Troy Johnson Article The goal of Book-Remarks.com is to offer exciting, timely, positive, and useful information to the African-American reading community. Book-Remarks...
Introducing Delaney Diamond, USA Today Bestselling Author
Introducing Delaney Diamond, USA Today Bestselling Author Troy Johnson Article Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sweet, sensual, passionate romance novels and is the manager ...
★ Award Winning Titles, Book Reviews and More - April Newsletter
★ Award Winning Titles, Book Reviews and More - April Newsletter Troy Johnson Article NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Literary Work This year the NAACP celebrates the 50th anniversary of ...
September Newsletter: Recommended Reads, the MS Book Festival, and More
September Newsletter: Recommended Reads, the MS Book Festival, and More Troy Johnson Article Recommended Reads N. K. Jemisin the Only Writer to Win the Best Novel Hugo Award in three Consecutive Yea...
Vote for the Best Book Trailer of 2010!
Vote for the Best Book Trailer of 2010! Troy Johnson Article There are only 2 days left to cast your vote for the finalists of the Best Book trailer of 2010. Cast you vote now: https://bit.ly/best...
Jane Addams Book Award Winner Jewell Parker Rhodes
Jane Addams Book Award Winner Jewell Parker Rhodes Troy Johnson Article ABOUT JEWELL PARKER RHODES Jewell Parker Rhodes is the Piper Endowed Chair and founding artistic director of the Virginia G. P...
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 ...
Join the Fight for Independence on the Web
Join the Fight for Independence on the Web Troy Johnson Article This article is intended for writers and other content providers, who are active on social media and have a goal of generating reve...
Their Eyes Were Reading Smut
Their Eyes Were Reading Smut Nick Chiles Article Last month I happened to go into the Borders Books store at the Stonecrest mall in Lithonia, Ga., about a half-hour from my house here. To my surprise...
Women’s Fiction and Diversity
Women’s Fiction and Diversity Renee Swindle Article Renee SwindleI’ve been reading what the publishing industry has dubbed “women’s fiction” since books by autho...
17th Annual Celeb.of Black Writing
17th Annual Celeb.of Black Writing Troy Johnson Article PHOTOS and a report of this event coming soon! The 17th Annual Celebration of Black Writing February 16 to 18, 2001 Philadelphia For...
AALBC is Done with Amazon!
AALBC is Done with Amazon! Troy Johnson Article For almost 22, years AALBC has exposed readers of all backgrounds to books written by, or about, people of African descent. AALBC has published th...
Book Clubs Focused on Black Literature
Comprehensive registry of national and community book clubs reading and discussing books written by or about people of African descent.
AA LIT. CONFERENCE 2000
AA LIT. CONFERENCE 2000 Troy Johnson Article THIS EVENT HAS TAKEN PLACE AND IS RECORDED HERE AS AN HISTORICAL ARCHIVE. AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE CONFERENCE 2000 "THE LEGACY LIVES O...
October Bestsellers, Award Winning Books, New Bookstores and More
October Bestsellers, Award Winning Books, New Bookstores and More Troy Johnson Article Bestselling Books September/October 2017 The fiction category was dominated by Sadeqa Johnson’s novel Second ...
50 Best Places to Meet Other Book Lovers Online
50 Best Places to Meet Other Book Lovers Online Anna Miller Article Editor’s Note: This article was updated in April 2017 to show sites that are no longer active or have completely shut d...
September eNewsletter: Bestselling Books, 118 Book Events, and More
September eNewsletter: Bestselling Books, 118 Book Events, and More Troy Johnson Article July/August 2016 Bestselling Books Titles on Go On Girl! Book Club's reading list are prominent on our best...
AA Cultural Expo 2000
AA Cultural Expo 2000 Troy Johnson Article This was the AALBC.com's second year at the National African American Cultural Expo, which is held every year at the Philadelphia Convention Center. 20...
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...
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...
Remembering Ossie Davis, With Love
Remembering Ossie Davis, With Love Jamie Walker Article “In the light of Africa, there is Ossie Davis.” —Attallah Shabazz
Souls
Souls Troy Johnson Article http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ccbh/souls/index.html Souls is a quarterly interdisciplinary journal sponsored by the Center for Contemporary Black History, a scholar...
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 ...
How do I get my book featured on AALBC.com (for free)?
How do I get my book featured on AALBC.com (for free)? Troy Johnson Article “How do I get my book featured on AALBC.com?” is a question often posed to me by authors, publishers and publicists. Of...
Publishing Consultant
Publishing Consultant Troy Johnson Article Under construction.... Earl Cox started his career in publishing nearly eighteen years ago as a shipping and receiving clerk at the Baruch College Books...
The Mantle Proudly Publishes Authors From “Shithole Countries”
The Mantle Proudly Publishes Authors From “Shithole Countries” Troy Johnson Article Short stories from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Botswana, and Malawi: Gambit: Newer African Writing The only ant...
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...
2007 Outstanding Alumni Award from Syracuse University
2007 Outstanding Alumni Award from Syracuse University Troy Johnson Article It has been almost 30 years since I first set foot on the Syracuse University Campus during, what I believe was, the 1st Em...
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 1
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 1 Kalamu ya Salaam Article “Elizabeth Nunez, the conference director and the director of the Black Writers Ins...
Earl Cox
Earl Cox Troy Johnson Article Earl Cox is a publishing industry veteran of nearly two decades. As President and Chief Executive of Earl Cox & Associates Worldwide and Writersandpoets.co...
Marketing Your Book – Eight Unique Ways to Promote Your Book
Marketing Your Book – Eight Unique Ways to Promote Your Book Desiree Day Article Marketing Your Book - Eight Unique Ways to Promote Your Book by Desiree Day Whether you have just completed yo...
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...
2008 Essence Literary Award Winning Books Announced
2008 Essence Literary Award Winning Books Announced Troy Johnson Article 2008 Essence Literary Award Winning Books Announced http://books.aalbc.com/2008_essence_literary_awards_nominees.htm Would yo...
Host a Listening Party for SHUT UP AND READ!
Host a Listening Party for SHUT UP AND READ! Jeannine A. Cook Article .image:hover { transform: translateY(-5px); box-shadow: 0 12px 24px rgba(255, 126, 3, 0.4); } Host a Listening Pa...
Book & Author Promotion
Book & Author Promotion Troy Johnson Article There are several excellent organizations which provide a host of services to help you promote your books and authors. In fact, you'll find many s...
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...
Marcus Books of San Francisco Evicted—Should We Care?
Marcus Books of San Francisco Evicted—Should We Care? Troy Johnson Article Back in the the summer of 2013, I joined the fight to help save Marcus Books. My motivation was not solely limited to savin...
Lisa Armstrong's Moving Article in Essence Magazine [Jan. 2011]
Lisa Armstrong's Moving Article in Essence Magazine [Jan. 2011] Troy Johnson Article [caption id="attachment_248" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Photograph by Andre Lamberston - Essence Mag...
HBF Publishers
HBF Publishers Troy Johnson Article About HBF Publishers http://www.hbfpublishers.comHBF Publishers is a publishing house dedicated to providing a unique and simple ...
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...
Authors Don't Need Twitter
Authors Don't Need Twitter Troy Johnson Article Many authors invest a great deal of time managing their Twitter accounts. Hours a day are spent attracting new followers and keeping them engaged with...
Visitor’s day at Camp Grant – Research & Share Your Family History (Part 3)
Visitor’s day at Camp Grant – Research & Share Your Family History (Part 3) Troy Johnson Article The author of the next installment of "Research & Share Your History" is my virtual friend Connie ...
21st Century Slavery - My Reaction
21st Century Slavery - My Reaction Troy Johnson Article Generally when I get spam, whether it come from friends, family or a stranger, I usually just delete it. I get a lot of email. Most of it is ...
It’s All About Love: Romance Readers Speak Out
It’s All About Love: Romance Readers Speak Out Gwendolyn Osborne Article Many Americans hold preconceived notions about romance fiction without having read one of these books. Their knowledg...
Get Published Not Exploited
Get Published Not Exploited Kalamu ya Salaam Article I don’t give up my copyright to anyone. Period. I will do work for hire— in which case, the copyright is understood before hand t...
History of our Annual Black Pack Party
History of our Annual Black Pack Party Troy Johnson Article The Black Pack Party is a gathering of professionals across the Black book ecosystem. It was originally held annually during Book Expo Amer...
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 ...
5 Books for the Holidays! - Spotlight - December 17, 2017
5 Books for the Holidays! - Spotlight - December 17, 2017 Troy Johnson Article “The Spotlight” a New Video Feature on AALBC.com. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. The Books highlight...
Free eBooks - Great Reads Available for Download Now
Free eBooks - Great Reads Available for Download Now Troy Johnson Article There are so many free, high quality, eBooks available for immediate download, it is really quite astonishing. One can down...
Bestselling eBooks for 2010
Bestselling eBooks for 2010 Troy Johnson Article Check Out AALBC.com's bestselling eBooks for all of 2010. http://bit.ly/top10ebooks This our first eBook bestsellers list was derived from Kindle eB...
Please Donate to the Literary Freedom Project
Please Donate to the Literary Freedom Project Troy Johnson Article The Literary Freedom Project (LFP) and Mosaic magazine are fighting to keep immersive reading, literary arts, expository writing...
The Power of Blogs
The Power of Blogs Troy Johnson Article With this, we begin AALBC.com's foray in the world of Blogs. I've been reading a lot about Blogs lately. It seems the media is way ahead of the curve on thi...
Visitor’s day at Camp Grant – Research & Share Your Family History (Part 3)
Visitor’s day at Camp Grant – Research & Share Your Family History (Part 3) Connie Bradley Article The author of the next installment of “Research & Share Your History” is my virtual ...
Iron Pot Cooker CD Review
Iron Pot Cooker CD Review Troy Johnson Article The Iron Pot Cooker Click to Order via Amazon by Camille Yarbrough Audio CD (February 22, 2000) Number of Discs: 1 Label: Vanguard Records ...
Booking Matters Magazine
Booking Matters Magazine Troy Johnson Article Shunda Leigh Editor-in-Chief Booking Matters Magazine June 2005 - Video � AALBC.com Booking Matters Magazine takes pride in...
Parker Publishing
Parker Publishing Troy Johnson Article Parker Publishing was established by seasoned industry professionals, and targets the ever-expansive market of books by and about African-Americans. ...
Track Your Clicks or (Shorten Your URL's)
Track Your Clicks or (Shorten Your URL's) Troy Johnson Article Track Your Clicks and Shorten Your URLs How can you figure out which web sites like Twitter, Facebook, discussion boards...
Up & Coming Magazine
Up & Coming Magazine Troy Johnson Article Editor's Note (13 Jan 2013): We bleieve this magazine may be out of print. Their old domain has be claimed by a diiferent magazine with the same name....
Join Effort to Make “Forever an Ex” a Best-Selling Book
Join Effort to Make “Forever an Ex” a Best-Selling Book Troy Johnson Article Join the National Initiative to Propel Victoria Christopher Murray’s new novel, Forever an Ex, to Best-seller Status. Ab...
Top 50 Authors, Bestselling Books, and More
Top 50 Authors, Bestselling Books, and More Troy Johnson Article 50 Favorite African-American Authors of the 20th Century 1,826 readers cast votes, back in 2001, for their favorite African-Ameri...
Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama - Book Review
Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama - Book Review Troy Johnson Article "Of Thee I Sing is basically a baker’s dozen of brief biographies of important figures in American hist...
Troy Johnson: Literary Activist of the Year 2017
Troy Johnson: Literary Activist of the Year 2017 Troy Johnson Article On June 10, 2017, I had the fortune of being honored with the Literary Activist of the Year Award, which was presented to me ...