AALBC Search
Earl Douglas, Jr.
Earl Douglas, Jr. MULTIPLE Earl Douglas, Jr. is a key figure in the music industry, renowned for his role with the Black Rock Coalition (BRC). As an executive director, he supports and promotes diver...
Melvin Gibbs
Melvin Gibbs 0000000055545607 Melvin Gibbs is a Grammy-nominated composer, musician, artist, and writer born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Widely recognized for his groundbreaking work across ja...
Eileen Southern
Eileen Southern 0000000108921347 Dr. Eileen Southern, born in 1920, was the first black female tenured professor at Harvard. Renowned for her seminal works on Black music, including “The Music of Bla...
Diane D. Turner
Diane D. Turner NONE Diane D. Turner is the curator for Temple University's Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection. Her expertise lies in Black history, film, and music. She authored the childr...
Kyra D. Gaunt
Kyra D. Gaunt 0000000061596283 Kyra D. Gaunt is a college professor, jazz vocalist, author, and songwriter specializing in race, gender, and African American music. With a career in education startin...
Darrell M. McNeill
Darrell M. McNeill NONE Darrell M. McNeill is a Santa Barbara-based producer, musician, and journalist. He is the director of operations for the Black Rock Coalition, a nonprofit supporting artists o...
Jess Marie
Jess Marie NONE Jessica Marie Smith, known as Poet Jess Marie, is an inspirational writer from Detroit, MI, best known for her book “Anthology for Hope in the Hood.” A graduate of Michigan State Univ...
Teddy Riley
Teddy Riley 0000000078243847 Edward Theodore “Teddy” Riley is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and musical innovator whose work has shaped the sound of modern R&B and hip-hop for mor...
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...
W. B. Garvey
W. B. Garvey NONE W.B. Garvey, a relative of Marcus Garvey, is a renowned violinist and author of “Panama Fever: Digging Down Gold Mountain.” His work spans from performing with top orchestras and ar...
Stuart Cosgrove
Stuart Cosgrove 0000000384903559 Stuart Cosgrove, born in 1952, is a UK television executive and author. He has had a diverse career, from writing on the northern soul scene to winning a BAFTA for Ch...
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke 0000000073649493 Sam Cooke (1931-1964) is one of the most iconic singer-songwriters in American history. His influence spanned genres, and his genius as a singer, songwriter, producer, ent...
Judith Tick
Judith Tick 000000008391588X Judith Tick, a renowned professor emerita of music history at Northeastern University, is recognized for her award-winning work in American music and women's history in m...
Roxane Orgill
Roxane Orgill NONE Roxane Orgill is a seasoned music critic and author with over 20 years of experience, having worked with The Wall Street Journal and The Milwaukee Journal. She is known for her bio...
Maureen Mahon
Maureen Mahon 0000000063123420 Maureen Mahon, a cultural anthropologist with a Ph.D. from NYU, focuses on African American music and culture, race and gender in music, and related socio-cultural aspe...
Ross Victory
Ross Victory NONE J. Ross Victory is an award-winning author and music artist from Los Angeles. Known for his memoirs and music, he has a background in marketing, teaching, and music publishing. Draw...
Randy Weston
Randy Weston 0000000081037964 Randy Weston, born April 6, 1926, was a renowned jazz musician whose career spanned over six decades. Known for his unique fusion of African rhythms and jazz improvisati...
Sheila E. Anderson
Sheila E. Anderson NONE Sheila Anderson, raised in a music-loving family in Buffalo, New York, shifted from music to civil rights at 16, becoming the New York State Youth President of the NAACP. Desp...
Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Adams 0000000055219713 Yolanda Adams, known as “The First Lady of Modern Gospel,” is a renowned contemporary gospel artist with numerous awards, including five Grammys. Born in Houston on Aug...
Timbaland and Veronica Chambers
Timbaland and Veronica Chambers MULTIPLE Timothy Z. Mosley, known as Timbaland, is a renowned music producer, part of hip-hop duo Timbaland & Magoo, and CEO of Mosley Music Group. Veronica Chambers, ...
Meta Smith
Meta Smith NONE "MÑta Smith is a multi-talented individual from Chicago with experience in acting, dancing, DJing, and writing. Having served in various roles in music, film, and philanthropy, she h...
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey 0000000114722280 Mariah Carey is an author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, producer, and multiple award-winning artist and songwriter. She is the best-selling female artist of all time w...
Mark Anthony Neal
Mark Anthony Neal 0000000114756800 Mark Anthony Neal, a distinguished professor at Duke University, is the founding director of the Center for Arts, Digital Culture, and Entrepreneurship. He co-direc...
Jimmie Allen
Jimmie Allen 0000000465260495 Jimmie Allen is a multi-platinum American recording artist and the first Black artist to achieve two consecutive #1 hits on country radio and win the ACM New Male Artist...
Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X 0000000476080561 Lil Nas X, a Grammy-winning rapper from Georgia, gained fame with his viral hit Old Town Road. The first Black, openly gay rapper to win a Grammy, he's been honored with nu...
Mazaradi Fox
Mazaradi Fox NONE Mazaradi Fox, born Jamal Green, was a childhood friend of 50 Cent and a prominent figure in Queens, New York. Known for his love of cars and “dum out” lifestyle, which he often refl...
Tai Allen
Tai Allen NONE Tai Allen, a renowned Brooklyn-based creative director, poet, and musician, has excelled in multiple disciplines. His poetry and music have gained recognition from notable publications...
Brandon McCalla
Brandon McCalla NONE Brandon Dewitt McCalla, a Brooklyn native, is an author inspired by comic books and J.R.R. Tolkien. After studying English in college and exploring the music industry, he realize...
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...
Mandisa Hundley
Mandisa Hundley 0000000046764760 Mandisa Lynn Hundley was a Grammy-award winning artist known for her Christian music. She began her career singing backup for renowned artists and later topped Christ...
Patrick Denard Douthit
Patrick Denard Douthit 0000000047281613 Patrick Denard Douthit, known as “9th Wonder”, is a Grammy-winning producer, DJ, lecturer, and social activist from Winston-Salem, NC. Born in 1975, he has bee...
Paul Porter
Paul Porter 0000000032557824 Paul Porter is a seasoned radio, music, and television professional with four decades of experience. Known for his deep voice and expertise, Porter has spent 10 years at ...
Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh 0000000117591917 Peter Tosh, born Winston Hubert McIntosh (1944-1987), was a prominent Jamaican musician and activist. Raised in Trench Town, his musical skills were honed in church choir ...
Victor L. Wooten
Victor L. Wooten NONE Victor Lemonte Wooten, a five-time Grammy-winning bass player, composer, and producer, is known as an original member of the Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. He's also the author...
Michael Eric Dyson
Michael Eric Dyson 0000000108900116 Michael Eric Dyson is a distinguished scholar, Baptist minister, and public intellectual known for his innovative scholarship on race, religion, and popular cultur...
Ryan Press
Ryan Press NONE Ryan Press, President of Warner Chappell Music, is a veteran in the music industry with a career spanning decades. His extensive experience and deep understanding of the music busine...
Alexandra Morton
Alexandra Morton 0000000078676423 Alexandra Morton, host of The Book Look and 2011 Miss Black America-Baltimore, offers a unique online book review show on NewsOne.com. Featuring the latest book news...
Tracy Grant
Tracy Grant NONE Tracy Grant, a Brooklyn-born writer, gained fame at Georgetown University as an editorial writer. He became Senior Editor at music magazine Straight From the Street while also freela...
Alice Randall
Alice Randall 0000000019533545 Alice Randall, Harvard-educated writer and founder of Midsummer Music, is known for being the first black woman to write a number one country song and producing a CBS p...
Jamarhl Crawford
Jamarhl Crawford NONE Jamarhl Crawford, also known as UNO The Prophet, is a Boston-based artist and poet deeply rooted in the city's Black communities. Coming from a family rich in artistic history, ...
The Black Dot
The Black Dot NONE The Black Dot is renowned for his insight into the metaphysical aspects of Hip Hop, contributing to various media outlets and authoring the game-changing book, “Hip Hop Decoded.” A...
Marvin X
Marvin X 0000000023827167 Marvin X, born in 1944, is a renowned poet, playwright, and essayist associated with the Black Arts Movement. Known for co-founding the Black House and Black Arts/West Theat...
Faye Childs
Faye Childs NONE Faye Childs, born 1956, was a literary agent committed to promoting Black literature. She founded the Black Board Bestsellers list, a platform that increased visibility for Black aut...
Virginia Black
Virginia Black 0000000112712687 Virginia Black is a California-born writer, now living in the Pacific Northwest. Known for her love of whiskey, loud music, and dark speculative fiction, she spends he...
Tony Rose
Tony Rose 000000005879297X AALBC Mourns the Passing of Tony Rose Tony Rose (October 11, 1950 – May 27, 2025) was the Publisher and CEO of Amber Communications Group, Inc. the nation’s large...
Edward Kelsey Moore
Edward Kelsey Moore 0000000376833028 Edward Kelsey Moore is a renowned author and cellist based in Chicago. His debut novel was a NY Times bestseller and his short fiction has gained recognition, par...
Prince Rogers Nelson
Prince Rogers Nelson 0000000120964892 Prince Rogers Nelson, known as Prince, was an influential American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor. Famous for his eclectic work, flamboyant ...
Ray Charles Robinson Jr.
Ray Charles Robinson Jr. NONE Ray Charles Robinson Jr., born in 1955, is the son of music legend Ray Charles. A successful independent film producer, he's known for projects like 'Ray Charles: 50 Yea...
Freddi Williams Evans
Freddi Williams Evans 0000000034100692 Freddi Williams Evans is an award-winning author and former arts educator. She's recognized for her book “Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans” and her ad...
Charlie Wilson
Charlie Wilson 0000000055156329 Charlie Wilson, renowned R&B and soul musician, has earned multiple Grammy nominations and acclaim for his distinct voice and timeless hits. Despite struggles with hom...
Armond White
Armond White 0000000031792179 Armond Allen White, born in 1953, is a renowned film and music critic. He served as the arts editor for The City Sun and later wrote for New York Press. He was the edito...
Ronin Ro
Ronin Ro 0000000035931519 Ronin Ro, a New York City-based author, began his career writing for Dance Music Report and The Source, eventually contributing to renowned publications like Rolling Stone a...
Mark Curry
Mark Curry NONE Mark Curry, born in 1971, is an Atlanta-based entertainer who worked with Bad Boy Entertainment and Sean “Puffy” Combs for over a decade. Besides music, his ventures include authoring...
Matthew A. Cherry
Matthew A. Cherry 0000000500418922 Former NFL wide receiver, Matthew A. Cherry, transitioned into filmmaking after his retirement in 2007. He's known for directing over 20 music videos, his feature f...
H. J. Harris
H. J. Harris NONE Dr. Herbert Harris, a retired attorney and Columbia University graduate, is a renowned author known for his books on success principles and the music industry. His work, translated ...
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...
Brendan Slocumb
Brendan Slocumb NONE Brendan N. Slocumb, a music educator from North Carolina, is an accomplished violin and viola player who has performed with various orchestras. He's also an author, currently wor...
Burnett Kwadwo Gallman
Burnett Kwadwo Gallman NONE Burnett Kwadwo Gallman, a native of Hartsville, SC, is a medical graduate from Hahnemann Medical College. As a physician, his research aims to eliminate racial health disp...
Ramon Hervey II
Ramon Hervey II NONE Ramon Hervey II is a renowned entertainment manager, brand consultant, and PR specialist. With four decades of experience, his firm Hervey & Company has represented hundreds of a...
Khnum “Stic” Ibomu
Khnum “Stic” Ibomu NONE Khnum “Stic” Ibomu, part of socially conscious Hip Hop group Dead Prez, is a respected voice in the industry. Known for pioneering “Fit Hop”, Stic promotes holistic health and...
Chuck D
Chuck D 0000000368402543 Chuck D, born Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, is a renowned hip-hop artist, social activist, and multimedia producer. Best known as the leader of Public Enemy, he has significantl...
Pamela Courtney
Pamela Courtney NONE Pamela Courtney has three loves: writing, teaching, and music. She combined these passions, creating MyLMNOP, a valuable literacy and music program for early learners. With a B....
Jenifer Lewis
Jenifer Lewis 0000000114741342 “The Mother of Black Hollywood” Jenifer Lewis, renowned Hollywood actress, has starred in over 300 films and TV shows including ABC's Black-ish. She has als...
Sam Anderson
Sam Anderson 0000000119000682 Dr. Sam Anderson, a veteran activist and educator, is a renowned mathematics professor and Senior Editor of NOBO. A founding member of the Network of Black Organizers an...
Kingsley H. Smith
Kingsley H. Smith NONE Kingsley H. Smith is a seasoned radio broadcaster with experience in top US markets like NYC, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. An accomplished program director and announcer, ...
Huey P. Newton
Huey P. Newton 000000010924806X Huey P. Newton, born February 17, 1942, was a key figure in the US civil rights and Black Power movements. A co-founder of the Black Panther Party, he championed self-...
James H. Cone
James H. Cone 0000000381571755 James Hal Cone (1938-2018) was a renowned theologian known for advocating black theology and black liberation theology. His seminal work, Black Theology and Black Power...
Historical Research Department of the Nation of Islam
Historical Research Department of the Nation of Islam NONE This author explores the historical relationship between Black and Jewish communities, claiming that Black leaders advocating for economic a...
Jeffrey C. Stewart
Jeffrey C. Stewart 0000000082117456 Dr. Jeffrey C. Stewart is a renowned professor and chair of Black Studies at UC Santa Barbara. With an academic background from UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, and Yale, he's...
Greg Tate
Greg Tate 0000000385325658 Greg Tate (1957-2021) was a revered writer, musician, and producer, primarily focusing on African-American music and culture. He co-founded the Black Rock Coalition and led...
Russell Atkins
Russell Atkins 0000000067797174 Russell Atkins, born in 1926, is a Cleveland-based musician, playwright, poet, and national figure in American avant garde poetry. He studied at renowned Cleveland ins...
Jericho Brown
Jericho Brown 0000000055016908 Jericho Brown is a 2024 MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius” Grant Winner Jericho Brown, born 1976, is a renowned, award-winning poet recognized for his inf...
Cozbi A. Cabrera
Cozbi A. Cabrera NONE I wanted to express something that was really beautiful… —Cozbi A. Cabrera Cozbi A. Cabrera, a Brooklyn native, is a multidisciplinary creative best known for design...
Kwame Dawes
Kwame Dawes 0000000073665848 Ghana-born Kwame Dawes, a poet significantly influenced by Jamaican rhythms and reggae music, is the author of numerous poetry collections, novels, and non-fiction works....
Bobby Seale
Bobby Seale 0000000108724909 Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, is a key figure in the civil rights and Black Power movements. He helped establish the party's ideology and Ten-Point ...
Troy Johnson
Troy Johnson 0000000530602616 “I lead the world's oldest and largest online platform dedicated to books by and about people of African descent.” Troy Demetrius Johnson, founder and President of AALBC....
Nathan Hare
Nathan Hare 0000000116200187 Dr. Nathan Hare, known as “the Father of Black Studies,” was the first coordinator of a black studies program in the US. Despite being fired for his role in a student-led...
Doni Glover
Doni Glover NONE Doni Glover is the founder of the Original Black Wall Street SERIES and blackwallstreetnews.com. He's an influential voice in Maryland's black community, often sought for insights on...
Russell Simmons
Russell Simmons 0000000115647139 Russell Simmons is a multifaceted entrepreneur, author, and producer, widely known as the Chair and CEO of Rush Communications and co-founder of Def Jam Recordings. H...
Dwayne Ferguson
Dwayne Ferguson NONE Dwayne Ferguson, also known as Hunter Wolf, is a versatile artist who's created work for Walt Disney, Sony Music, Warner Bros. and more. As a writer, he's known for his comic boo...
Stacy Gueraseva
Stacy Gueraseva NONE Born in Moscow, Stacy Gueraseva immigrated to NYC in 1981, growing up in the Bronx amidst diverse cultures and music. She became editor-in-chief of Oneworld magazine at 24, after...
Christian Keyes
Christian Keyes NONE Christian Keyes is a versatile actor, singer, and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan, recognized for his consistent performances in Tyler Perry's productions. He's also known for ...
Ebony Dawn
Ebony Dawn NONE Ebony Dawn, also known as Pat Ebron, is a Newark native writer with a romantic perspective on life, influenced by old movies and diverse music. She has written plays, children's stori...
Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah 0000000430715306 Trevor Noah, a successful African comedian and host of the award-winning 'The Daily Show', joined the show in 2014. He has multiple comedy specials, including his 9th, 'A...
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...
Eric Deggans
Eric Deggans NONE Eric Deggans, NPR's first full-time TV critic, has served as a critic across various mediums and regularly comments on TV for National Public Radio. Raised in Indiana with a journal...
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...
Cbabi Bayoc
Cbabi Bayoc NONE Cbabi Bayoc, an internationally-recognized artist based in St. Louis, specializes in visuals around family, music, and more using vibrant colors. His diverse projects range from port...
Thembisa S. Mshaka
Thembisa S. Mshaka NONE Thembisa S. Mshaka is a versatile creative executive, author, producer, filmmaker, and voice actor, renowned for her award-winning global ad campaigns and writings. She is the...
Marcus J. Moore
Marcus J. Moore NONE Marcus J. Moore is a music journalist, editor, curator, pundit, professor, and author. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, NPR, Pitchfork, TIME, TIDAL, GQ, The Washington Post...
Mutabaruka
Mutabaruka 0000000108754294 Mutabaruka, was born Allan Hope and is a Jamaican Rastafari dub poet, musician, actor, educator, and talk-show host. Just above his forehead, poet ...
Ronald A. Crutcher
Ronald A. Crutcher NONE Ronald Crutcher is a classical musician and academic administrator who served as President of the University of Richmond. Ronald Andrew Crutcher (born February 27, 1947) is a ...
H. Beecher Hicks III
H. Beecher Hicks III NONE H. Beecher Hicks III is an accomplished executive and an inspiring public speaker with a background as an investment banker, management consultant, private equity investor,...
Askia M. Toure
Askia M. Toure 0000000043979889 Askia Muhammad Touré, born Rolland Snellings in 1938, is a renowned poet, essayist, and political editor associated with the Black Arts Movement. He has served as edi...
Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Alexis Pauline Gumbs 000000011229354X Alexis Pauline Gumbs is a queer black feminist and academic who has pioneered archival research in Black feminist geniuses' works. She founded grassroots publish...
Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor
Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor NONE Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor is a Washington DC-based cultural communications specialist and author. She founded the National Black Cultural Information Trust, using...
Steve Cannon
Steve Cannon 0000000363821597 Steve Cannon (1935-2019) was a key figure in the Black Arts Movement and a prominent Black writer from New Orleans. He moved to NYC in 1962, where he engaged in literary...
Daphne A. Brooks
Daphne A. Brooks 0000000036317932 Daphne A. Brooks is a Yale University professor and co-founder of the Black Sound & the Archive Working Group. She is an award-winning author known for her works on ...
Sheryl A. Keen
Sheryl A. Keen NONE Sheryl A. Keen is a Canadian author and artist with a bachelor's degree in History and English Literature. Her passions include writing, painting, reading, and music. Sheryl A. Ke...
Brian Coleman
Brian Coleman 0000000109521409 Brian Coleman is a seasoned music journalist specializing in hip-hop. His work has been featured in various national magazines such as XXL, Scratch, CMJ, and URB over t...