AALBC Search
Victoria Christopher Murray Celebrates a Writing Career Spanning 20 Years and 27 Novels!
Victoria Christopher Murray Celebrates a Writing Career Spanning 20 Years and 27 Novels! Troy Johnson Article “In 1997, I self-published my first novel, Temptation. I sold 9,000 copies in 6 months,...
A Tale of Two Countries
A Tale of Two Countries Anthony Browder Article This is a tale of two countries and their treatment of two African American men named Michael Brown. This is also a tale about the best of times ...
Quantum Leap Publisher
Quantum Leap Publisher Troy Johnson Article http://qleappub.com/ Quantum Leap Publisher produces a range of diverse books including photographic books. Since its founding in 1990, the c...
James Brown “Godfather of Soul” Dies at 73 (1933–2006)
James Brown “Godfather of Soul” Dies at 73 (1933–2006) Jamie Walker Article Photo Source: http://www.funky-stuff.com Atlanta, GA James Brown, the legendary ’Godfather of Soul...
Cheryl Woodruff Named President and Associate Publisher of SmileyBooks
Cheryl Woodruff Named President and Associate Publisher of SmileyBooks Troy Johnson Article OK y'all this is big. Cheryl Woodruff, founder and former associate publisher of One World, Random House’s ...
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 ...
A Profile of the Late Hugh Holton
A Profile of the Late Hugh Holton Michael Marsh Article Hugh Holton, passed May 18, 2001 at age 54, just eight days after his eighth novel, The Devil’s Shadow Books Behind the Ba...
“Would You Stop Buying Books from Amazon.com to Save the Black Book Industry?”
“Would You Stop Buying Books from Amazon.com to Save the Black Book Industry?” Troy Johnson Article Exploring The Feasibility Boycotting Amazon’s Bookstore In the following video, Ruth J. Morrison, ...
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...
Black Orchid Lit. Agency
Black Orchid Lit. Agency Troy Johnson Article Black Orchid Literary Agency http://www.flashtech.net/bola/ 820 Lamar Street Cleveland, TX 77327 William E. Wright, President &...
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 ...
American Gangster
American Gangster Troy Johnson Article The movie American Gangster was filmed in my neighborhood in Harlem. The steps of the church Denzel Washington is standing, in the photograph above, is just aro...
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...
Chester Himes
Chester Himes Michael Marsh Article Long before becoming a famous novelist, Chester Himes was a budding criminal. But his life changed after he was arrested in Chicago. His approach to his fir...
African Amer. Images
African Amer. Images Troy Johnson Article http://www.africanamericanimages.com/ African American Images 1909 W 95th Street Chicago IL. 60643 1-800-552-1991 fax 773-445-9844 President, D...
Why Fertile Ground is an Important Work
Why Fertile Ground is an Important Work Kalamu ya Salaam Article These Are The Lyrics, Our People Are The Music WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE SPIRIT OF BLACKNESS, the spirit of doing for self...
Serious Problems With Facebook Promotion
Serious Problems With Facebook Promotion Troy Johnson Article Writers, if you are using Facebook to promote your work—especially paid promotion— invest 30 minutes of your time to watch these two vide...
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...
Why Did The City Sun [1984–1996] Matter?
Why Did The City Sun [1984–1996] Matter? Wayne Dawkins Article Editors’s Note: Check out Dawkins’ book about The City Sun’s publisher Andrew W. Cooper A decade ago ...
Book Review: Diary of a Lost Girl: The Autobiography of Kola Boof by Kola Boof
Book Review: Diary of a Lost Girl: The Autobiography of Kola Boof by Kola Boof Kam Williams Article ADD TO CART 8 Time AALBC.com Bestselling Book!Publication Date: Feb 01, 2006List Price...
Surviving Chaos, How I Found Peace at A Beach Bar by Harold Phifer Book Reviewed
Surviving Chaos, How I Found Peace at A Beach Bar by Harold Phifer Book Reviewed Denolyn Carroll Article ADD TO CART Publication Date: Feb 18, 2021List Price: $17.95 Format: Paperback, 2...
Benita Dale
Benita Dale Troy Johnson Article President of The Alliance for Cultural Enrichment, Inc. and Founder and Publisher of DIALOGUE BENITA R. DALE ace-dialogue@erols.com Ms. Dale fulfilled her...
Open Letter to Chris Brown
Open Letter to Chris Brown Kevin Powell Article Open Letter to Chris Brown by Kevin Powell March 23rd, 2011 Dear Chris: I really did not want to write this open letter, and would have prefe...
State of the Black Union 2009
State of the Black Union 2009 Kam Williams Article Tavis Assembles Black Luminaries in L.A. for 10th Annual Gathering State of the Black Union by Kam Williams The 10th Annual Sta...
An UPTOWN Continuing Literary Tradition (Harlem 1986 - 1996)
An UPTOWN Continuing Literary Tradition (Harlem 1986 - 1996) Marie Brown Article ’ An UPTOWN Continuing Literary Tradition (Harlem 1986 - 1996) by ’Marie Brown (presented a...
Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America
Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America Michael Eric Dyson Article Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White AmericaBeloved, the deed has been done. We have—since that ’we’ mu...
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...
Book Review: Is Bill Cosby Right?
Book Review: Is Bill Cosby Right? Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Article Critic Foiled by “Corkscrew” Logic Is Bill Cosby Right?: Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind? by Michael Eric ...
BARTLETT’S FAMILIAR BLACK QUOTATIONS: Edited by Retha Powers
BARTLETT’S FAMILIAR BLACK QUOTATIONS: Edited by Retha Powers Troy Johnson Article Bartlett's Familiar Black Quotations: 5,000 Years of Literature, Lyrics, Poems, Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs...
Callaloo
Callaloo Troy Johnson Article CALLALOO: A JOURNAL OF AFRICAN DIASPORA ARTS & LETTERS Editor & Founder: Charles H. Rowell Founded: 1976 Publication Frequency: Quarterly Circulation: c....
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...
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...
AALBC.com May 2013 eNewsletter Book Highlights
AALBC.com May 2013 eNewsletter Book Highlights Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com Best-selling Books - March to April 2013 This version of AALBC.com's eNewsletter, which focuses on book rela...
March 26th 2013 – eNewsletter Highlights
March 26th 2013 – eNewsletter Highlights Troy Johnson Article Read Our Complete eNewsletter AALBC.com mourns the passing of Nigerian novelist and poet Chinua Achebe (November 16, 1930 — March ...
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...
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...
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 ...
Good Books, Films, Events & Articles – June 23, 2014 eNewsletter
Good Books, Films, Events & Articles – June 23, 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 e...
Sweet Potato Comfort Pie Recipe
Sweet Potato Comfort Pie Recipe Rose McGee Article Makes 2 9-inch pies Ingredients 4 medium-to-large sweet potatoes, boiled with skin on until tender, then cooled and peeled 2 cups...
African Influence on Easter (Ancient & Modern)
African Influence on Easter (Ancient & Modern) Cinque Brown Article Many African American will be celebrating the religious holiday of Easter this weekend. It is interesting that many of us only thin...
We Must Patronize Black-Owned Websites or Lose Them
We Must Patronize Black-Owned Websites or Lose Them Troy Johnson Article Part of AALBC.com’s mission is to help support Black-owned websites. Historically, I've focused on sites related to books i...
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...
Voice to Voice: The Girls Write Now 2015 Anthology
Voice to Voice: The Girls Write Now 2015 Anthology Troy Johnson Article Voice to Voice: The Girls Write Now 2015 Anthology Paperback: 299 pages Publisher: Girls Write Now (2015) (May 19, 2015) Dim...
Is Amazon the Reader's Friend?
Is Amazon the Reader's Friend? Troy Johnson Article Is Amazon, who accounts for 75% of all new books sold online and 67% of all e-book sales, doing right by readers and the future of books? If you...
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...
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...
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...
African-American Pavilion at Book Expo America 2007
African-American Pavilion at Book Expo America 2007 Troy Johnson Article BookExpo America's Conference/Educational Programs run from May 31 - June 3, 2007 at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New...
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...
Broadway’s The Color Purple Empowers Many
Broadway’s The Color Purple Empowers Many Jamie Walker Article New York: Ever since its debut on Broadway, Alice Walker’s compelling narrative-turned-musical, ’The Color Purple,&rs...
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...
Colin Channer On His Novel, Satisfy My Soul
Colin Channer On His Novel, Satisfy My Soul Colin Channer Article What is SATISFY MY SOUL saying about the American experience? That the destruction of African gods has shaped the destiny of...
The Blair Bamboozle: A Fiction Writer’s Encounter With Jayson Blair
The Blair Bamboozle: A Fiction Writer’s Encounter With Jayson Blair Brian Egeston Article Burning Down My Masters’ House: My Life at th...
Pros and Cons of Mainstream and Self-Publishing
Pros and Cons of Mainstream and Self-Publishing C. Liegh McInnis Article There are two basic routes to getting published, mainstream and self-publishing. Mainstream is when one submits one&rsqu...
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 ...
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...
What is the “Book Metadata Universe” and Why Does it Matter?
What is the “Book Metadata Universe” and Why Does it Matter? Troy Johnson Article The term “Book Metadata Universe” typically refers to the vast and interconnected ecosystem of metadata r...
Black Belt Press
Black Belt Press Troy Johnson Article The Black Belt, defined by its dark, rich soil, stretches across central Alabama. It was the heart of the cotton belt. It was and is a place of great beauty,...
Disilgold Publishing
Disilgold Publishing Troy Johnson Article DISILGOLD PUBLISHING Heather Covington is the founder of Disilgold: A Bronx Publishing Company Making Waves. She's looking forward to publishin...
Hilton Publishing
Hilton Publishing Troy Johnson Article http://www.hiltonpub.com The Hilton Publishing Company has been established to promote the successful and profitable publication of two kinds of manuscri...
Kujichagulia Press
Kujichagulia Press Troy Johnson Article Kujichagulia Press is an independent African-American publishing house that was founded in 1994 by Erriel Kofi Addae (Erriel D. Roberson) and his wife, El...
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...
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...
South End Press
South End Press Troy Johnson Article http://southendpress.org/ South End Press is an independent, nonprofit, collectively-run book publisher with more than 250 titles in ...
The Caribbean Writer
The Caribbean Writer Troy Johnson Article Title: Caribbean Writer Author: Erika J. Waters (Editor) Publisher: University of the Virgin Islands (340) 692-4152 qmars@uvi.edu Date Published...
University of Pittsburgh Press
University of Pittsburgh Press Troy Johnson Article http://www.pitt.edu/~press Title: Captivity Author: Toi Derricotte Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press Date Published:...
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...
Writersandpoets.com
Writersandpoets.com Troy Johnson Article Writersandpoets.com Born to Lust Click to order via Amazon or Barnes and Noble by Johnny Archer ISBN: 0975341308 Format: Paperback...
She is Global, an Artist, a Movement—Malaika Adero is “Global I Aam”
She is Global, an Artist, a Movement—Malaika Adero is “Global I Aam” Patrick A. Howell Article
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...
Sonia Sanchez and Ten Grandmothers Acquitted of “Defiant Trespassing”
Sonia Sanchez and Ten Grandmothers Acquitted of “Defiant Trespassing” Jamie Walker Article Photo: Michael T. Regan Philadelphia, PA: Sonia Sanchez, 71, and ten other grandmothers, who are part ...
Sonia Sanchez Performs “Full Moon” Concert in NYC
Sonia Sanchez Performs “Full Moon” Concert in NYC Jamie Walker Article New York: Poet Sonia Sanchez celebrated the release of her new CD called The Full Moon of Sonia (V.I.A. Recording Art...
Farrakhan to Black Youth: Study Ferguson, MO and Gaza
Farrakhan to Black Youth: Study Ferguson, MO and Gaza Leroy Baylor Article The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan Photo: Michael Muhammad The military readiness of police in Fer...
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...
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...
Help Keep the Country's Oldest Black-owned Bookstore Open
Help Keep the Country's Oldest Black-owned Bookstore Open Troy Johnson Article Editor's Note (posted May 8th 2014): Marcus Books of San Francisco Evicted Sign the petition to help save the sto...
The Days of Being Gouged by Cable TV Companies Are Over...
The Days of Being Gouged by Cable TV Companies Are Over... Troy Johnson Article ...well almost. Two services, reported by the Wall Street Journal this morning, look very promising FilmOn.com and ...
“...what, he think he live in a white neighborhood or sumptin?!”
“...what, he think he live in a white neighborhood or sumptin?!” Troy Johnson Article I'll never understand, why people feel it is okay to litter. I can go outside, right now and watch an adult fini...
Can Black People Go 5 Minutes Without Music?
Can Black People Go 5 Minutes Without Music? Troy Johnson Article ...or rather why do we have to blast the music during every gathering? Having been back in Harlem now for about 4 years -- after bein...
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 "...
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 ...
Lisa Davis Literary Agency
Lisa Davis Literary Agency Troy Johnson Article Lisa Davis Literary Agency represents fiction�literary and commercial�and many areas of nonfiction, including women's issues, popular culture, se...
Need Inspiration to Write? Begin Within
Need Inspiration to Write? Begin Within Troy Johnson Article Need Inspiration to Write? Begin Within by Leah Mullen It was a beautifully cool late summer evening, and I was walking down M...
Skyelight Literature
Skyelight Literature Troy Johnson Article FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Skye Phillips Toll Free: 877‐335‐4874 Fax: 516 345 0652 info@skyelightbooks.com ...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
Dr. Frances Cress Welsing: An Author You Should Know
Dr. Frances Cress Welsing: An Author You Should Know Troy Johnson Article Dr. Welsing's book the The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors [1991, Third World Press] has been a best selling book on ...
Ellis Cose: An Author You Should Know
Ellis Cose: An Author You Should Know Troy Johnson Article [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Author Ellis Cose (l) with childhood buddy Verdeen White of Earth White and Fire"][/...
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...
Contest Winner
Contest Winner Troy Johnson Article The AALBC in conjunction with BlackWords sponsored a contest for the "360� Degree A Revolution of Black Poets" event. The question posed was "What is the imp...