AALBC Search
Damon Wayans
Damon Wayans 000000005928060X Damon Wayans, a NY Times bestselling author and award-winning actor from a renowned Hollywood family, is known for his roles in 'In Living Color' and 'My Wife and Kids'....
Damon Meadows and Jason Poole
Damon Meadows and Jason Poole MULTIPLE Damon Meadows and Jason Poole are prolific authors known for their captivating storytelling and unique writing styles. Damon Meadows and Jason Poole
Damon Young
Damon Young 000000006070529X Damon Young is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of VerySmartBrothas, a senior editor at The Root, and a GQ columnist. He has contributed to major outlets including the ...
Damon Young and Panama Jackson
Damon Young and Panama Jackson MULTIPLE Damon Young and Panama Jackson
Damon Meadows
Damon Meadows NONE Damon “Amin” Meadows, a South Philadelphia native and proud father, co-authored Convict's Candy during his federal prison sentence. He educates on prison life and emphasizes HIV/AI...
Damon Tweedy
Damon Tweedy NONE Damon Tweedy, a Duke Medical and Yale Law graduate, is a professor of psychiatry and staff physician. He's published numerous articles on race and medicine and has written for vario...
Dame DaVohn
Dame DaVohn NONE Damon DaVohn Hopkins, a Flint, MI native now living in Dallas, TX, is an author, poet, and speaker passionate about the black community. His work, including his acclaimed debut novel...
Kevin Young
Kevin Young 0000000109530225 Kevin Young, born in 1970, is a renowned poet and teacher influenced by Hughes, Berryman, Dickinson, and Basquiat. A Harvard graduate, Young authored multiple poetry book...
Kazembe
Kazembe NONE Lasana Kazembe is a renowned poet, essayist, and lecturer, recognized for his performances at literary venues across Chicago. Garnering accolades such as the 1st Place Winner of the Gwen...
Ashley Franklin
Ashley Franklin NONE Ashley Franklin, author of the debut picture book 'Not Quite Snow White', published by Harper Collins in 2019. She holds an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Dela...
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor 0000000113419810 Carol Taylor, a seasoned book editor & writer with over 20 years in the industry, has worked with prominent black authors. Featured in notable publications & TV, she has...
Jasmine Mans
Jasmine Mans NONE Jasmine Mans, a Black American poet and artist from Newark, NJ, is a University of Wisconsin Madison graduate. Author of the 2012 poetry collection, Chalk Outlines of Snow Angels, a...
Ebony Glenn
Ebony Glenn NONE Ebony Glenn is an Atlanta-based illustrator known for whimsical art that brings joy and magic. She illustrated award-winning books like Mommy’s Khimar, Not Quite Snow White, Beacon t...
Addie Boswell
Addie Boswell NONE Addie Boswell, a Portland-based author and muralist, is known for her award-winning book, The Rain Stomper. Her works include Go, Bikes, Go!, Go, Planes, Go!, The Snow Dancer, and ...
Dashawn Taylor
Dashawn Taylor NONE Dashawn Taylor is a contemporary novelist and Rutgers graduate known for his urban edgy style. A former finalist on BET's Ultimate Hustler Show, he's also the author of 'From Pove...
Tiffany Dufu
Tiffany Dufu NONE Tiffany Dufu, author of Drop the Ball, is a prominent figure in women's leadership. She was part of the Lean In launch team and currently serves as Chief Leadership Officer at Levo....
Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx 0000000114506596 Jamie Foxx, born Eric Marlon Bishop, is an acclaimed actor, comedian, singer, musician, and producer from Terrell, Texas. He started in showbiz in 1989 and gained fame on ...
Derrick Barnes
Derrick Barnes 0000000036217464 Derrick D. Barnes, a Kansas City native and Jackson State University graduate, is a celebrated author known for children's books like “Stop Drop and Chill” and “The Lo...
Junot Diaz
Junot Diaz 0000000121411106 Junot DÃaz, renowned for his debut novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” and story collection “Drown”, is celebrated as a distinctive voice in contemporary fiction...
Angle S. Bush
Angle S. Bush NONE Angle S. Bush, an author, poet, and motivational speaker from Michigan, is known for her books “When I Cease to Exist” and “Soul of a Woman” aimed at fostering self-embrace and inn...
Brandon Massey
Brandon Massey 0000000038345320 Brandon Massey, born on June 9, 1973, is a passionate writer from Illinois now based in Atlanta. With an early fascination for words and stories, he began writing in h...
Scott Haskins
Scott Haskins NONE Born on February 21, 1962, in Sandusky, Ohio, sports fanatic Scott Denton Haskins discovered his passion for writing in the sixth grade. Scott pursued a degree in Mass Media Arts a...
Jason Wilson
Jason Wilson 0000000109296299 Jason Wilson, founder and CEO of the Yunion, a non-profit youth organization, has impacted over 15,000 youth since 2003 through prevention programming and parental engag...
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...
Cinque Brown
Cinque Brown NONE Cinque Brown, a Harlem native, is a full-time philosopher with a passion for questioning life. He's an avid learner with a focus on science and technology, and enjoys social comment...
Guy Sims
Guy Sims NONE Guy A. Sims is an acclaimed author known for his early publications on Kwanzaa, his collection of American Tall Tales, and his novel, Living Just A Little. He's also the head writer for...
Ruth P. Watson
Ruth P. Watson NONE Ruth P. Watson is a Virginia-born author and educator, now living in Atlanta. Known for bestsellers like Blackberry Days of Summer, she also writes children's books and is a docum...
LaKesa Cox
LaKesa Cox NONE LaKesa Cox is an award-winning author and screenwriter with over 20 years of experience. She has published four novels and has contributed to two anthologies. She was acknowledged as ...
Kiran H. J. Dellimore
Kiran H. J. Dellimore NONE Kiran Dellimore, a scientist, inventor, and author based in Utrecht, has authored three books on diverse topics. A keen runner, squash player, and rock climber, he is curre...
Daniel Henderson
Daniel Henderson 0000000016295318 Daniel B. Henderson Sr., also known as Smokey 'D', is a poet residing in Ashdown, AR. Born in 1956, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force Reserves. He hol...
Sister Souljah
Sister Souljah 0000000083868534 Sister Souljah, born Lisa Williamson in 1964, is a multidimensional woman renowned as a community activist, radio and TV personality, hip-hop artist, and bestselling a...
Vanessa Davis Griggs
Vanessa Davis Griggs NONE Vanessa Davis Griggs, also known as “God’s Cheerleader,” is an award-winning author and motivational speaker who left a corporate career to start her own company, Free To So...
Walter Rodney
Walter Rodney 0000000098618407 Walter Anthony Rodney was born in Georgetown, Guyana on March 23, 1942. He is recognized as one of the Caribbean s most brilliant minds. Rodney attended Qu...
Winston Chapman
Winston Chapman NONE Winston Chapman, originally from Roseville, Minnesota, is an author with diverse career experiences, including stand-up comedy and TV show production. He first published an artic...
Margaret Garner
Margaret Garner NONE Margaret Garner, a fugitive slave from Kentucky, killed one of her children rather than permit her to be returned to slavery. She drowned in a shipwreck as she was being ...
E. Lynn Harris
E. Lynn Harris 0000000117647343 Everette Lynn Harris was a successful black author, focusing on the experiences of young, urban professionals. Raised by a single mother in Little Rock, he overcame pe...
justin a. reynolds
justin a. reynolds NONE Justin A. Reynolds is an acclaimed author renowned for his debut YA novel, “Opposite of Always,” and second novel “Early Departures.” His work includes a Marvel graphic novel ...
Chris Hedges
Chris Hedges 0000000120255957 Chris Hedges was a foreign correspondent for nearly two decades for The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Christian Science Monitor and National Public...
James Alan McPherson
James Alan McPherson 0000000110837574 1st Black writer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. James Alan McPherson, born on September 16, 1943, was the first African-American to win the Pulitzer for F...
Schuyler C. Webb
Schuyler C. Webb NONE Schuyler “Sky” C. Webb, PhD, MBA, earned degrees from Morehouse College, the University of Massachusetts, National University, and Alliant International University. He is the c...
Shannon Holmes
Shannon Holmes NONE Shannon Holmes, a Bronx native, turned his life around while serving a prison sentence by penning his first novel. Achieving success with his debut, “B-more Careful,” he secured a...
JaNay Brown-Wood
JaNay Brown-Wood NONE JaNay Brown-Wood is a celebrated children's author and educator, known for her award-winning book, “Imani's Moon.” She teaches as an ECE professor at American River College and ...
Diana Veiga
Diana Veiga NONE Go On Girl! Book Club, Unpublished Writer Award 2013 Winner Diana Veiga, winner of the 2013 Go On Girl! Book Club's Unpublished Writer award, is a dedicated writer and social justice ...
Susie King Taylor
Susie King Taylor 0000000084839030 Susan Taylor Baker King, born into slavery in 1848, overcame adversity to become a teacher, nurse, and author. Despite education restrictions, she attended secret s...
Taylor Byas
Taylor Byas NONE Dr. Taylor Byas, Ph.D. is a Black poet and essayist. Originally from Chicago, she moved to Alabama for six years, where she received both her Bachelor’s degree in English and her Ma...
Leye Adenle
Leye Adenle 000000045959996X Leye Adenle, a Nigerian author based in London, is a Prix Marianne winner and agile coach. He has numerous short stories and satirical pieces to his credit, appearing in ...
Charles Fuller
Charles Fuller 0000000109011919 Charles H. Fuller, Jr. is an acclaimed author and playwright known for his works on racial tensions. Notably, he wrote The Village: A Party, The Brownsville Raid, and ...
Andrew Young
Andrew Young 0000000109181731 Andrew Jackson Young Jr. is an American politician, diplomat, and activist born on March 12, 1932. He started as a pastor, became a civil rights leader, and served as th...
N. K. Jemisin
N. K. Jemisin 0000000107503776 Jemisin, in 2018, Became the Only Writer to Win 3 Best Novel Hugo Awards in Consecutive Years (note) Nora K. Jemisin, born in 1972, is a renowned speculative fiction aut...
Claude McKay
Claude McKay 0000000108625951 Festus Claudius McKay, a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, was born in Jamaica and authored influential works including the poem “If We Must Die” and novel “Home to ...
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...
Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells 0000000083935290 Ida B. Wells, born a slave in 1862, was an influential African-American journalist, editor, suffragist, and early Civil Rights leader. Notable for her documentation of l...
Sascha Alper
Sascha Alper NONE Sascha Alper is a literary agent and author based in Brooklyn, New York, where she lives with her husband, fellow literary agent Larry Weissman. Passionate about storytelling and d...
Richard Morris
Richard Morris 000000002791695X Richard A. Morris is a Harvard Business School alumnus, Vietnam war veteran and former building code specialist turned novelist. Known for his critically acclaimed nov...
Reality Way
Reality Way NONE Reality Way, a Queens-born author, faced several life obstacles leading him to prison. It was there he developed a passion for writing, leading to his first published work, “Young Go...
Donna Drew Sawyer
Donna Drew Sawyer NONE Donna Drew Sawyer, author of Provenance, has a rich background in arts administration, advertising, and public relations. A New Yorker with over three decades of experience in ...
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...
Jacki Simmons
Jacki Simmons NONE Bronx-born, Harlem-raised author Jacki Simmons found inspiration in her surroundings from a young age. She completed her first short story at 11 and her first novel at 16. After wi...
Brandy Colbert
Brandy Colbert 0000000409932699 Brandy Colbert is an award-winning author hailing from Missouri. Her work primarily focuses on young adult and children's literature, with titles such as “Little & Lio...
Al Young
Al Young 0000000063058737 Al Young, born in 1939, is a respected author and poet from Mississippi. He attended the University of Michigan before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area and graduating fr...
Brian W. Smith
Brian W. Smith NONE Brian W. Smith, an award-winning author of 15 novels and former U.S. Army member, turned full-time author after being laid off. His personal trauma inspired his first novel, leadi...
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...
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...
David Barclay Moore
David Barclay Moore NONE Missouri-born David Barclay Moore is a Brooklyn-based writer, filmmaker, and photographer. Known for his debut young adult novel 'The Stars Beneath Our Feet' and his award-wi...
Andrew Young and Ernie Suggs
Andrew Young and Ernie Suggs MULTIPLE Andrew Young and Ernie Suggs are renowned authors known for their insightful writing. Young, a former UN ambassador, and Suggs, an award-winning journalist, offe...
RJ Young
RJ Young 0000000499453076 RJ Young is a renowned author, known for 'Let It Bang: A Young Black Man’s Reluctant Odyssey into Guns', and a national college football analyst at FOX Sports. RJ Young is t...
Travis Hunter
Travis Hunter 000000001976938X Travis Hunter, author and mentor, gained recognition with his debut novel, The Hearts of Men. His published works include several successful novels and a young adult se...
Malla Nunn
Malla Nunn 0000000040740979 Malla Nunn, born in Swaziland, is an acclaimed author with two Edgar nominations and a RUSA Best Mystery Novel Award. She won the L.A. Times Book Prize and Josette Frank A...
Thomas Long
Thomas Long 0000000376122955 Thomas Long, a self-published poet from Baltimore, transitioned to urban fiction, reflecting his experiences growing up in the inner city. His debut novel, Dayvon’s Story...
Charles Johnson
Charles Johnson 0000000000042498 Charles Richard Johnson, a novelist, essayist, and cartoonist from Evanston, Illinois, is renowned for his balanced mix of philosophy and folklore. His novel, Middle ...
K. L. Brady
K. L. Brady NONE K. L. Brady, a D.C. native and successful author, began writing at a young age and published her first novel, The Bum Magnet, after an inspirational Oprah moment. Her writing include...
Chris Crowe
Chris Crowe 0000000035515435 Chris Crowe, Ph.D. was born in Danville, Illinois, and is the author of several acclaimed books, most notably Mississippi Trial, 1955, which received numerous honors, in...
Sifiso Mzobe
Sifiso Mzobe 0000000115082502 Sifiso Mzobe, a distinguished South African author, was born and raised in Umlazi, Durban. His debut novel, Young Blood, won multiple awards, including the 2011 Herman C...
Mitchell S. Jackson
Mitchell S. Jackson 0000000409614826 Mitchell S. Jackson Awarded the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing Mitchell S. Jackson is an acclaimed author and educator, known for his debut novel “The Resi...
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...
Lawrence Deron Thomas
Lawrence Deron Thomas NONE Lawrence Deron Thomas, a Bay Area native, was inspired by his parents to pursue strength, courage, and success. After a brief stint as a rapper, he found his passion for wr...
K. Caprice Arradondo
K. Caprice Arradondo NONE K. Caprice Arradondo, born in 1988, is a Minnesota-based poet, short story writer, lyricist, father, and licensed tattoo artist. His works, including the co-authored “Writer...
Blacc Topp
Blacc Topp NONE Blacc Topp, an award-winning author born in Benton Harbor, MI, and raised in South Dallas, used his love for writing to navigate personal loss and a challenging upbringing. From journ...
Colson Whitehead
Colson Whitehead 0000000109128041 Congrats to Colson Whitehead: Winner 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Colson Whitehead, born in 1969, is an acclaimed writer who began his career at the Village Voice....
Kipjo K. Ewers
Kipjo K. Ewers NONE Kipjo K. Ewers, born in 1975, has always had a vivid imagination, crafting stories from a young age. His passion for writing continued through his education and into his career. D...
Pamela Samuels Young
Pamela Samuels Young NONE Pamela Samuels Young is an award-winning author, attorney, and motivational speaker from Compton, California. Notably, she served as Toyota's Managing Counsel for 15 years a...
Kisha Green and Justin Q. Young
Kisha Green and Justin Q. Young MULTIPLE Kisha Green and Justin Q. Young are renowned authors, celebrated for their captivating storytelling. Green's work often explores social issues, while Young's ...
Alissa Holder and Zulekha Holder-Young
Alissa Holder and Zulekha Holder-Young MULTIPLE Alissa Holder and Zulekha Holder-Young are authors and creatives known for their first book, “I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything.” Committed t...
Alexs D. Pate
Alexs D. Pate 0000000121304941 Alexs D. Pate is a professor at the University of Minnesota specializing in African studies and literature. An award-winning author, Pate's work has appeared in various...
Chigozie Obioma
Chigozie Obioma 000000007886845X “the heir to Chinua Achebe” (New York Times) Chigozie Obioma, born in Nigeria, is an award-winning author and professor of English at the University of Neb...
K’wan
K’wan 0000000417519140 K'wan Foye, born to a poet and painter, faced numerous rejections before his debut novel, Gangsta, was published in 2002. His subsequent novels caught the attention of St. Mart...
Zaire Crown
Zaire Crown NONE Zaire Crown, a Michigan native, began writing suspense and horror novels in his early twenties. Drawing from urban experiences, he infuses crime and suspense into his work. Currently...
Paulo Lins
Paulo Lins 0000000109587125 Paulo Lins, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1958, escaped the dangers of favela life to become a renowned writer. He studied at the University of Rio de Janeiro and published hi...
Nah’Sun
Nah’Sun NONE Born in Lilbourn, Missouri, Nah’Sun would later move around the Midwest before temporarily settling in Chicago. An aspiring cartoonist, Nah’Sun never gave writing a thought until him an...
Yvvette Edwards
Yvvette Edwards 000000012060298X London-based author, Yvvette Edwards, is best known for her debut novel “A Cupboard Full of Coats,” longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Her work, focused on diverse ...
Nalo Hopkinson
Nalo Hopkinson 0000000084289358 Acclaimed author Nalo Hopkinson, known for her debut novel 'Brown Girl in the Ring', is a winner of multiple awards including the Locus Award and John W. Campbell Awar...
Sofia Samatar
Sofia Samatar 0000000370667268 Sofia Samatar’s first novel, A Stranger in Olondria, won the 2014 William L. Crawford Fantasy Award, the British Fantasy Award, and the World Fantasy Award for Best Nov...
Sam Greenlee
Sam Greenlee 000000005809192X Samuel Greenlee, best known for his novel “The Spook Who Sat by the Door”, was a writer and former USIA officer. Born in Chicago, he served in the military, worked in po...
Vince Bailey
Vince Bailey NONE Vince Bailey is an award-winning author and construction estimator from Central Arizona. His childhood experiences heavily influence his nostalgic fiction writing, particularly his ...
Rudolph Fisher
Rudolph Fisher 0000000081030148 Rudolph Fisher was a multifaceted talent associated with the Harlem Renaissance, known for his work as a physician, radiologist, novelist, and orator. Notably, he effe...