AALBC Search
Jill Robinson
Jill Robinson 0000000084555417 Jill Robinson, a marketing specialist and author, creates content for adult and teen audiences. Her work spans various publications and anthologies, including Dark Matt...
Linda Addison
Linda Addison 000000003555029X “Addison has enough invention for two writers, and enough heart for three.” —Terry Bisson, Nebula Award winning author Linda D. Addison, first African...
Jesmyn Ward
Jesmyn Ward 0000000049339751 Two-Time National Book Award Winning Author Jesmyn Ward, a Mississippi-born author and University of South Alabama professor, has penned novels like “Where the Line Bleeds...
Edwidge Danticat
Edwidge Danticat 000000011051509X Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian-born author, is renowned for her books like “Breath, Eyes, Memory”, an Oprah Book Club pick, and “The Farming of Bones”, an American Book...
Patrisse Khan-Cullors
Patrisse Khan-Cullors 0000000486461392 Patrisse Khan-Cullors, an LA-based artist and freedom fighter, is known for co-founding Black Lives Matter and Dignity and Power Now. A Fulbright scholar and NA...
April Sinclair
April Sinclair NONE April Sinclair, a Chicago native, is a renowned author and community activist. Known for her dedicated activism in Oakland and her unique approach to her literary debut, Sinclair'...
Justina Ireland
Justina Ireland 0000000485185365 Justina Ireland, author of Dread Nation, Deathless Divide and Star Wars novel Lando’s Luck, is a Pennsylvania-based writer known for her love of dark chocolate, humor...
Boubacar Boris Diop
Boubacar Boris Diop 0000000121417292 Boubacar Boris Diop is a renowned Senegalese novelist and screenwriter. His acclaimed work, Murambi, The Book of Bones, made it to Africa's 100 Best Books of the ...
Tanya Shirley
Tanya Shirley NONE Jamaican author and lecturer Tanya Shirley is a graduate from the University of Maryland with an MFA in Creative Writing. Her work is featured in various publications and anthologi...
Shirley Perry-Church
Shirley Perry-Church NONE Shirley Perry-Church, an educator, author, and artist, has written her debut book, The Hunt for the Magic Pearl, to inspire struggling young readers. With degrees in Psychol...
Debra Owsley
Debra Owsley NONE Debra Owsley, avid reader and hairstylist, transformed her passion into a business, Simply Said Reading Accessories and LitVersation. She collaborates with bestselling authors, book...
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...
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Maxine Beneba Clarke NONE Maxine Beneba Clarke, an Afro-Caribbean author and slam poet, wrote The Patchwork Bike and When We Say Black Lives Matter, aimed at explaining the concept of Black Lives Mat...
Denisha Jones and Jesse Hagopian
Denisha Jones and Jesse Hagopian MULTIPLE Denisha Jones, a member of the national Black Lives Matter at School committee, is an activist and advocate for education justice. She is the Director of the...
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...
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...
Daaimah S. Poole
Daaimah S. Poole NONE Daaimah S. Poole, author of Yoyo Love, began writing to produce stories relatable to her own experiences. Despite balancing motherhood and work, she devoted time to her writing,...
Angela S. Medearis
Angela S. Medearis NONE Angela Shelf Medearis combines a general love for children‘s literature with a particular attention to the reading needs of young African Americans. “I write the kinds ...
Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds 0000000050509463 Jason Reynolds is a 2024 MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius” Grant Winner Jason Reynolds, an acclaimed author and professor, aims to engage readers, espec...
Paige Turner
Paige Turner NONE Paige Turner, a lifelong book lover, has over 15 years of marketing experience in Fortune 75 companies. Passionate about sharing ideas from books, she's been writing a weekly book r...
Christopher Grant
Christopher Grant 0000000068848201 Brooklyn-born Christopher Grant, an alumnus of Stony Brook University, is a diverse professional with experiences ranging from equities trader to actor. Inspired by...
RAWSISTAZ
RAWSISTAZ NONE The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers were a group of 13 women, including founder Tee C. Royal, who promoted books by and about African Americans. These avid readers, reviewers and members of the Re...
Cathy Finch White
Cathy Finch White NONE Cathy Finch White, a former medical professional turned author, advocates for child education through reading. She has written four award-winning books, including “Anna Learn's...
Tamara Mayo
Tamara Mayo NONE Tamara Mayo, a Virginia-native author, developed her love for reading at a young age. She moved to California at 19, where she pursued a writing career including ghostwriting and edi...
Charles R. Saunders
Charles R. Saunders 0000000073596061 Charles Robert Saunders (1946–2020) was a pioneering African American author and journalist credited with creating the Sword and Soul genre. Born in Pennsylvania...
Diane Cooper
Diane Cooper 0000000080411715 Pamela O'Hara, writing as Dianne Cooper, is a former inmate turned advocate for incarcerated fathers and motivational speaker. She empowers others to overcome adversity ...
Angie Thomas
Angie Thomas 0000000486125057 Angie Thomas, a Mississippi-based author, gained fame with her debut novel 'The Hate U Give'. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, the novel was a #1 New York Ti...
Kiini Ibura Salaam
Kiini Ibura Salaam NONE Kiini Ibura Salaam is a writer, painter, and traveler from New Orleans, Louisiana. The middle child of five, she grew up in a hardscrabble neighborhood with oak and fig trees...
Charlotte Watson Sherman
Charlotte Watson Sherman 0000000067613072 Charlotte Watson Sherman, a Seattle-born author, is known for her novels, children's books, and short fiction collection. Formerly a librarian, her works inc...
Lamar Giles
Lamar Giles 0000000514184709 L.R. Giles is a renowned author and speaker from Virginia, known for his commitment to diversity in publishing. A founding member of We Need Diverse Books, Giles made his...
Marlon James
Marlon James 0000000072615785 Jamaican-born author Marlon James, featured on Mosaic Literary Magazine's cover, is a University of the West Indies literature graduate. His debut novel, John Crow’s Dev...
Walter Benefield
Walter Benefield NONE Walter Benefield, a U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, is an accomplished book reviewer for AALBC.com. His passion for African American Literature and writing is driven by his ...
Charles R. Smith Jr.
Charles R. Smith Jr. NONE Charles R. Smith Jr. is an acclaimed author, poet, and photographer with over 30 books. He's a recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration and Honor Author Aw...
Shannon Simpson
Shannon Simpson NONE Shannon Simpson, Founder of Reading Has Purpose, is a passionate reader who appreciates physical books. She believes in gaining knowledge through reading. Contact her at Shannon@...
Regina Abraham
Regina Abraham NONE Regina Abraham, a Harlem-based Academic Intervention Coordinator, is an educational consultant and author of the Harlem-inspired children's book series, “The Harlem Legends.” She ...
Cydney Rax
Cydney Rax NONE Cydney Rax, an influential author known for her provocative love triangle novels, has been passionate about books since childhood. Her debut novel, My Daughter's Boyfriend, sparked co...
Richard Kigel
Richard Kigel NONE Richard Kigel is an experienced literacy professional and veteran teacher with a focus on inspiring students in reading and writing. He is notable for his revealing article on Phil...
Chance Arradondo
Chance Arradondo NONE Chance Arradondo is a versatile writer, born in 1989 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He writes novels, poetry, short stories, and lyrics, inspired by his life experiences and love fo...
Alice Wootson
Alice Wootson NONE Alice Greenhowe Wootson is a retired teacher and acclaimed author of thirteen novels, including romance and romantic suspense. A prize-winning poet, member of various writers' asso...
Colette Bancroft
Colette Bancroft NONE Colette Bancroft is the book editor for the Tampa Bay Times since 2007, directs the annual Festival of Reading, and served on the National Book Critics Circle board. She holds E...
Jess Mowry
Jess Mowry 0000000080841328 Jess Mowry is an author of children's and young adult books often set in Oakland, California, dealing with contemporary themes. Raised by his father, he developed a love f...
Kawai Strong Washburn
Kawai Strong Washburn 0000000500666563 Hawaiian-born author Kawai Strong Washburn is known for his work in McSweeney’s, Best American Nonrequired Reading and more. He's a 2015 Tin House and Bread Loa...
J.T. Smith
J.T. Smith 0000000117420835 J.T. Smith, a New Jersey-born author, developed a passion for reading and history at an early age. His interest in Black History and the Harlem Renaissance influenced his ...
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...
Selene Castrovilla
Selene Castrovilla NONE Selene Castrovilla is an acclaimed author, celebrated for her nonfiction and fiction works that explore hidden truths in history and personal identity. Her award-winning books...
Didi Anofienem
Didi Anofienem NONE Didi Anofienem, a Houston-born novelist and educator based in Los Angeles, holds degrees from Columbia University, University of San Francisco, UT-Austin, and University of Housto...
Charles M. Blow
Charles M. Blow 0000000434813325 Charles M. Blow is a renowned journalist and op-ed columnist for the New York Times, appearing regularly on CNN. He is also the author of a bestselling memoir. A magn...
Cathie Wright-Lewis
Cathie Wright-Lewis NONE Cathie Wright-Lewis, a lover of linguistics, ancient history, and metaphysics, is a former NYC high school English teacher with a passion for diverse cultures and dialects. O...
Sarah J. Heidelberg
Sarah J. Heidelberg NONE Kansas-born Sarah Jane Heidelberg, an artistic, music-loving author and tutor, runs her own publishing company, Ophelia Brown Publishing. Inspired by a childhood German tale,...
Bisi Adjapon
Bisi Adjapon NONE Bisi Adjapon is a renowned writer featured in McSweeney’s Quarterly, Washington Times, and more. She founded The Young Shakespeare company and won the Civil Rights Award for Human R...
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 ...
Cameron Barnett
Cameron Barnett NONE Cameron Barnett's work explores the complexity of race, place, and relationships for Black people in America. He teaches middle school English language arts and social studies at...
Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith 0000000109631675 Maggie Smith is the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of nine books of poetry and prose, including A Suit or a Suitcase, Dear Writer, You Could Make This ...
Victor S. Navasky
Victor S. Navasky 0000000110768695 Victor Saul Navasky, a former editor of The Nation and The New York Times Magazine, founded Monocle and authored award-winning books including Naming Names and A Ma...
Wesley Lowery
Wesley Lowery 0000000497725736 Wesley Lowery is a Pulitzer Prize-winning national reporter for the Washington Post, specializing in law enforcement and justice. Known for his coverage of the Black Li...
Darnell L. Moore
Darnell L. Moore 0000000430743868 Darnell L. Moore, born 1976, is an influential writer and editor with contributions at CASSIUS, LogoTV.com, and Mic, and a regular writer for Ebony, Advocate, Vice, ...
Candace Owens
Candace Owens NONE Candace Owens, born in 1989, is a political commentator and the former Communications Director for Turning Point USA. Known for founding the #Blexit movement, her pro-Trump activis...
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...
Linda Gaston-Bessellieu
Linda Gaston-Bessellieu NONE Linda Gaston-Bessellieu, a retired teacher with 30 years in NYC & State school systems, co-authors with her daughter, Tawana Bessellieu, a preschool teacher. They share a...
Kenesha Sneed
Kenesha Sneed NONE Kenesha Sneed, a Los Angeles-based award-winning artist and Creative Director, centers her work on empowerment and the Black female experience. Known as Tactile Matter for her text...
Roy DeCarava
Roy DeCarava 0000000083496240 Roy DeCarava (1919-2009) was an American artist known for his black-and-white photography of modern life. His unique and intimate approach to subject matter displayed a ...
Natasha S. Alford
Natasha S. Alford NONE Natasha S. Alford is a celebrated journalist and digital host known for her impactful reporting on politics, culture, and social issues. She's a Harvard graduate and an Emmy aw...
Brenda Williams
Brenda Williams NONE Brenda Williams is a writer, speaker, and advocate devoted to empowering young girls to see their beauty, believe in their dreams, and know they matter. Through her Worthy &...
Sheree Renée Thomas
Sheree Renée Thomas 0000000019174343 Sheree R. Thomas is a multi-talented writer, editor, publisher, educator, and visual artist. She co-publishes the literary journal Anansi and founded Wanganegress...
Leone Ross
Leone Ross 0000000114886285 Leone Ross is an acclaimed British novelist, short story writer and lecturer. Born in England, raised in Jamaica, her works include “All The Blood Is Red” and “Orange Laug...
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...
Steven Van Patten
Steven Van Patten NONE Steven Van Patten, a Brooklyn-born author, is renowned for his Brookwater's Curse trilogy and Killer Genius series. His short fiction contributions include horror anthologies a...
Tariq Nasheed
Tariq Nasheed 0000000035827594 Tariq Nasheed, also known as Tariq Elite, King Flex, and K-Flex, is a renowned author, film producer, and director. He's known for his advice books on dating and the ho...
Thomas Sayers Ellis
Thomas Sayers Ellis 0000000052292843 AALBC Mourns Thomas Sayers Ellis Passing July 17, 2025 Thomas Sayers Ellis is a poet, photographer, and educator. He co-founded the Dark Room Collective, promoting...
Jamison Shea
Jamison Shea NONE Jamison Shea (they/them) is a dark fantasy and horror author, flautist, and linguist hailing from Buffalo, NY and now dwelling in the dark forests of Finland. When they’re not writ...
Tigest Girma
Tigest Girma NONE Tigest Girma is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Dark. She is an Ethiopian writer based in Melbourne, Australia and splits her time between writing and teaching...
Nate Marshall
Nate Marshall NONE Nate Marshall is an acclaimed author, poet, and educator, recognized for his book “Wild Hundreds.” As a member of The Dark Noise Collective and co-director of Crescendo Literary, 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...
Lisa Teasley
Lisa Teasley 0000000037575087 Lisa Teasley is an acclaimed author of novels and story collections, including the award-winning 'Glow in the Dark'. Her works are translated into multiple languages. Sh...
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 ...
Rashad Harrison
Rashad Harrison NONE Rashad Harrison, a skilled writer educated at San Francisco State, Columbia, and NYU, is a recipient of the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship. He's taught creative writing and authored ...
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...
Derrick Ferguson
Derrick Ferguson NONE "Derrick Ferguson, a Brooklyn native, is an author and podcast co-host with a love for classic pulps, comic books, and pop culture. Married for over 30 years, he enjoys explorin...
Nichole Perkins
Nichole Perkins NONE Nichole Perkins, a writer from Nashville, explores pop culture, race, sex, gender, and relationships. She's a recognized fellow from various institutions and a former co-host of ...
Linda Addison and Alessandro Manzetti
Linda Addison and Alessandro Manzetti MULTIPLE Poets Linda D. Addison and Alessandro Manzetti have collaborated to create a unique poetry collection. The book, written across different time zones, fe...
Sawyer Cloud
Sawyer Cloud NONE Sawyer Cloud is a children's book illustrator known for works like Jade Braves the Dark and Under the Mango Tree. A lover of sunny days, music, and art, she resides in Madagascar wi...
Tessa Gratton
Tessa Gratton 0000000121682336 Tessa Gratton, an acclaimed author of adult and YA SFF novels, is known for her dark queer fairy tales and Shakespearean retellings. Her works, translated into 22 langu...
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...
Andrea J. Loney
Andrea J. Loney NONE Andrea J. Loney, a versatile author with African American, Jamaican and Panamanian roots, realized her childhood dream of becoming a writer. After developing her craft in college...
KT Alozie
KT Alozie NONE KT Alozie is an award-winning writer and scriptwriter with a fascination for history, particularly the Greenwood District of Tulsa. With a background in writing and Wall Street banking...
Natasha Owens
Natasha Owens NONE Southern girl Natasha Owens is a devoted mother and Christian with a love for soul music and comfort food. Despite struggles with weight and eyesight, she pursued higher education....
Lisa Springer
Lisa Springer NONE Lisa Springer is a writer from Barbados currently living in New York with her family. She is passionate about writing thrillers and horror fiction for young people. Her...
Shay Youngblood
Shay Youngblood 0000000066793518 Shay Youngblood is an award-winning novelist and playwright, known for her drama 'Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery'. Passionate about reading and writing since childhood...
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...
C. Liegh McInnis
C. Liegh McInnis NONE C. Liegh McInni, an English instructor at Jackson State University, is a former editor of Black Magnolias Literary Journal. He was invited by the NAACP to read poetry at the 200...
Nita Brooks
Nita Brooks NONE "Nita Brooks, a reading enthusiast and home improvement show aficionado, collects teapots and lives with her family in South Carolina.” A reading addict, self-professed connoisseur o...
Tayari Jones
Tayari Jones 0000000034178764 Born in Atlanta, GA in 1970, Tayari Jones is an accomplished author and educator. After obtaining her Masters from the University of Iowa, she taught Developmental Readi...
Alechia Dow
Alechia Dow NONE Alechia Dow is a former pastry chef, librarian, and author of YA sci-fi fantasies, The Sound of Stars and The Kindred. She enjoys dance parties with her daughter, baking, reading, an...
Andrew DuBois
Andrew DuBois NONE Andrew DuBois, associate professor of English at University of Toronto Scarborough, is the author of “Ashbery’s Forms of Attention” and co-editor of “Close Reading: The Reader.” An...
Victor McGlothin
Victor McGlothin NONE Victor McGlothin, a bestselling author and filmmaker from Dallas, overcame early reading struggles to complete a Masters degree and leave his banking career for literature. Know...
Walter Dean Myers
Walter Dean Myers 0000000108718912 Walter Dean Myers, born August 12, 1937, was an award-winning author from Harlem, known for his dedication to children and young adult literature. He received numer...
Lorraine Nam
Lorraine Nam NONE Lorraine Nam is a Brooklyn-based paper illustrator and daydreamer, who spends her time crafting creative pieces, cooking, reading, and traveling. She finds inspiration in the New Yo...
Martha Kennerson
Martha Kennerson NONE Martha Kennerson, a bestselling and award-winning author, uses her passion for reading and writing to create heartfelt stories. Known for her novels Choices and Consequences and...
Portia Cosby
Portia Cosby NONE Portia A. Cosby is a renowned novelist, screenwriter, and poet from Indianapolis, known for her relatable storytelling. With a background in kinesiology and film, she blends her ski...
The Oprah Magazine Editors Of O
The Oprah Magazine Editors Of O NONE "O, The Oprah Magazine, created by Oprah Winfrey, offers insightful content on various topics including love, food, health, fashion, reading, and learning. Subscr...