AALBC Search
Elizabeth Murphy Oliver
Elizabeth Murphy Oliver NONE Elizabeth Murphy Oliver Abney, former city editor and columnist for the Baltimore Afro-American and granddaughter of its founder, has died at 85. A respected journalist a...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Ephraim Isaac
Ephraim Isaac 0000000067027946 Ephraim Isaac, founder and first professor of Harvard University's Department of African & Afro-American Studies, is a respected scholar in religious literature. He has...
Brenda Marie Osbey
Brenda Marie Osbey 000000002513556X Brenda Marie Osbey, born in 1957, is a distinguished poet from New Orleans who served as Louisiana's Poet Laureate from 2005-2007. She specializes in Afro-Francoph...
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...
Richard B. Moore
Richard B. Moore 0000000082432341 Moore was an early advocate for the use of “African American” as opposed to “Negro” or “Black.” Richard Benjamin Moore was an infl...
Ned Sublette
Ned Sublette 0000000108555156 Ned Sublette, born in 1951, is a talented composer, musician, and author hailing from Texas. Known for his work in Spanish Classical Guitar, he is also a renowned musico...
Jacob Carruthers
Jacob Carruthers NONE Dr. Jacob Hudson Carruthers, Jr. was an esteemed African American scholar, historian, and educator. He founded the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations a...
Nathan Huggins
Nathan Huggins 0000000110473299 Nathan Irvin Huggins (1927-1989) was a renowned historian, author, and educator specializing in African-American studies. He served as the W. E. B. Du Bois Professor a...
Mai Sennaar
Mai Sennaar NONE Mai Sennaar is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. The Smithsonian Affiliate Museum of the African Diaspora, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, and the Class...
Donald Molosi
Donald Molosi NONE Donald Molosi is a celebrated actor and playwright with degrees in Performance Studies, Classical Acting, and Political Science and Theatre. He starred in 'A United Kingdom,' portr...
Robin Walker
Robin Walker 000000006356551X Robin Walker is a London-born author and editor known for his work on Black history and culture. He co-edited the influential Black Community Reports and authored books ...
Runoko Rashidi
Runoko Rashidi 0000000067534868 “Africans came to America before, during, and after enslavement. Don’t start our history at the end; start it at the beginning.” Dr. Runoko Rashidi wa...
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...
Bruce W. Talamon
Bruce W. Talamon NONE “For ten glorious years, I had the best seat in the house.” Bruce W. Talamon, a renowned African American photographer, gained prominence during the golden age of sou...
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg 0000000111353723 Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, born in Puerto Rico, was an Afro-Puerto Rican author, researcher, and activist who made significant contributions to the Harlem Ren...
Thomas A. Stockett
Thomas A. Stockett NONE Thomas A. Stockett was a renowned illustrator and political cartoonist at the Afro-American newspaper for over 50 years, creating impactful art pieces like his 1960 cartoon on...
Roberto Carlos Garcia
Roberto Carlos Garcia NONE Roberto Carlos Garcia is associate professor of English at Union College of Union County NJ. He writes poetry and prose about the Afro-Latinx and Afro-Diasporic experience...
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...
Lewis R. Gordon
Lewis R. Gordon 000000010879961X Lewis R. Gordon is an Afro-Jewish philosopher, musician, and public intellectual, known for his work on social justice and human relationships to reality. An award-wi...
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...
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...
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...
Jamie Walker
Jamie Walker NONE Jamie Walker, Ph.D. is a freelance journalist, and poet. She is also president and CEO of J.D. Publishing Group. Originally from Oakland, California, Walker graduated magna cum lau...
Tiya Miles
Tiya Miles 0000000114701869 Tiya Alicia Miles is a historian and professor at the University of Michigan. Specializing in African American and Native American histories, she's the author of award-win...
Carrolyn Pichet
Carrolyn Pichet NONE Carrolyn Pichet is a Washington native with a diverse career spanning from the Parole Board to the FBI. She holds degrees from Howard University and the University of Maryland an...
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....
Sandra Guzmán
Sandra Guzmán 0000000034407045 Sandra Guzmen is an award-winning writer, editor, and documentary filmmaker. She is an Afro-Indigenous daughter of the Caribbean born in Boriken, known popularly by its...
Kathleen Cornell Berman
Kathleen Cornell Berman NONE Kathleen Cornell Berman is a former teacher turned author, specializing in picture books. When not writing, she enjoys painting, sculpting, and attending concerts. She fi...
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...
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...
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...
John H. Bracey Jr.
John H. Bracey Jr. NONE John H. Bracey Jr. (1941-2023) was a renowned Afro-American studies professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, known for his work on African American history and cu...
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...
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...
James Smethurst
James Smethurst NONE James E. Smethurst, a Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is an expert in African American literature and culture. An accomplished auth...
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...
Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham
Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham 0000000081580430 Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham is a Harvard University professor specializing in History and Afro-American Studies. She also serves as the editor of the Harvar...
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Valerie Smith, William L. Andrews, Frances Foster, Brent Hayes Edwards, Deborah E. McDowell, Hortense J. Spillers, Kimberly W. Benston, Farah Jasmine Griffin, and Jesse McCarthy
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Valerie Smith, William L. Andrews, Frances Foster, Brent Hayes Edwards, Deborah E. McDowell, Hortense J. Spillers, Kimberly W. Benston, Farah Jasmine Griffin, and Jesse McCarth...
Etheridge Knight
Etheridge Knight 0000000066439498 Etheridge Knight, born on April 19, 1931, was a renowned poet who began writing while incarcerated and published his notable collection, Poems from Prison, in 1968. ...
Ruth Forman
Ruth Forman NONE Ruth Forman is an award-winning author of three books and a recipient of multiple literary awards. She's a former faculty member at USC and UC Berkeley, providing writing workshops a...
Robbie Montgomery
Robbie Montgomery NONE Robbie Montgomery, “Miss Robbie,” is a former professional singer who worked with Ike Turner and other notable artists before opening a soul food restaurant, Sweetie Pie's, in ...
Malik Canty
Malik Canty NONE Malik Canty, also known as the Word Bird, is a spiritual poet, teacher, and writer known for giving voice to the voiceless. He has performed at renowned venues including The Apollo T...
Florence L. Tate
Florence L. Tate NONE Florence Louise Tate (1931-2014) was a prominent activist and press secretary for Marion Barry and Jesse Jackson. She was under FBI scrutiny for her ties to Stokely Carmichael a...
Kyle T. Mays
Kyle T. Mays NONE Kyle T. Mays, an Afro-Indigenous writer and scholar, specializes in U.S. history, urban studies, and race relations. He's an Assistant Professor at UCLA and author of 'Hip Hop Beats...
Natalie Baszile
Natalie Baszile NONE Natalie Baszile, author of Queen Sugar, is a scholar with an M.A. in Afro-American Studies from UCLA and a graduate of Warren Wilson College's MFA Program. Her work has won award...
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 ...
Chuck D and Kathy Lopez
Chuck D and Kathy Lopez MULTIPLE Chuck D, renowned rapper and leader of Public Enemy, pioneers in socially conscious hip-hop. Kathy Lopez, Chuck D's Pilates Guru, is a certified Pilates expert and ow...
Lauretta Malloy Noble and LeeAnet Noble
Lauretta Malloy Noble and LeeAnet Noble MULTIPLE Lauretta Malloy (left) is critically acclaimed. She has a BSc degree and studied psychology and music at Howard University. She is certified in Genea...
Clarence Lusane
Clarence Lusane 0000000109374330 Dr. Clarence Lusane, a respected scholar and activist, specializes in human rights, global race relations, U.S. politics, and international relations. Born in Detroit...
Andrea Queeley
Andrea Queeley NONE Andrea Queeley is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and African Diaspora Studies at Florida International University. Born in Berkeley, she holds a B.A. from Brown University...
Mayra Santos-Febres
Mayra Santos-Febres 0000000079758949 Mayra Santos-Febres, born in 1966, is a celebrated Afro-Puerto Rican author, poet, and literature professor. Her work, translated into numerous languages, explore...
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 ...
Carole Boston Weatherford
Carole Boston Weatherford 0000000042539806 Carole Boston Weatherford, a New York Times best-selling author, has written over 50 books, earning multiple awards including three Caldecott Honors and two...
Darrin DeWitt Henson
Darrin DeWitt Henson 0000000044888874 Darrin DeWitt Henson is a multi-talented actor, dancer, choreographer, and producer known for films like Stomp the Yard and Tekken. With roles in TV series like ...
Karl Nova
Karl Nova 0000000048878796 Karl Nova, a London and Lagos raised musician and author, uses rap and spoken word poetry to voice his unique experiences of nonconformity and personal growth. Known for hi...
Kim Watson
Kim Watson NONE Kim Watson is a versatile artist who has worked with top entertainment platforms like Disney and Warner Brothers, earning MTV, Soul Train and NAACP accolades for his impactful work in...
Veronica Freeman Ellis
Veronica Freeman Ellis NONE Veronica Freeman Ellis is a renowned author known for “Land of the Four Winds” and “AFRO-BETS First Book about Africa.” She has contributed to “Book of Black Heroes: Great...
Nathan Bryon
Nathan Bryon NONE British actor and writer, known for contributing to BAFTA-winning children's TV shows and authoring Rocket Says Look Up! Currently, he's working on an animated series, Afro Kid. Bas...
Vincent Tirado
Vincent Tirado NONE Vincent Tirado, a non-binary Afro-Latinx from Bronx, holds a Bachelor's in Biology and a Master's in Bioethics. They've contributed short stories to Desert Rose Lit Mag and FIYAH!...
Eric Velasquez
Eric Velasquez 0000000424545187 Eric Velasquez, an Afro-Puerto Rican illustrator from Harlem, offers a unique cultural perspective in his work. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts, Velasquez has ...
C.L.R. James
C.L.R. James 0000000109019515 Cyril Lionel Robert James, also known as J.R. Johnson, was an influential Afro-Trinidadian historian, journalist, and socialist theorist. Born in 1901, his work is a cor...
Paulette A. Ramsay
Paulette A. Ramsay NONE Jamaican scholar, Paulette Ramsay, holds a Ph.D. in Spanish from the University of the West Indies. She has worked at Berry College in the USA and currently lectures at the Un...
J. Marcellus Burke
J. Marcellus Burke NONE J. Marcellus Burke, a retired Chicago police detective and former U.S. Army combat engineer, is fluent in German and has focused his writing on Afro-Germans due to his own Ger...
Patricia Reid-Merritt
Patricia Reid-Merritt NONE Dr. Patricia Reid-Merritt is a distinguished professor at Richard Stockton College, founder of Afro-One Dance, Drama and Drum Theatre, and an award-winning social worker. K...
Veronica Chambers
Veronica Chambers 0000000063184848 Veronica Chambers is a celebrated author known for her memoir, Mam's Girl. Born in Panama and raised in Brooklyn, her Afro-Latina heritage often influences her work...
Mabel O. Wilson
Mabel O. Wilson NONE Mabel O. Wilson, a Columbia University professor, focuses on the intersection of space, politics, and cultural memory in black America. She co-directs GSAPP's Global Africa Lab a...
Hilary Beckles
Hilary Beckles 0000000121479362 Sir Hilary McDonald Beckles, born in 1955, is a renowned Barbadian historian and the current vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies. A specialist in Afro...
Lurie Daniel Favors
Lurie Daniel Favors NONE Lurie Daniel Favors, Esq., is a dedicated racial justice activist and attorney. She serves as General Counsel at the Center for Law and Social Justice, regularly appears on S...
Tato Laviera
Tato Laviera 0000000078432517 Jesus “Tato” Laviera Sanchez (1950-2013) was a renowned Nuyorican poet and human rights advocate. Born in Puerto Rico, he immigrated to the U.S. where he became known fo...
Conceicao Evaristo
Conceicao Evaristo 0000000078803832 Conceição Evaristo, an Afro-Brazilian writer, uses her personal experiences and family stories about slavery to influence her writing. Her work reflects her positi...
Sili Recio
Sili Recio NONE Sili Recio, an Afro-Dominican writer and social media influencer with a psychology degree, uses her platform to disrupt norms. She lives in Florida, adores café con leche, and blogs ...
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...
Adiba Nelson
Adiba Nelson NONE Adiba Nelson is a Black author and speaker who advocates for inclusion. Known for her 2013 children's book, Meet ClaraBelle Blue, which represents her special needs Afro-Latinx daug...
Yesenia Moises
Yesenia Moises NONE Yesenia Moises is an Afro-Latina illustrator and author, specializing in product design. Her vibrant work highlights diversity in fantasy adventures. She's known for 'Stella’s Ste...
Bryant Terry
Bryant Terry 0000000036406863 Bryant Terry, NAACP Image and James Beard Award-winning chef and author of Afro-Vegan and Vegetable Kingdom, is celebrated for his contributions towards a sustainable fo...
Alyssa Reynoso-Morris
Alyssa Reynoso-Morris NONE Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer Afro-Latinx/e writer, mother, and community organizer from The Bronx. She currently resides in Philadelphia and has been recognized with mu...
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...
Anastasia Magloire Williams
Anastasia Magloire Williams NONE Anastasia Williams, Florida-based illustrator and graphic designer, uses her art to depict diverse adventures and untold stories. Known for embracing her Afro hair, a...
Melania Luisa Marte
Melania Luisa Marte NONE Melania Luisa Marte is a New York-based writer, poet, and musician, known for her viral poem “Afro-Latina.” With over nine million views, her work is recognized by platforms ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Mariyah Rahman
Mariyah Rahman NONE Mariyah Rahman, born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, is now an illustrator for children's books. Her childhood was filled with outdoor adventures, which now inspire her work. M...
Deborah Lefalle
Deborah Lefalle NONE Deborah LeFalle, Ph.D., is a retired educator and published poet based in Northern California. She enjoys writing, particularly poetry and children's stories, often inspired by p...
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...
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...
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...
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...