AALBC Search
Juana Martinez-Neal
Juana Martinez-Neal 0000000115462636 Juana Martinez-Neal, award-winning author-illustrator, received the 2019 Caldecott Honor and 2020 Robert F. Sibert Medal. She was also awarded the 2018 Pura Belpr...
Sonia Sanchez
Sonia Sanchez 0000000080885435 Sonia Sanchez (b. 1934) is a significant figure in the Black Arts Movement, known for her innovative and original poetry that explores racial and gender struggles. Her ...
Jill Marie Snyder
Jill Marie Snyder NONE Jill Marie Snyder, a Connecticut native with degrees from University of Connecticut and Fairfield University, discovered her parents' love letters from 1937-1941 and published ...
Melissa Sweet
Melissa Sweet 0000000072677126 Melissa Sweet is a prolific illustrator and New York Times bestselling author. Her work spans over 100 books, magazines, and greeting cards. She is a two-time Caldecott...
Russell Freedman
Russell Freedman 0000000373864646 Russell Freedman, an award-winning author of 47 books translated into multiple languages, wasn't always a children's book writer. He worked as a reporter and editor ...
Chris Raschka
Chris Raschka 000000008396928X Chris Raschka, born in 1959, is a renowned author, illustrator, and violist from Pennsylvania. Notable for his books “Hello, Goodbye Window,” and “A Ball for Daisy,” bo...
Kelsey Norris
Kelsey Norris NONE Kelsey Norris is a writer and editor from Alabama. Her debut story collection, House Gone Quiet, is a finalist for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. Kelsey Norris is a ...
John A. Williams
John A. Williams 0000000081606231 “…arguably the finest African-American novelist of his generation.” John Alfred Williams (1925-2015), a renowned author and professor, had a distin...
Clarence B. Jones
Clarence B. Jones 0000000036182118 AALBC mourns the passing of Clarence B. Jones Dr. Clarence Benjamin Jones (January 8, 1931 – May 22, 2026) the lawyer who served as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s pe...
Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah 0000000110549118 Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first prime minister and president, led the country to independence from Britain in 1957 and ruled until a 1966 coup. His time in the U.S. greatl...
Dinah Johnson
Dinah Johnson NONE Dinah Johnson is a renowned author in children's literature, particularly in African American storytelling. Her books, which include titles like Hair Dance! and Sitting Pretty, cel...
William L. Andrews
William L. Andrews 0000000108957024 William L. Andrews is E. Maynard Adams Professor of English Emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has authored, edited, or co-edited more...
William H. Armstrong
William H. Armstrong 0000000121219974 William H. Armstrong, a celebrated author and educator, taught at the Kent School for over 50 years. Known for his award-winning children's book “Sounder”, he ha...
Rilla Askew
Rilla Askew 0000000114522334 Rilla Askew is an award-winning author recognized by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Known for her essays, short fiction, and novels like “The Mercy Seat”, her ...
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...
William Julius Wilson
William Julius Wilson 0000000119485958 William Julius Wilson is a distinguished sociologist and professor at Harvard University. Noted for his work on urban sociology, race, and class, he is a Nation...
Ibtihaj Muhammad
Ibtihaj Muhammad 0000000495666162 Ibtihaj Muhammad is a groundbreaking Olympic fencer, the first Muslim American woman in hijab to compete for the US, and to win an Olympic medal. She's also an activ...
Amy Watkins
Amy Watkins NONE Amy Watkins, an award-winning author and physician, is known for her fictional works addressing social issues. A former Navy physician, she now practices family medicine in Virginia....
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington 0000000114628411 Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) was a pivotal African American educator, author, and advisor to presidents. Born into slavery, he rose to become a key leader fo...
Tom Feelings
Tom Feelings 0000000063291627 Tom Feelings was a Brooklyn-born author, illustrator, and activist who portrayed the African-American experience through his work. He had a distinguished career, winning...
Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman 0000000082813240 Marian Wright Edelman is a renowned American children's rights activist and the founder of the Children's Defense Fund. She is the recipient of numerous awards ...
Cheryl D. Holmes-Miller
Cheryl D. Holmes-Miller NONE Cheryl D. Holmes-Miller, born in 1952, is a prominent advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the graphic design industry. An American BIPOC communications desig...
Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks 0000000081816650 Brooks was U.S. Consultant in Poetry, 1985-1986 (title was changed to U.S. Poet Laureate in 1986) Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (1917-2000) was an influential African-Am...
C.T. Vivian
C.T. Vivian 0000000114902644 Dr. C.T. Vivian was a civil rights leader, known for working with Martin Luther King Jr., and for developing VISION, an educational program that helped 700 Alabama studen...
Danica Novgorodoff
Danica Novgorodoff 0000000115661248 Danica Novgorodoff is an award-winning artist, writer, and graphic novelist based in Louisville, KY. Her accolades include the 2022 Yoto Kate Greenaway Medal and a...
Kim Taylor
Kim Taylor 0000000111137246 Kim Taylor is a speech language pathologist, Department Supervisor, expert quilter, and author. Her quilts, reflecting African American life, have been exhibited widely, i...
Brian Pinkney
Brian Pinkney 0000000063549392 As a child, Brian Pinkney loved drawing pictures on every piece of paper he could find. He also loved watching his father, Jerry Pinkney, illustrate books for children...
Gary Golio
Gary Golio NONE Gary Golio is a multi-talented visual artist, musician, psychotherapist, and author, known for his New York Times-bestselling book about young Jimi Hendrix. His works focus on artists...
Shelby Steele
Shelby Steele 0000000117385953 Shelby Steele is an award-winning author, columnist, and Hoover Institution Senior Fellow. Renowned for his study on race relations and cultural issues, Steele's work h...
Jen Bryant
Jen Bryant 0000000067561735 Jen Bryant is an award-winning author of picture books, novels, and poems for all ages. Her accolades include two Caldecott Honors, two ALA Schneider Family Book Awards, a...
Aaron Reynolds
Aaron Reynolds 0000000037836478 Aaron Reynolds is a celebrated author, known for his Caldecott Honor Medal-winning book “Creepy Carrots”, a NY Times bestseller. His other notable works include “Chick...
James E. Clyburn
James E. Clyburn 0000000037363404 James “Jim” E. Clyburn is the congressman representing South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he previously served ...
Arnold Rampersad
Arnold Rampersad 0000000110823009 Arnold Rampersad, a renowned professor emeritus at Stanford University, is a respected author of biographies including those of Langston Hughes, W. E. B. Du Bois, an...
Joanna Conners
Joanna Conners NONE Joanna Connors is an acclaimed journalist featured in various publications, including LA Times and Glamour. Her noteworthy accolades include the 2008 Medill Medal for Courage in J...
Esi Edugyan
Esi Edugyan 0000000073726743 Canadian author Esi Edugyan, renowned for acclaimed novels like 'Half-Blood Blues' and 'Washington Black', has earned prestigious recognition, including the Scotiabank Gi...
Sheila Brooks and Clint C. Wilson II
Sheila Brooks and Clint C. Wilson II MULTIPLE Sheila Brooks, CEO of SRB Communications, leads a DC-based, award-winning ad and marketing agency specializing in multicultural markets. Clint C. Wilson ...
Nelda LaTeef
Nelda LaTeef 000000008348432X Nelda LaTeef is an award-winning author and illustrator, known for acclaimed children's books like Animal Village and The Talking Baobab Tree. Her work has received nume...
Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson NONE Katherine Johnson was a renowned NASA mathematician instrumental in the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. Her work earned her numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal...
Noa Denmon
Noa Denmon 0000000496215312 Noa Denmon, a Philadelphia-based artist and illustrator, holds a BFA in Illustration and an MAT in Arts and Teaching. She loves patterns and spicy foods. Her first picture...
Anna Myers
Anna Myers 0000000067526788 Anna Myers, an acclaimed author of 20 youth books and Oklahoma Writers' Hall of Fame member, is a native of west Texas and longtime Oklahoma resident. She holds four Oklah...
Edel Rodriguez
Edel Rodriguez 0000000367958056 Edel Rodriguez is a Cuban-born illustrator, known for his award-winning work, including the Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators. Notably, he served as Time mag...
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu 0000000108644191 Desmond Mpilo Tutu, former Archbishop of Southern Africa, was a renowned advocate for justice and racial reconciliation. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and the Pr...
Desmond Tutu and Dalai Lama
Desmond Tutu and Dalai Lama MULTIPLE The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is a Buddhist monk and spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and its people. Born 1935 in Tibet, he won the Nobel Peace Prize i...
Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen
Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen MULTIPLE Bruce Springsteen, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and recipient of 20 Grammy Awards, is the acclaimed author of NYT bestseller “Born to Run.” Honored with an ...
Lorna Goodison
Lorna Goodison 0000000354889186 Jamaican-born Lorna Goodison, a former painter and art teacher, turned professional writer and acclaimed poet. Educated in Jamaica and New York, she has been honored w...
Sydney Smith
Sydney Smith 000000010777471X Sydney Smith is a renowned illustrator of children's books, known for works like 'Sidewalk Flowers' and 'The White Cat and the Monk.' His book 'Town Is by the Sea' won t...
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. MULTIPLE Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Nobel laureate, was a key figure in the nonviolent civil rights movement and one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. A ...
Samuel Selvon
Samuel Selvon 0000000082184421 Trinidad-born author Samuel Selvon (1923-1994) is known for his groundbreaking use of “nation language” in his 1956 novel, The Lonely Londoners. He received two Guggenh...
Zeinab Badawi
Zeinab Badawi NONE Sudanese-born Zeinab Badawi, President of the University of London's SOAS, is an acclaimed broadcaster, journalist, and filmmaker. She has served on several renowned boards, receiv...
Nathan C. Heard
Nathan C. Heard NONE Nathan C. Heard (1936-2004) was a celebrated author, teacher, and actor. Known as a pioneer of “street literature,” he gained fame with his book Howard Street, written during his...
Robert F. Smith
Robert F. Smith NONE Entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert F. Smith contributed insights to the book “Lead Boldly: Seven Principles from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” Robert F. Smith is a philanthrop...
TaRessa Stovall
TaRessa Stovall NONE TaRessa Stovall is a seasoned communications strategist and writer/editor from Seattle. A graduate of Evergreen State College, her career exhibits a dedication to growth, learnin...
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor 0000000049060048 Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor is a renowned Kenyan writer, recognized for her contribution to literature and arts in Kenya. She won the 2003 Caine Prize for her story “...
Alretha Thomas
Alretha Thomas NONE Alretha Thomas is an acclaimed author & playwright who began writing at age 10. A standout in high school speech competitions, she pursued journalism at USC. Her unique storytelli...
Dana Marie Miroballi
Dana Marie Miroballi NONE Dana Marie Miroballi, a biracial ex-teacher now speech-language pathologist, authors books for young readers. With experiences from Germany, Uzbekistan, and now Chicago, she...
Cassandra Mack
Cassandra Mack NONE Cassandra Mack, founder of Strategies for Empowered Living Inc., is an author and life coach. Known for her blogs, books and radio appearances, she offers practical tools for succ...
Anthony Grooms
Anthony Grooms 0000000034968192 Anthony “Tony” Grooms, born in 1955, is a respected author and instructor at Kennesaw State University. With degrees in theatre, speech, and English, Grooms has receiv...
Lisa Moore Ramée
Lisa Moore Ramée NONE Lisa Moore Ramée, born and raised in Los Angeles, is a critically acclaimed author of two books, including “A Good Kind of Trouble.” A graduate in Speech Communications and Eng...
Tamika D. Mallory
Tamika D. Mallory NONE Tamika D. Mallory, born in 1980, is a globally recognized civil rights activist, co-founder of Until Freedom and the Women's March, and author of 'State of Emergency'. She was ...
Brittany N. Williams
Brittany N. Williams NONE Brittany N. Williams is an award-nominated actress and the award-nominated author of the YA historical fantasy trilogy The Forge & Fracture Saga. She holds a BFA in Musical ...
Percival Everett
Percival Everett 0000000115807163 Percival Everett, a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California, has authored over 20 books, including notable works such as 'Erasure...
Lorene Cary
Lorene Cary 0000000080840763 Lorene Cary was graduated from St. Paul’s School in 1974 and received B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978. She won a Thouron Fe...
Pamela Newkirk
Pamela Newkirk NONE Pamela Newkirk, Ph.D., is an NYU professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies with a rich journalism background, including a Pulitzer Prize at New York Newsday. She's won the N...
Carlotta Arradondo
Carlotta Arradondo NONE Carlotta Arradondo, a Minneapolis-born novelist, poet, and storyteller, discovered her passion for writing at nine. She is the author of the novel “Yearning” and co-author of ...
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. MULTIPLE Dr. Henry “Skip” Louis Gates Jr., a distinguished Harvard professor, is widely recognized for his contribution to African and African American research. As editor in c...
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and Ngugi Wa Mirii
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and Ngugi Wa Mirii MULTIPLE Born in Kenya in 1938, Ngugi wa Thiong’o is a leading East African novelist, essayist, playwright, and academic. Educated in Kenya, Uganda, and Britain, ...
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o 0000000109301051 AALBC Mourns the passing of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o May 28, 2025 Kenyan-born Ngugi wa Thiong’o was a leading East African novelist, educated in Kenya, ...
Fenton Johnson
Fenton Johnson 0000000038623095 Fenton Johnson (1888-1958) was an African American poet, essayist, and editor who significantly contributed to the Harlem Renaissance. His work, including his well-kno...
Barbara Chase-Riboud
Barbara Chase-Riboud 0000000110251688 Barbara Chase-Riboud is an award-winning poet and author known for her historical novels like 'Sally Hemings'. She was knighted by the French government in 1996 ...
Michael S. Harper
Michael S. Harper 000000011480004X Michael S. Harper was an American poet and English professor at Brown University. He was the Poet Laureate of Rhode Island from 1988 to 1993. Michael S. Harper (Ma...
Jan Wahl
Jan Wahl 0000000081287816 Jan Boyer Wahl, an award-winning author of over 100 children's books including “Pleasant Fieldmouse” and “Humphrey's Bear.” Known as “Dr. Mouse”, Wahl is a Cornell Universit...
George Jackson
George Jackson 0000000140482524 George Jackson, born September 23, 1941, was a key figure in the Black Power movement and a member of the Black Panther Party. He gained prominence through his activis...
Osonye Tess Onwueme
Osonye Tess Onwueme 0000000114408785 Dr. Osonye Tess Onwueme, a University Professor of Global Letters at the University of Wisconsin, is a renowned author with several prestigious awards including t...
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry 0000000050119959 Born in 1969, Tyler Perry overcame a troubled childhood to become a successful actor, writer, and director. Inspired by Oprah Winfrey, he began writing letters to himself...
Jacqueline Bishop
Jacqueline Bishop 0000000041919671 Born in 1971, Jacqueline Bishop is an accomplished Jamaican writer and visual artist. She's the founding editor of Calabash: A Journal of Caribbean Arts & Letters a...
Sarah Bird
Sarah Bird 000000011726115X Sarah Bird, acclaimed author of ten novels, is recognized for her literary contributions through awards like Texas Writer of the Year and the Texas Institute of Letters Li...
Amina Gautier
Amina Gautier 0000000118109950 Dr. Amina Gautier, an award-winning author of three short story collections, is a scholar and professor specializing in African American literature. She teaches in the ...
Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni 0000000114678830 Nikki Giovanni (June 7, 1943 to December 9, 2024 was an American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Yolande Cornelia “Nikki” Giovanni (June 7, 1943 &n...
Jupiter Hammon
Jupiter Hammon 000000038947276X Jupiter Hammon (1711-1806), a born slave, became the first African-American writer to be published in the US in 1761. Encouraged to learn reading and writing, he serve...
Paschal Beverly Randolph
Paschal Beverly Randolph 0000000080818187 The Mystical Black Genius Time Erased Paschal Beverly Randolph was a key figure in African-American history, renowned for his work as an author, spiritual lea...
Venise Berry
Venise Berry NONE Venise Berry, an associate professor at the University of Iowa, is a highly accomplished author, researcher, and media professional. She has penned best-selling novels and co-author...
Mahmoud El-Kati
Mahmoud El-Kati NONE Mahmoud El‑Kati is a lecturer, writer, and commentator on the African American experience. He specializes in African American history and advocates institution building within c...
M. Genevieve West
M. Genevieve West NONE M. Genevieve West is an English Professor at Texas Woman’s University, renowned for her scholarly work on Zora Neale Hurston. She has contributed to esteemed academic journals ...
Alex Haley
Alex Haley 0000000121413152 Alex Haley (1921-1992) was a renowned journalist and writer, best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning work, 'Roots: The Saga of an American Family'. Born in Ithaca, N.Y, ...
Craig Steven Wilder
Craig Steven Wilder 0000000055180126 Craig Steven Wilder began his career as a community organizer in the South Bronx. He provides curricular and professional development workshops with public s...
Ezra Jack Keats
Ezra Jack Keats 0000000370477827 Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983) was a pioneering children's book author and illustrator known for introducing multiculturalism into mainstream American literature. Despit...
Rafael López
Rafael López 0000000430746276 Rafael López is a renowned illustrator of NYT bestsellers and award-winning books. He's won Pura Belpré medals and other prestigious awards, including the Tomás River...
Gerald L. Early
Gerald L. Early 0000000110654831 Gerald Lyn Early, born 1952, is an esteemed American essayist and culture critic. He currently serves as the Merle Kling Professor at Washington University in St. Lou...
Michael G. Long
Michael G. Long NONE Michael G. Long is a distinguished author and editor specializing in civil rights and gender issues. Known for his in-depth works on key American historical figures like Jackie R...
Patricia Smith
Patricia Smith 0000000110775334 Patricia Smith, celebrated poet and professor, is known for her direct and adventuresome style. She’s authored six books, including award finalists 'Blood Dazzler' and...
Anita Bunkley
Anita Bunkley NONE Anita Richmond Bunkley is a highly-acclaimed author and motivational speaker. Overcoming initial rejections, she self-published her first novel and has since written five more, all...
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...
Mat Johnson
Mat Johnson 0000000119594716 Mat Johnson is was born, August 19th 1970, to an Irish American man and an African American woman. Five years after his parents’ divorce, Mat was living wit...
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 ...
James A. Forbes
James A. Forbes 0000000384654492 Reverend Dr. James Alexander Forbes, Jr., born in 1935, is the first African American leader of the Riverside Church, NY. Despite facing racial discrimination, he com...
Reynold Ruffins
Reynold Ruffins 0000000024800273 Reynold Ruffins, a renowned illustrator and professor, has received prestigious awards from The Cooper Union and had a successful career teaching at various instituti...
Natalie Y. Moore
Natalie Y. Moore 0000000041217426 Natalie Y. Moore is an award-winning journalist and author, known for her work in Essence, Black Enterprise, and the Chicago Tribune. She co-authored books on Black ...
Denise Turney
Denise Turney NONE Denise Turney is an experienced novelist, journalist, and editor with over 30 years of writing experience. She hosts an internationally recognized radio program and writes for seve...
J. Everett Prewitt
J. Everett Prewitt NONE J. Everett Prewitt, a distinguished alumnus and Vietnam veteran, has received numerous awards for his novels, including “Snake Walkers” and “A Long Way Back.” His works have b...
Camille T. Dungy
Camille T. Dungy 0000000036407735 Camille T. Dungy, renowned poet and essayist, is known for her work in 100 Best African American Poems and 30 other anthologies. She's a recipient of multiple awards...