AALBC Search
Patrick M. Oliver
Patrick M. Oliver NONE Patrick Oliver is a program manager and literary consultant promoting literacy as empowerment. He hosts Literary Nation Talk Radio, is a publisher and editor, and has worked in...
Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson
Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson MULTIPLE Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson are award-winning authors known for their impactful works. Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer-winning journalist, is renowned ...
Hannah Crafts
Hannah Crafts 0000000057115061 Hannah Bond, known as Hannah Crafts, was an African-American writer and ex-slave who escaped to the North and wrote The Bondwoman’s Narrative. Settling in New Jersey, B...
Nikole Hannah-Jones and Oprah Winfrey
Nikole Hannah-Jones and Oprah Winfrey MULTIPLE Oprah Winfrey is a renowned media executive, actress, talk show host, and philanthropist. Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and...
Nikole Hannah-Jones
Nikole Hannah-Jones 0000000454752515 Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times, is known for her work on racial injustice and the 1619 Project. A MacArthur Genius Gr...
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...
Hannah Durkin
Hannah Durkin NONE Dr. Hannah Durkin, a historian specializing in transatlantic slavery and African diasporic art, holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and has served at several universities. She advise...
Diane Oliver
Diane Oliver 000000012330550X Diane Oliver (1943-1966) was a notable author and Managing Editor of The Carolinian. She published seven short stories, won an O. Henry Award, and attended the Universit...
Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby
Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby MULTIPLE Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby are distinguished authors known for their significant contributions in literature and visu...
Stephanie Stokes Oliver
Stephanie Stokes Oliver NONE Stephanie Stokes Oliver is an accomplished publishing professional, heading SSO Media, serving as a literary scout for Atria Book Group and as author curator for Anguilla...
Alison Oliver
Alison Oliver NONE Alison Oliver, author-illustrator of “Moon” & over 30 BabyLit board books, including “Anne of Green Gables” with 1.8M+ series copies sold. Also known for “Be Bold, Baby” series. Sh...
John Oliver Killens
John Oliver Killens 0000000081741003 “The Godfather of the Black Arts Movement” John Oliver Killens was an important figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, Killens was a close ...
Hannah V. Sawyerr
Hannah V. Sawyerr NONE Hannah V. Sawyerr was recognized as the Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore in 2016. Her debut novel in verse All the Fighting Parts was recognized as a William C. Morris Debut A...
John Oliver Killens and Jerry W. Ward
John Oliver Killens and Jerry W. Ward MULTIPLE John O. Killens and Jerry W. Ward are renowned authors recognized for their significant contributions to literature. Their work has greatly influenced t...
Blanche Richardson
Blanche Richardson NONE Blanche Richardson, a seasoned book editor and manager of Marcus Books, one of the oldest African American owned bookstores in the US, has contributed significantly to literat...
Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross
Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross MULTIPLE Daina Ramey Berry, a History Professor and associate dean at the University of Texas, and Kali Nicole Gross, Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Histo...
Seina Wedlick
Seina Wedlick NONE Seina Wedlick is an avid reader and writer, often found exploring or at the beach with her family. She loves pairing books with snacks, visiting bookstores, and collecting postcard...
Stacey Lyn Evans
Stacey Lyn Evans NONE Stacey Lyn Evans, a renowned author and poet, has written for stage and TV, and performed her poetry nationwide. Her book REAL SOUL FOOD has made its way into major bookstores a...
Christine Pauls
Christine Pauls NONE Christine Pauls, from Wilmington, DE, is an accomplished author of novels including her latest release “One Good Thing” (2017). Besides being a writer, she's an accountant in the...
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...
Robin DiAngelo
Robin DiAngelo 0000000043595922 DiAngelo Actively Supports Black-Owned Bookstores Robin DiAngelo, PhD, is a seasoned academic, author, and lecturer specializing in racial and social justice. She has o...
Albert B. Cleage, Jr.
Albert B. Cleage, Jr. MULTIPLE Albert B. Cleage Jr., also known as Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman, was a Black nationalist Christian minister, author, and political organizer. He founded the Shrine of the Bl...
Char Adams
Char Adams NONE Char Adams is a reporter for NBC News' BLK, specializing in race, gender, and class issues. She has covered a wide range of topics, with her work featured in major publications includ...
Garcelle Beauvais
Garcelle Beauvais 0000000046979075 Garcelle Beauvais is a versatile Hollywood force as an actress, author, producer, and humanitarian. From a modeling career to major roles in TV and films like The J...
Mary Pattillo-McCoy
Mary Pattillo-McCoy NONE Mary Pattillo specializes in urban sociology, focusing on the black middle class, using Chicago as her research backdrop. Her book, Black Picket Fences, explores child-rearin...
Jacob Stroyer
Jacob Stroyer 0000000028767095 Source: Jacob Stroyer, My Life in the South (enlarged edition; Salem, Mass., 1898) – Download a pdf version of My Life in the South One of fifteen children,...
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...
Brittany Mazique
Brittany Mazique NONE Brittany Mazique was born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised partially in New Orleans. A voracious reader from a young age, she creates stories featuring children of color inspir...
Sarah E. Farro
Sarah E. Farro NONE Sarah E. Farro, a black author born in 1859, wrote 'True Love: A Story of English Domestic Life' in 1891, making her the second known African-American woman novelist of the 19th c...
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 ...
Teri Woods
Teri Woods 0000000043564923 Teri Woods, a Philadelphia native and former legal secretary, turned author with her first novel, “True to the Game.” After initial rejections, she self-published and sold...
Roxane Gay
Roxane Gay 0000000434301581 Roxane Gay, renowned writer and editor, has contributed to numerous publications and anthologies. She's co-editor of PANK, essays editor for The Rumpus, and teaches writin...
Christina Benton
Christina Benton NONE Christina Benton is a Las Vegas-based crime author, forensic anthropologist, and bookstore owner. She penned the debut novel featuring Noel Patterson, a forensic anthropologist ...
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...
Rosheena Beek
Rosheena Beek NONE Rosheena Beek (1969-2019) was a successful author and bookstore owner known for her best-selling book, “I Find It So Hard.” Her works, including the popular second edition “Mommy S...
Velma Maia Thomas
Velma Maia Thomas NONE Velma Maia Thomas is an award-winning author known for her nonfiction books on African American history. She is also the creator of the Black Holocaust Exhibit. With degrees fr...
Shanna Tiggs
Shanna Tiggs NONE Shanna L. Tiggs is an accomplished author and the proprietor of Serenity Book Shop in Columbus, Ohio. Author Shanna L. Tiggs is also the owner of the Serenity Book Shop in Columbus,...
Analeigh Sbrana
Analeigh Sbrana NONE Analeigh Sbrana is a writer and visual artist. She lives in California with her husband, daughter, and a chonky kitty named Rey. Her favorite things to do include wandering thro...
Gwendolyn Wallace
Gwendolyn Wallace NONE Gwendolyn Wallace was born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut, and graduated from Yale University. She can usually be found gardening, exploring used bookstores, or listening ...
Bethany Baptiste
Bethany Baptiste NONE Bethany Baptiste is an inner-city educator by day and a young adult SFF novelist by night. If she's not writing a lesson plan or a story, she does retail therapy in Florida boo...
Lucille O’Neal
Lucille O’Neal NONE Lucille O’Neal is not just “Shaquille O’Neal’s Mom,” she is the president and founder of the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players Association. She is also a founder board m...
Mary Monroe
Mary Monroe 0000000029010860 Mary Monroe, a sharecropper's daughter and the first in her family to graduate high school, returned to the literary scene with her novel “God Don’t Like Ugly”, which sol...
Ana Ot
Ana Ot 0000000059824400 Ana Ot grew up reading, which led to her love for writing. When she’s not doing either, she’s dreaming up new stories filled with heart and whimsy. Ana enjoys traveling and d...
Simba Sana
Simba Sana NONE Simba Sana overcame hardships in Washington, D.C. to graduate with degrees in Accounting, Business and Finance, and African Studies. He left his auditing job to join Karibu Books, gro...
Fanita Pendleton
Fanita Pendleton NONE Fanita “Moon†Pendleton, originally from Oakland, is a parole officer based in Norfolk, Virginia. She's an experienced criminal justice instructor with a Masters in Public A...
Marc Lamont Hill
Marc Lamont Hill 0000000055257314 In November 2017 Marc Opened a boostore in Philadelphia Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books Dr. Marc Lamont Hill is a renowned intellectual voice, anthropologist of e...
National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Museum of African American History and Culture MULTIPLE The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), established by Congress in 2003, is devoted to documenting Afric...
Gigi Best
Gigi Best NONE Gigi Best, a prolific author, historian, and genealogist, is also the owner of Best Books & Rich Treasures. She possesses rich academic credentials and is a member of various historica...
Cheryl Clarke
Cheryl Clarke 0000000383377198 Cheryl L. Clarke, born in 1947, is a lesbian poet, essayist, and a Black feminist activist. Her work emphasizes African-American women's literature and black lesbian fe...
Eric Pete
Eric Pete 0000000372515735 Eric Pete, a US Army veteran and graduate of McNeese State University, is a renowned author known for his debut novel “Real for Me.” His collaboration with Carl Weber on “T...
Wayétu Moore
Wayétu Moore 0000000474741880 Wayétu Moore is the founder of One Moore Book, a non-profit publishing culturally relevant books to promote literacy in countries with low rates. She opened her first b...
The Black Dot
The Black Dot NONE The Black Dot is renowned for his insight into the metaphysical aspects of Hip Hop, contributing to various media outlets and authoring the game-changing book, “Hip Hop Decoded.” A...
Shonda Buchanan
Shonda Buchanan 0000000500800611 Shonda Buchanan is an award-winning author and professor with over 15 years of teaching experience in various literary fields. She's an Education Specialist for the U...
Miranda Paul
Miranda Paul NONE Miranda Paul is an award-winning author of children's books like One Plastic Bag and Water is Water, recognized by Junior Library Guild and Amazon. She regularly appears at educatio...
David Ruggles
David Ruggles 0000000078894447 David Ruggles was a pioneer in black activism, journalism, and entrepreneurship in the 1800s. He led 600+ slaves to freedom, including Frederick Douglass, and owned the...
Nicole Tadgell
Nicole Tadgell 0000000038118670 Nicole Tadgell is a renowned watercolor artist and art director with over 20 years of experience. Known for her award-winning children's books, she also leads art work...
Hugh Mulzac
Hugh Mulzac 0000000399996487 Hugh Nathaniel Mulzac (1886-1971), the first African American ship commander, served on British and American ships during WWI. A graduate of Swansea Nautical College, he ...
Leah Johnson
Leah Johnson NONE Leah Johnson, a Midwestern writer and editor, is a graduate of Indiana University and Sarah Lawrence College. She teaches writing, authored her first novel in 2021, and owns Loudmou...
Laura Obuobi
Laura Obuobi NONE Born and raised in Ghana, Laura Obuobi moved to the U.S. in 2003. She has an MA in Early Childhood Education from Columbia University and spent 8 years as a preschool teacher. Now a...
Krystal Marquis
Krystal Marquis NONE Krystal Marquis, a biology graduate and environmental manager, is a lifelong reader turned author. She began writing after accepting a NaNoWriMo Challenge, which led to her first...
Itah Sadu
Itah Sadu NONE Itah Sadu, an award-winning author and bookstore owner, is known for sharing diverse oral traditions and creating youth programs. She's a founder of several initiatives like the Emanci...
Lynn Gaines
Lynn Gaines NONE Ohio-based artist, Lynn Gaines, works for American Greetings and enjoys creating children's book illustrations. She utilizes both traditional and digital mediums, drawing inspiration...
Tamara Shiloh
Tamara Shiloh NONE Tamara Shiloh, a Northern California native, owns the Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts in Richmond. She is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother residing in Point Richmond,...
Marcus Dewan Williams
Marcus Dewan Williams NONE Marcus Dewan Williams, more than just the owner of Nubian Books bookstore, is an active advocate for African and African-American culture and education. As a publisher and ...
Nia Damali
Nia Damali NONE Nia Damali, owner of Medu Bookstore and a prominent figure in the Black Book Ecosystem, is dedicated to promoting literacy and knowledge within the Black community. Editor of historic...
Victoria Scott-Miller
Victoria Scott-Miller NONE Victoria Scott-Miller is an acclaimed entrepreneur, author, and owner of North Carolina's first black-owned children's bookstore. She's notable for creating 'The Museum Liv...
Maura Cheeks
Maura Cheeks NONE Maura Cheeks, renowned author featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic and others, won a masthead reporting residency with The Atlantic in 2019. 'Acts of Forgiveness' is her deb...
Aimée Felone
Aimée Felone NONE Aimée Felone, Founder and Managing Director of Knights Of, a multi-award-winning inclusive children's publisher, focuses on amplifying underrepresented voices. Her team, primarily w...
Carl Weber
Carl Weber 0000000111497479 Carl Weber, born in 1964, is a New York Times bestselling author and renowned African American author with over 20 novels. He's also the CEO of Urban Books LLC, one of the...
William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White
William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White MULTIPLE William Strunk Jr. first used his own book, The Elements of Style, in 1919 for his English 8 course at Cornell University. The book was published in 1935 ...
Issa Rae
Issa Rae 0000000493620849 Issa Rae, born in 1985, is a talented humorist and YouTube sensation with more than 25 million views. Recognized on Forbes' “30 Under 30” list twice, she has created success...
D. Amari Jackson
D. Amari Jackson 0000000530897506 D. Amari Jackson is an accomplished creator, award-winning journalist, and author known for his middle grade novel, Jelani's Key. His portfolio includes TV/web/film ...
Daina Ramey Berry
Daina Ramey Berry 0000000035859190 Dr. Daina Ramey Berry is an award-winning historian and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in gender and slavery history in the US. A Dist...
James W. Loewen
James W. Loewen 0000000110416243 James W. Loewen is a renowned author known for his bestselling books like “Lies My Teacher Told Me” series and “Sundown Towns.” His works focus on debunking historica...
Jesse Joshua Watson
Jesse Joshua Watson NONE Jesse Joshua Watson is an acclaimed illustrator known for his work on the New York Times best-selling Hank Zipzer series and G. Neri's Ghetto Cowboy and Chess Rumble. He resi...
Alexander Pushkin
Alexander Pushkin 0000000121372055 Alexander Pushkin (1799–1837) was a Russian poet, playwright, and novelist—widely regarded as the founder of modern Russian literature. His verse novel Eugen...
Rosa Guy
Rosa Guy 0000000111564547 Rosa Guy, born in Trinidad in 1925, was an influential Harlem-based writer and activist. A co-founder of the Harlem Writer's Guild, she was also a member of the Black nation...
Lenny McAllister
Lenny McAllister NONE Lenny McAllister’s journey embodies the American Second Act. After leaving Davidson College in 1992 and returning to graduate in 2002, he built a defining career bridging bu...
Regena Bryant
Regena Bryant NONE Author Regena Bryant honored a pact with her nephew, resulting in three contemporary women's fiction novels with romantic elements. Her works explore the complexity of love in mode...
Albert “Prodigy” Johnson
Albert “Prodigy” Johnson NONE Albert “Prodigy” Johnson was a globally recognized rapper, part of the duo Mobb Deep. Known for his reality-based music, he sold millions of albums worldwide. Prodigy al...
Dylan Allen
Dylan Allen NONE Dylan Allen is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author who began her career as a lawyer before turning to writing in the year leading up to her 40th birthday. What st...
Sue Nyathi
Sue Nyathi 0000000382489964 Sukoluhle “Sue” Nyathi was born, bred, and buttered in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and now resides in South Africa. She describes herself as an analyst by profession and a writer...
Unathi Slasha
Unathi Slasha 0000000500092539 Unathi Slasha is a South African writer and literary scholar from Despatch, Port Elizabeth, known for reimagining and subverting Nguni folklore. He describes his work ...
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...
Nicole Dennis-Benn
Nicole Dennis-Benn 000000050158667X Nicole Dennis-Benn, an acclaimed author and Lambda Literary Award winner, is renowned for her debut novel 'Here Comes the Sun' which has received multiple accolade...
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan 0000000114554934 Michael Jordan, former professional basketball player, played 15 seasons in NBA for Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. He's also a businessman, owner and chairman o...
Cassandra Foster
Cassandra Foster NONE Cassandra Foster, a computer industry veteran with advanced degrees in computational linguistics, is a Washington DC-based author. She writes juvenile books funded by arts organ...
China Robinson
China Robinson NONE China Robinson is a motivational speaker and author who uses her personal experiences to inspire others towards self-empowerment and overcoming obstacles. Managing her supermodel ...
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...
Taiye Selasi
Taiye Selasi 0000000384492964 Taiye Selasi, born in 1979, is an accomplished writer and photographer. Raised in Massachusetts by Nigerian and Ghanaian physicians, she earned degrees from Yale and Oxf...