AALBC Search
Joylynn M. Jossel
Joylynn M. Jossel NONE Check the “Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business” 2018 Conference presented by Joylynn’s Path To Publishing (September 20 – 22, 2018) Joylynn M. Joss...
Brenda Jackson, Joylynn M. Jossel, Kayla Perrin, and Tamara Sneed
Brenda Jackson, Joylynn M. Jossel, Kayla Perrin, and Tamara Sneed MULTIPLE Brenda Jackson, Joylynn M. Jossel, Kayla Perrin, and Tamara Sneed are renowned authors, each with a unique style and a capti...
E. N. Joy
E. N. Joy NONE BLESSEDselling Author E.N. Joy, previously known as Joylynn M. Jossel, is an Essence Magazine Bestselling Author known for her “Soap Operas in Print” Divas series. The author, who has ...
Bea Jackson
Bea Jackson 0000000500111306 Bea Jackson is an accomplished author known for her captivating storytelling. With a writing career spanning over decades, she has penned numerous bestsellers, captivatin...
Brittany Jackson
Brittany Jackson NONE Brittany “Bea” Jackson, an award-winning illustrator and alumni of the College for Creative Studies, is renowned for her work in children's book illustration, specifically “Hair...
Randall Horton
Randall Horton 0000000048702491 Award-winning author Randall Horton, known for his poetry collections and memoir, is a recipient of the Bea Gonzalez Poetry Award, GLCA New Writers Award, and a Nation...
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey 0000000114891842 Oprah Winfrey, a multi-billionaire and influential media owner, is best known for her highest-rated TV show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. She also runs the renowned Oprah Bo...
Vincent Alexandria
Vincent Alexandria NONE Vincent Alexandria is a nationally published author, he is also an actor, producer, director, composer, lyricist, screenwriter, vocalist, and musician. He holds a Bachelor’s ...
Sam Cornish
Sam Cornish 0000000383831039 Sam Cornish (1935-2018) was the Poet Laureate of Boston from 2008 and authored seven poetry books. He taught poetry workshops at the Boston Public Library and was a promi...
Cedric Johnson
Cedric Johnson 0000000055574096 Cedric Johnson, an associate professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, focuses on African American Studies and Political Science. His critically acclaimed book...
Louise Story and Ebony Reed
Louise Story and Ebony Reed MULTIPLE Louise Story is a renowned investigative journalist and Yale professor, known for her work at The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and for her investig...
Ravi Howard
Ravi Howard NONE Ravi Howard is an award-winning author and television producer, known for his novel “Like Trees, Walking.” A recipient of the 2001 Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award and the 200...
Tony Rose and Yvonne Rose
Tony Rose and Yvonne Rose MULTIPLE Tony and Yvonne Rose are the producers of the 2006 African American Pavilion and run Amber Communications Group, Inc. together. Tony Rose and Yvonne Rose P...
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith 0000000114602158 Jada Pinkett Smith is a versatile American actress, singer-songwriter, and producer notable for roles in over 20 films including the Matrix and Madagascar series. ...
Jeffrey Gardere
Jeffrey Gardere NONE Dr. Jeffrey Gardere is a renowned psychologist, author, and talk show host with an extensive career in mental health services. He founded the Rainbow Clinic specializing in cultu...
David Ritz
David Ritz 0000000073664036 David Ritz (born December 2, 1943) has written novels, biographies, magazine articles, and over a hundred liner notes for artists such as Aretha Franklin and Nat King Col...
Suheir Hammad
Suheir Hammad 0000000084052510 Suheir Hammad, born October 25, 1973, is a Palestinian-American poet, author, performer, and activist renowned for her work in the spoken-word scene. She's had success ...
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...
Ifa Bayeza
Ifa Bayeza NONE Ifa Bayeza is an acclaimed playwright, producer, and theater artist. Known for works like “Amistad Voices” and “The Ballad of Emmett Till,” she's won the 2008 Edgar Award and 2007 Eug...
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...
Celeste Headlee
Celeste Headlee 0000000049531591 ` Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist, author, and expert in human communication. Known for her work on NPR and American Public Media, she advises on racial...
Leroy Baylor
Leroy Baylor NONE Leroy Baylor, also known as “Brother Leroy,” was a radio talk show host and follower of the Nation of Islam since the 1950s. He focused on information significant to the Black commu...
Renee Prewitt Killingsworth
Renee Prewitt Killingsworth NONE Renee Prewitt Killingsworth, a Chicago native with over 15 years in public relations, began her career as a radio talk show host. She's active in southeast Michigan c...
Anna Christian
Anna Christian NONE Anna Christian is an accomplished author of seven books, including 'Then Sings My Soul' and 'Daniel’s Wife'. She has made contributions to the African American National Biography ...
J.J. Phillips
J.J. Phillips NONE Jane J. Phillips, born in 1944, is an acclaimed poet, novelist, and civil rights activist. Recognized for her works including 'Mojo Hand: an Orphic Tale' and 'The Passion of Joan P...
Barack Obama
Barack Obama 0000000121331026 Barack Obama, born in Hawaii in 1961, was the 44th President of the United States. Raised in a middle-class family, he worked his way through college and became the firs...
Kim Coles
Kim Coles 0000000031521651 Kim Coles, best known for her role as “Synclaire” in FOX's 'Living Single', has starred in many TV programs including 'Frasier', 'Six Feet Under', and 'In Living Color'. Sh...
Tracie Howard
Tracie Howard NONE Tracie Howard, a former executive at notable companies, is an accomplished author known for her novel, 'Why Sleeping Dogs Lie'. She served on President Obama's 2008 Finance Committ...
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa L. Williams 000000011462842X Vanessa Lynn Williams, born March 18, 1963, is a multi-talented actor, singer, fashion designer and author. She made history as the first African-American Miss Am...
William Melvin Kelley
William Melvin Kelley 0000000108984997 William Melvin Kelley was a notable American novelist and short-story writer, known for using African American comedy to critique racial attitudes. He taught li...
KR Bankston
KR Bankston NONE KR Bankston is an accomplished Fiction Novelist, Publishing Consultant, and CEO of Kirabaco Media Group. Known for her commercial publishing debut, 'A Deadly Encounter' in 2008, she ...
Allison Hobbs
Allison Hobbs NONE Allison Hobbs is a prolific author known for her erotic and paranormal novels. Debuting in 2003 with “Pandora’s Box”, she has since written 20 books including the “Eternal Dead” se...
Jason Poole
Jason Poole NONE Jason Conrad Poole, a proud father from Washington, DC, was wrongfully sentenced to 21 years for a drug violation in 1996. Regaining his freedom in 2008, Poole's story showcases resi...
Charles Wright
Charles Wright 0000000119446967 Charles Wright (1932-2008) was an American novelist, avid reader, and high school dropout who served in the Army during the Korean War. Moving to New York in his 20s, ...
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...
Cheryl Cloyd Robbins
Cheryl Cloyd Robbins NONE Cheryl Cloyd Robbins is a passionate writer who began her journey in high school. She self-published her first novel in 2006 and its acclaimed sequel in 2008. Despite being ...
Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt 0000000120374593 Usain Bolt, born August 21, 1986, is recognized as the fastest person ever timed. He holds world records in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, won six Olympic gold medals, ...
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...
Jan Etienne
Jan Etienne 0000000121358288 Dr. Jan Etienne, associate lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London, serves as Assistant Programme Director for BSc Social Science and Convenor for the Dissertations Wo...
Margaret Cezair-Thompson
Margaret Cezair-Thompson 0000000444583770 Margaret Cezair-Thompson, a Jamaican-born author and professor, is known for her novels “The True History of Paradise” and “The Pirate’s Daughter” which won ...
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 0000000114510288 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, born in Nigeria, is a renowned author and educator who graduated summa cum laude in Communication from Eastern Connecticut State. S...
Aimé Césaire
Aimé Césaire 0000000121474035 One of the Founders of the Négritude Movement in Francophone Literature Aimé Césaire (1913-2008) was a Martinican poet, playwright, and politician who co-founded...
Francis Ray
Francis Ray 0000000110715606 Francis Ray (1944-2013) was a celebrated Texas-based author and school nurse practitioner. Known for her bestsellers in Blackboard and Essence Magazine, her work includes...
Jane Mount
Jane Mount 0000000371396068 Jane Mount is a multi-talented illustrator, designer, and writer who founded Ideal Bookshelf in 2008, a company dedicated to bibliophiles. She presently resides in a Hawai...
Jackie Hill Perry
Jackie Hill Perry 0000000500194914 Jackie Hill Perry, born June 21, 1989, is a St. Louis-based writer, poet, and artist. Recognized by the Washington Times, The 700 Club, and other publications, she ...
Tarkisha M. Wallace
Tarkisha M. Wallace NONE Tarkisha M. Wallace is a licensed counselor offering individual, couple, and family counseling, life coaching, and training workshops. With a Master's degree in Counseling an...
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o 0000000065421480 Lupita Nyong'o, born March 1, 1983, is a Kenyan-Mexican actress. Raised in Kenya and educated in the U.S., she began her career in Hollywood, made her acting debut in ...
Alex Wheatle
Alex Wheatle 0000000078416656 Alex Wheatle, a celebrated black British writer, is known for best-sellers like 'Brixton Rock' and the award-winning 'Crongton' series. Recognized with an MBE in 2008, h...
Jacquelin Thomas
Jacquelin Thomas NONE Award-winning author Jacquelin Thomas has published over 50 titles across romance, women’s fiction, inspirational, and young adult genres. She's received multiple awards includi...
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce NONE Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a Jamaican sprinter, rose to fame in 2008 as the first Caribbean woman to win 100m Olympic gold. In 2012, she successfully defended her title. Af...
Ben Jealous
Ben Jealous 0000000417015073 Benjamin Todd Jealous is a notable American civil rights leader and social impact investor. He was the youngest-ever national leader of the NAACP (2008-2013) and ran for ...
Patricia Jabbeh Wesley
Patricia Jabbeh Wesley 0000000046027939 Wesley Receives the 2023 Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Award Dr. Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, a Penn State Altoona professor of English, creative writing and Afri...
Rasheedah Phillips
Rasheedah Phillips NONE Rasheedah Phillips, Esq. is the Managing Attorney of the Landlord-Tenant Housing Unit at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. A graduate of Temple University, she is also...
Matt Forté
Matt Forté NONE Matthew Garrett Forté, born in 1985, is a retired NFL player best known as a running back for the Chicago Bears. He was recognized for his versatility, amassing over 9,000 rushing an...
Milton J. Davis
Milton J. Davis NONE Milton Davis, an author and entrepreneur, fulfilled his dream of completing a novel in 2008 with 'Meji Book One', released through his own company, MVmedia. Recognized for revivi...
Natasha Trethewey
Natasha Trethewey 0000000084159051 Trethewey was U.S. Poet Laureate, 2012-2014 Natasha Trethewey, an American poet and winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for her collection “Native Guard,” was inspired...
Fabu Phillis Carter
Fabu Phillis Carter NONE Poet Fabu was appointed Madison's Poet Laureate in 2008 and served in that position until 2012. Fabu Phillis Carter, professionally known as Poet Fabu, was appointed Madison’...
Pinkie Gordon Lane
Pinkie Gordon Lane 0000000025290746 Pinkie Gordon Lane (1923-2008) was an influential poet, editor, and educator. Born in Philadelphia, she overcame hardships to earn degrees from Spelman College and...
Karine Jean-Pierre
Karine Jean-Pierre 0000000500800507 Karine Jean-Pierre is the former White House Press Secretary and Senior Advisor to President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Born in Martinique and raised in New York by Hait...
Naleighna Kai, Renee Bernard, J.L. Woodson, Joyce A Brown, D. J. McLaurin, Candy Jackson, Janice Pernell, Valarie Prince, Martha Kennerson, Susan D. Peters, Tanishia Pearson-Jones, and L. A. Lewis
Naleighna Kai, Renee Bernard, J.L. Woodson, Joyce A Brown, D. J. McLaurin, Candy Jackson, Janice Pernell, Valarie Prince, Martha Kennerson, Susan D. Peters, Tanishia Pearson-Jones, and L. A. Lewis MUL...
Kasi Lemmons
Kasi Lemmons 0000000118746394 Karen “Kasi” Lemmons is a celebrated actress, writer, and director, known for roles in films like “Silence of the Lambs”, and for directing the highest-grossing independ...
Ibi Zoboi, Tracey Baptiste, Coe Booth, Dhonielle Clayton, Brandy Colbert, Jay Coles, Lamar Giles, Leah Henderson, Justina Ireland, Varian Johnson, Kekla Magoon, Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, Renée Watson, Rita Williams-Garcia, and others
Ibi Zoboi, Tracey Baptiste, Coe Booth, Dhonielle Clayton, Brandy Colbert, Jay Coles, Lamar Giles, Leah Henderson, Justina Ireland, Varian Johnson, Kekla Magoon, Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, Renée Watso...
Tracy Sherrod
Tracy Sherrod NONE Tracy Sherrod, editorial director of HarperCollins' Amistad, has worked with award-winning authors and published numerous bestsellers. She has held editorial positions at Simon and...
Julia Hare
Julia Hare NONE Dr. Julia Hare (1939-2019) was a renowned motivational speaker and influential figure in black communities both in America and abroad. Known for her powerful speeches about black lead...
Marlon Peterson
Marlon Peterson NONE Marlon Peterson is a social justice consultant, podcast host, and influential Black community leader. Known for his TED Talk on criminal justice reform, he's a Soros Justice Fell...
Lori Nelson Lee
Lori Nelson Lee NONE Lori Nelson Lee, author of children's books like 'Hillary’s Big Business Adventure' and 'Danica Dramatica - Queen Me', introduces entrepreneurship to young readers. Her works are...
Pat Simmons
Pat Simmons 0000000055458378 Pat Simmons, a seasoned author with 10 years of experience and 30+ titles to her name, is a passionate genealogy sleuth who often casts her ancestors in her novels. She h...
George Alexander
George Alexander 0000000074080876 George Alexander is the award-nominated founder of Galex Media Group, specializing in film and video production. Formerly an editor-at-large at Black Enterprise maga...
Shaniqka Thomas
Shaniqka Thomas NONE Shaniqka Thomas is a trustworthy individual known for keeping secrets and offering non-judgmental advice. Her animated personality and genuine approachability have fueled her pas...
Clyde W. Ford
Clyde W. Ford 0000000109297208 Clyde W. Ford, NYC-born author of 13 fiction and non-fiction works, is also a psychotherapist, mythologist, and public speaker. He's received numerous accolades includi...
Eboni K. Williams
Eboni K. Williams NONE Eboni K. Williams, born in 1988, is a seasoned media personality and legal expert. She has served key roles in Fox News, CBS News, and HLN. A graduate of UNC and Loyola Univers...
Kam Williams
Kam Williams NONE Lloyd “Kam” Williams was a renowned film and book critic, contributing to AALBC.com and numerous other publications. A member of several critics associations, he was known for his a...
Debbi Chocolate
Debbi Chocolate NONE Deborah “Debbi” Newton Chocolate is the author of more than twenty picture books, including The Piano Man, which received the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award, a...
Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor
Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor NONE Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor is a professor of history at Smith College, where she teaches courses on race, slavery, and her father, comedic legend Richard Pryor. She is...
Ijeoma Oluo
Ijeoma Oluo 0000000497257311 Ijeoma Oluo, author of NYT bestseller “So You Want to Talk About Race”, renowned for her work on race, recipient of the 2018 Feminist Humanist Award, and twice listed in ...
Goldie Taylor
Goldie Taylor 0000000051784985 Goldie Taylor is an accomplished journalist and editor at the Daily Beast, known for her work on news networks, talk shows, and publications like Salon and Ebony. She w...
Sean Pittman
Sean Pittman NONE Sean Pittman is a Radio Talk Show Host, Television Talk Show Host, Political Analyst and Media Consultant, and Attorney Sean Pittman is an attorney and political advisor passionate ...
Larry Elder
Larry Elder 0000000046196003 Elder is the Executive Producer of the 2020 Film Uncle Tom Laurence Allen Elder, born in Los Angeles in 1952, is an accomplished American libertarian talk radio host, aut...
Iyanla Vanzant
Iyanla Vanzant 0000000110419866 Iyanla Vanzant, a Yoruba priestess and spiritual life coach, overcame adversity to become a New York Times best-selling author and host of OWN's Iyanla: Fix My Life. H...
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...
Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Joy Harjo, Marilyn Nelson, Ishmael Reed, Sonia Sanchez, Yusef Komunyakaa, Afaa Michael Weaver, and Rita Dove
Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Joy Harjo, Marilyn Nelson, Ishmael Reed, Sonia Sanchez, Yusef Komunyakaa, Afaa Michael Weaver, and Rita Dove MULTIPLE Prominent authors Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Joy Harjo, ...
Naleighna Kai, Pat G’Orge Walker, Lisa Watson, Martha Kennerson, Michelle D. Rayford, Janice Pernell, J. L. Campbell, Kisha Green, and Terri Ann Johnson
Naleighna Kai, Pat G’Orge Walker, Lisa Watson, Martha Kennerson, Michelle D. Rayford, Janice Pernell, J. L. Campbell, Kisha Green, and Terri Ann Johnson MULTIPLE "Naleighna Kai, Pat G’Orge Walker, Li...
Charlayne Hunter-Gault
Charlayne Hunter-Gault 000000006701669X Charlayne Hunter-Gault, born in 1942, is an Emmy-winning journalist and author of five books. Beginning her career at the New Yorker, she became the first Blac...
Angela Burt-Murray
Angela Burt-Murray 0000000034126649 Angela Burt-Murray, co-founder of Cocoa Media Group and co-host of talk show Exhale, is a celebrated editor and author. Formerly editor-in-chief at Essence magazin...
Ida Walker
Ida Walker NONE Ida Walker, since 2011, is the Owner and Publisher of Beauty Talk Illustrated Magazine, an online lifestyle resource for women. Since, January 2011 Ida Walker has been the Owner and P...
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...
Beverley Manley
Beverley Manley NONE Beverley Anderson Duncan, known for her influential role in Jamaica's 1970s politics as Prime Minister Michael Manley's wife, helped shape the nation's post-Independence identity...
R. Renee
R. Renee NONE Bestselling author R. Renee is an artist and poet known for her provocative commentary on topics from religion to sexuality. Her powerful writings aim to inform, inspire and empower, of...
Joe Madison
Joe Madison NONE Joseph “Joe” Madison, born June 16, 1949, is a prominent radio talk-show host and activist. Known as “The Black Eagle,” he can be heard daily on SiriusXM's Urban View station. Joseph...
Davey D
Davey D NONE Dave “Davey D” Cook is a renowned journalist, adjunct professor, Hip Hop historian, political commentator, talk show host, radio programmer, and advocate for media justice and community ...
Randy Kearse
Randy Kearse NONE Randy Kearse, a Positive Life Strategist, uses his experience as a former inmate to develop solution-based strategies for positive change. He offers educational programs and multime...
Carla Hall
Carla Hall NONE “Say Yes! Adventure follows, then growth” Carla Hall, co-host of ABC's “The Chew”, followed her passion from accounting to modeling, and eventually discovered her true call...
Deborah Juniper-Frye
Deborah Juniper-Frye NONE “A grieving heart is full of emotions, struggles, and great despair. Hold on to Love, Hope, and Faith.” —Deborah Frye Deborah Juniper-Frye, with 20 years of...
Arsenio Hall
Arsenio Hall 0000000001072306 Arsenio Hall (born February 12, 1956) is an comedian, actor, and talk show host. He hosted a late-night talk show, The Arsenio Hall Show, from 1989 until 1994, and agai...
Tim Fielder
Tim Fielder 0000000496510944 Tim Fielder is a Mississippi-born illustrator, animator and pioneer Afrofuturist. He founded Dieselfunk Studios and has taught at institutions such as the New York Film A...
Yvonne Orji
Yvonne Orji NONE Emmy-nominated actress, writer, and comedian, Yvonne Orji, is renowned internationally for her HBO comedy special and her role in HBO's Insecure. She's also a sought-after speaker wh...
Tamron Hall
Tamron Hall NONE Tamron Hall is a renowned talk show host, executive producer, and award-winning journalist known for her work on the “Today Show”, “Tamron Hall,” and “Deadline: Crime.” She's also a ...
Steven Anthony King
Steven Anthony King NONE “I give so much because I’ve been given so much.” Steven Anthony King is a New York-based public speaker, relationship coach, talk show host, and author with...