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Ronald Fair
Ronald Fair 0000000116782340 Chicago-born African-American author, Ronald L. Fair, inspired by Richard Wright, carved his own literary path. Born in 1932, Fair served in the U.S. Navy before becoming...
Crystal Wilkinson
Crystal Wilkinson 0000000041499179 Crystal Wilkinson is an award-winning author known for novels like The Birds of Opulence and Blackberries, Blackberries. She has received recognition from instituti...
Jayne Moore Waldrop
Jayne Moore Waldrop NONE Jayne Moore Waldrop is a writer and attorney who loves telling stories about her native western Kentucky. She is the author of A Journey in Color: The Art of Ellis Wilson (S...
Saeed Jones
Saeed Jones 0000000365991477 Saeed Jones, award-winning author of 'Prelude to Bruise', is known for his work at BuzzFeed as an LGBT and Culture editor, as well as co-host of AM to DM. Born in Memphis...
William Augustus Jones Jr.
William Augustus Jones Jr. 0000000021740789 William A. Jones Jr. (1934-2006) was a distinguished African-American minister and civil rights leader. An alumnus of the University of Kentucky and Crozer...
Jacinda Townsend
Jacinda Townsend 0000000420516266 Jacinda Townsend is an award-winning author of “Saint Monkey,” a Harvard and Duke alumni, and a former journalist and lawyer. She received her M.F.A. from the Iowa W...
Sheila Williams
Sheila Williams 0000000498379628 Sheila Williams, an Ohio-born author and University of Louisville graduate, has published five books, including the popular 'Dancing on the Edge of the Roof'. She con...
Jemar Tisby
Jemar Tisby 0000000500021386 Jemar Tisby is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the Church's Complicity in Racism, How to Fight Racism, and How...
Nikky Finney
Nikky Finney 0000000358800804 Nikky Finney, a South Carolina-born poet, is renowned for her first-person literary accounts of significant American historical events. She debuted with “On Wings Made o...
Leesa Cross-Smith
Leesa Cross-Smith NONE Leesa Cross-Smith is a Kentucky-based author and homemaker. She's known for her works “Every Kiss A War” and “Whiskey & Ribbons.” She resides with her family. Leesa Cross-Smith...
Nancy Johnson James
Nancy Johnson James NONE Nancy Johnson James is a poet and the author. Her family is from the same Kentucky town that Wilds was from. She lives in Maryland. Nancy Johnson James is a poet and the auth...
bell hooks
bell hooks 000000011072449X “I will not have my life narrowed down. I will not bow down to somebody else’s whim or someone else’s ignorance.” bell hooks (Sep. 25, 1952 –...
Sana Butler
Sana Butler NONE Sana Butler, renowned author of 'Children of the Crop', is the daughter of Peter Vertrees, born 1845 in Kentucky. She has been pictured with Lillie Odom in Lebanon, TN. Sana Butler i...
Herman J. Fountain Jr.
Herman J. Fountain Jr. NONE Rev. Dr. Herman J. Fountain Jr. is a retired psychotherapist with 20 years of experience in a Florida state prison and a former deputy warden in Kentucky. He spent 16 year...
Damaris B. Hill
Damaris B. Hill 0000000454814480 DaMaris B. Hill, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Kentucky. Inspired by theories of “rememory” and inclusive history, Hill has ...
Vershawn Ashanti Young
Vershawn Ashanti Young 0000000036865509 Vershawn Ashanti Young is a multi-talented performance artist, actor, and associate professor at the University of Kentucky. He's penned works like “Your Avera...
Kiki Petrosino
Kiki Petrosino NONE Kiki Petrosino, a Professor of Poetry at the University of Virginia, is the author of four poetry books, including “White Blood: a Lyric of Virginia.” Her work has been featured i...
Margaret Garner
Margaret Garner NONE Margaret Garner, a fugitive slave from Kentucky, killed one of her children rather than permit her to be returned to slavery. She drowned in a shipwreck as she was being ...
Brittany J. Thurman
Brittany J. Thurman NONE Brittany J. Thurman, an MFA graduate in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon, is known for her plays produced in Aspen and NYC. An alumna of Kingston University, former chil...
Anika Malone
Anika Malone NONE Anika Malone, author of the acclaimed “10 Minutes Past Too Late”, is celebrated as a fresh voice in contemporary fiction. She has participated in notable book events across the Unit...
Max Rodriguez
Max Rodriguez NONE Max Rodriguez is the founder and publisher of QBR/The Black Book Review, one of the nation’s premier publications dedicated to books by and about people of African descent. ...
Zuksiwa Wanner
Zuksiwa Wanner NONE Zukiswa Wanner, born to South African and Zimbabwean parents in Zambia, is a celebrated author known for award-nominated novels like “Men of the South.” As an essayist, she focuse...
Leire Salaberria
Leire Salaberria 0000000360451551 Leire Salaberria, born in Spain in 1983, is a Fine Arts graduate who specializes in Children's Illustration. She's exhibited her work globally and has been featured ...
Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips 0000000073657506 Esther Phillips, founder of The Bim Literary Festival & Book Fair and editor of Bim magazine, is a highly decorated poet with an MFA in Creative Writing. She's won pr...
Kakwasi Somadhi
Kakwasi Somadhi NONE Kakwasi Somadhi Kakwasi is a seasoned writer and educator with an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College. She made her debut with the novel “Coming Forth by Day.” Besides t...
Linda A. Duggins
Linda A. Duggins NONE Linda A. Duggins is the Director of Multicultural Publicity at Hachette Book Group and Co-founder of the Harlem Book Fair. She's a board member of several literacy organizations...
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 ...
Ted Joans
Ted Joans 0000000081560413 “Jazz is my religion.” Theodore “Ted” Joans was an acclaimed jazz poet, surrealist, trumpeter, and painter, known for his avant-garde work and criticism of compe...
Jack Olsen
Jack Olsen 0000000080864730 Jack Olsen is a celebrated author of 33 books available in 15 countries and 11 languages. As a former Time bureau chief, he contributed to various high-profile publication...
Jean “Binta” Breeze
Jean “Binta” Breeze 0000000025335932 Jean “Binta” Breeze (1956–2021) was a renowned Jamaican poet who published eight books and performed globally. She first gained recognition in 1985 at the Inter...
Laura Nsafou
Laura Nsafou 000000046109520X Laura Nsafou, alias Mrs Roots, is an Afrofeminist blogger and author known for her literature reviews and articles on Afrofeminism in France. As the founder of Afrolab a...
James Kaplan
James Kaplan 0000000114392023 James Kaplan, a Guggenheim Fellow, is a prolific writer whose work has been featured in top magazines like The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. He's penned novels such as 'Pe...
David Margolick
David Margolick 000000011572515X David Margolick is a seasoned editor with roles at Vanity Fair, Newsweek, and Portfolio. Known for his 15-year tenure as a legal affairs correspondent for the New Yor...
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...
Trey Ellis
Trey Ellis 000000011675397X Trey Ellis is a multi-talented writer, novelist, screenwriter, playwright, essayist, and Associate Professor at Columbia University. He's known for his Emmy-nominated HBO ...
Ronin Ro
Ronin Ro 0000000035931519 Ronin Ro, a New York City-based author, began his career writing for Dance Music Report and The Source, eventually contributing to renowned publications like Rolling Stone a...
Desmond Meade
Desmond Meade NONE Desmond Meade, president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition and chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy, is a renowned advocate for voting rights. A former homeless retur...
Tonya Duncan Ellis
Tonya Duncan Ellis NONE Tonya Duncan Ellis, acclaimed author of the Sophie Washington children's book series, combines her love for writing and travel in her books. Her award-winning series, aimed at...
Shayla Lawson
Shayla Lawson NONE Shayla Lawson, author of 'This Is Major', a finalist for National Book Critics Circle & LAMBDA Literary Awards, has contributed to New York magazine, Salon, ESPN, and Paper. Recipi...
Chuck Sambuchino
Chuck Sambuchino 0000000051156057 Chuck Sambuchino is an editor and published author who runs the Guide to Literary Agents Blog, one of the biggest blogs in publishing. His site has instruction and ...
Cherlyn Michaels
Cherlyn Michaels NONE Cherlyn Michaels is a self-published author and chemical engineer who began writing in grade school. She pursued her passion for writing after graduating from university, bravel...
Rion Amilcar Scott
Rion Amilcar Scott 000000050163167X Rion Amilcar Scott, a celebrated author, has been published in numerous journals and holds awards like the Mary Roberts Rinehart award. His works include the short...
Delali Adjoa
Delali Adjoa NONE Delali Adjoa was born in Togo to Ghanaian parents but grew up in Canada, where she traded sunny cottons for wool tuques and snowsuits. She has been chasing warmer weather ever sinc...
Carter G. Woodson
Carter G. Woodson 0000000108766551 “Only when lions have historians will hunters cease being heroes.” —African Proverb Carter G. Woodson, the son of former slaves, became a renowned scholar, earning a...
Theresa A. Rajack-Talley
Theresa A. Rajack-Talley NONE Theresa A. Rajack-Talley, Ph.D., is the Associate Dean for International Diversity at the University of Louisville. With over 25 years of research experience, she specia...
Suzan-Lori Parks
Suzan-Lori Parks 0000000115844503 Suzan-Lori Parks, born 1963, is a Pulitzer-winning playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. Notable for her work on Spike Lee’s ‘Girl 6’ and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo P...
Robert Jackson
Robert Jackson 000000003829384X Robert Jackson, author of “The No More Excuses Curriculum,” is a renowned speaker, educator, and consultant specializing in issues facing African-American and Latino s...
Gayl Jones
Gayl Jones 0000000109336115 “Gayl Jones is an exceptionally talented writer.” —Robert Fleming Gayl Jones was born on November 23, 1949, in Lexington, Kentucky. Her father Franklin J...
Melvin Mahone
Melvin Mahone NONE Melvin Mahone, Ph.D., is a full-time Assistant Sociology Professor at Paine College with a rich history in criminal justice. His roles have ranged from Federal Protective Officer t...
Mariama J. Lockington
Mariama J. Lockington NONE Mariama J. Lockington is an adoptee, writer, and educator, known for her middle-grade debut 'For Black Girls Like Me'. With master's degrees in Education and Fine Arts in P...
Kristen Gentry
Kristen Gentry NONE Kristen Gentry is the author of Mama Said, longlisted for the 2024 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection. She received her M.F.A. from Indiana University. ...
Sydney McLaughlin
Sydney McLaughlin NONE Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (born August 7, 1999) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record–holding American sprinter and hurdler. In 2016, she made history at ...
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Paul Laurence Dunbar 0000000121024640 To possess the distinct writing voices of standard English of the classical poet and the evocative dialect of the turn-of-the-century black community in Am...
Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry 0000000434305881 Stephen Curry is an eleven-time NBA All-Star, four-time NBA Champion, and Olympic Gold Medalist of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team. Curry is CEO of Thirty Ink, ...
Yara Mekawi, Natalie Watson-Singleton, and Danyelle Dawson
Yara Mekawi, Natalie Watson-Singleton, and Danyelle Dawson MULTIPLE Yara Mekawi, PhD (pictured center), is a licensed psychologist, co-founder of the DEAR Project, and assistant professor at the Uni...
Darcel Turner
Darcel Turner NONE Darcel Turner, a New York native, is an accomplished author known for her novel, “Dana Dances on Paper.” She has attended various colleges, transcribed for The 4th National Black W...
J. A. Faulkerson
J. A. Faulkerson NONE J.A. Faulkerson is a Northern Virginia-based writer known for classics like Adinkrahene and Real Men Raise CHAMPIONS. He's a Phillis Wheatley Book Award finalist and has recentl...
Rhonda Roumani
Rhonda Roumani NONE Rhonda Roumani is a Syrian-American journalist who has written about Islam, the Arab world, and Muslim American issues for more than two decades. She is also the author of nonfic...
B. Smith
B. Smith 0000000045066151 Barbara Elaine Smith (1949-2020) was a former fashion model and the first African-American woman on Mademoiselle’s cover. She also starred in TV commercials and served as a ...
Saharra K. Sandhu
Saharra K. Sandhu NONE Saharra K. Sandhu is a scientist-turned-romance writer, known for weaving South American and Caribbean folklore into her novels. Her debut, “Daughter Of The Missing”, is a Whea...
Patrick A. Howell
Patrick A. Howell NONE Patrick A. Howell is an accomplished banker, author, and co-founder of the news collective, Diatribe, and the Global International African Arts Movement. Known for his work in ...
DuEwa M. Frazier
DuEwa M. Frazier NONE DuEwa Frazier is an accomplished writer, educator, and poet, renowned for her literary contributions and educational initiatives. Born in Brooklyn and raised in St. Louis, she f...
Aminatta Forna
Aminatta Forna 0000000123211415 Aminatta Forna, born in Glasgow and raised in Sierra Leone and the UK, is an acclaimed author with works including The Devil that Danced on the Water, Ancestor Stones,...
Treasure Blue
Treasure Blue NONE Treasure Blue is an Essence Magazine best selling author. A former fire inspector with the New York City Fire Department, he is also winner of the Black Issue Book Reviews Urba...
Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Chisholm 0000000021812965 Shirley Anita Chisholm January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1981 was the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1969 and was re-elected six times until she...
Junot Diaz
Junot Diaz 0000000121411106 Junot DÃaz, renowned for his debut novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” and story collection “Drown”, is celebrated as a distinctive voice in contemporary fiction...
Lisa D. Brathwaite
Lisa D. Brathwaite NONE Lisa D. Brathwaite is a creative self-expression enthusiast and author of children's book, “Miles of Style.” She holds a degree in Community Studies from the University of Mar...
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...
Kurt Boone
Kurt Boone NONE Kurt Boone is a prolific poet with over 350 works and 7 books to his name, including the acclaimed 'Looking For Myself'. Recognized by major media outlets, he has also worked as a mar...
Vladimir Lucien
Vladimir Lucien NONE Vladimir Lucien is an award-winning St. Lucian writer, known for his published works in notable journals and anthologies. His accolades include the Small Axe Prize 2013 and the O...
Daisy Copelin
Daisy Copelin NONE Daisy Copelin, a graduate of Nyack College and self-made author, uses her personal experiences of overcoming adversity to inspire young people through her writings. She founded the...
Eva Tremaine
Eva Tremaine NONE Eva Tremaine, a Queens native and prestigious IT Manager, is a versatile self-published author known for her books Unstable and Seven Again. She explores multiple genres and enjoys ...
Jennifer Cruté
Jennifer Cruté NONE Comic artist and writer Jennifer Cruté, known for her work in BITCH magazine and a Glyph Comic Award nominee, has lectured at several institutions, exhibited her work at various ...
Bibi Bakare-Yusuf
Bibi Bakare-Yusuf 0000000389704663 Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, co-founder and publishing director of Cassava Republic Press, is a renowned gender and research consultant with a PhD in Women and Gender Studies...
Delaney Diamond
Delaney Diamond NONE Delaney Diamond, a USA Today Bestselling author, pens sweet and passionate romance novels. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, she now resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Apart fro...
Pat Cleveland
Pat Cleveland NONE Patricia Cleveland, born on June 23, 1950, is a pioneer in the fashion industry as one of the first prominent Black runway and print models. Discovered by Vogue assistant fashion e...
Alek Wek
Alek Wek 0000000078788484 Alek Wek, a globally renowned model, was scouted at 19 in London. She's known for her work with top designers like Chanel's Karl Lagerfeld, and her iconic Elle covers. Born ...
Evangeline M. Mitchell
Evangeline M. Mitchell 0000000052415145 Evangeline M. Mitchell, a New Orleans native and Houston-raised lawyer, studied at prestigious institutions like Harvard and the University of Iowa. She priori...
Dorothea Smartt
Dorothea Smartt 0000000035456594 Dorothea Smartt is a London-born poet with Barbadian roots, known for her significant contributions to British culture. As a former Live Artist at London's Institute ...
Beowulf Sheehan
Beowulf Sheehan NONE Beowulf Sheehan is an acclaimed photographer specializing in arts, entertainment, and humanities. He has photographed over 800 figures from 40+ countries, with his work featuring...
Brandon Williams
Brandon Williams NONE Brandon Williams, author of “Self-Value: The Story of Me,” shares his inspiring journey from childhood homelessness and delinquency to success. Raised in a low-income community,...
André Leon Talley
André Leon Talley 0000000385486160 André Leon Talley (1948-2022) was a renowned creative director at Vogue, contributing to multiple fashion publications over five decades. An author of several illu...
Walter White
Walter White 0000000081462565 “I am a Negro. My skin is white, my eyes are blue, my hair is blond. The traits of my race are nowhere visible upon me.” Explore A.J. Baime's 2022 autobiograp...
April Maria Williams
April Maria Williams NONE April Maria Williams is a Juris Doctor from Florida A&M University College of Law and a Master of Tax Law from the University of Houston. A prominent advocate for social jus...
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...
Tamisha Anthony
Tamisha Anthony NONE "Tamisha Anthony is a freelance illustrator and educator with clients like Macmillan Publishers. She's a graduate of Rice University and the School of Visual Arts, and sells her ...
Kiyah Wright
Kiyah Wright NONE Kiyah Wright, a two-time Emmy Award-winning hairstylist, has over two decades of experience in the industry. Renowned for her work with celebrities and her ambassador role for major...
Billy Johnson
Billy Johnson NONE Billy Johnson is an African American writer originally from Staten Island, New York. A graduate of Curtis High School, he went on to attend Triton College in River Forest, Illinoi...
Tre Johnson
Tre Johnson NONE Tre Johnson was born in Trenton, NJ and now finds himself in Philadelphia, where he writes with a focus on race, culture and politics. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, ...
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...
Alexandra Morton
Alexandra Morton 0000000078676423 Alexandra Morton, host of The Book Look and 2011 Miss Black America-Baltimore, offers a unique online book review show on NewsOne.com. Featuring the latest book news...
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...
Melvin Patrick Ely
Melvin Patrick Ely 0000000030403653 Melvin Patrick Ely is an acclaimed author and historian specializing in African American and Southern history. His prize-winning book, 'Israel on the Appomattox', ...
K. Reshay
K. Reshay NONE K. Reshay is a versatile author, poet, and playwright, known for her thought-provoking book series 'Appearances'. She is the Founder of Me Time Book Club, aimed at promoting literacy a...
Judine Slaughter
Judine Slaughter NONE Judine Slaughter, a publisher and author, started her career in 2000 by publishing her daughter's book. In 2022, she published her own book, “Clear Skinned.” She holds a master'...
Tameka Fryer Brown
Tameka Fryer Brown NONE Tameka Fryer Brown, a Charlotte-based author, is known for her award-winning children's books. Her debut, “Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day,” sold over 100,000 copies. Her sec...
M.J. Fievre
M.J. Fievre NONE M.J. Fievre, a Haiti-born author, currently writing from Miami, began her publishing career as a teenager. Renowned for her nine French books, she also published a trilingual childre...
Nancy Churnin
Nancy Churnin NONE Nancy Churnin is a celebrated children's book author, known for inspiring kids to be heroes through her stories. She's a Eureka Silver Award winner and has been recognized with the...
Patricia A. Saunders
Patricia A. Saunders NONE Patricia A. Saunders, an author from Connecticut, now based in San Francisco, began her writing journey after her mother's passing. She released her first book in 2012 and i...
Toyomi Igus
Toyomi Igus NONE Toyomi Igus, a celebrated author and communications strategist, has had a varied career in publishing, corporate, and marketing communications. Known for her work in academic book pu...