AALBC Search
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...
Georgia K. Boone
Georgia K. Boone NONE Georgia K. Boone is the author of the critically acclaimed YA novel And Other Mistakes, the editor of and a contributor to the YA horror anthology Can’t You See It’s Coming?: A...
Mark Allen Boone
Mark Allen Boone NONE Mark Allen Boone, born in 1951, is a former teacher and accomplished editor with over 30 years of experience. He authored two novels and served as the fiction editor of AIM Quar...
Poet On Watch
Poet On Watch NONE Poet On Watch is a renowned performance poet and multimedia artist, who collaborates globally as an independent art director. She's authored two poetry collections and has contribu...
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...
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...
Mervyn Morris
Mervyn Morris 0000000122796976 Born in 1937, Mervyn E. Morris is a renowned Jamaican poet and scholar. A Rhodes Scholar and Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing & West Indian Literature, he was the...
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...
Countee Cullen
Countee Cullen 0000000081534450 Countée Porter Cullen (1903-1946) was a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his poetry books “Color” and “Copper Sun.” He taught and mentored James ...
Cerece Rennie Murphy
Cerece Rennie Murphy NONE Cerece Rennie Murphy, a science fiction enthusiast since age seven, has a rich background in social work and international relations. She transitioned into creative writing ...
Rasheed Newson
Rasheed Newson NONE Rasheed grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is the eldest of three children. He showed an early interest in reading poetry and fiction. Nikki Giovanni and Kurt Vonnegut were am...
Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka 0000000446460520 Amiri Baraka, also known as LeRoi Jones, was a prolific 20th-century African American writer, poet, and Obie-winning playwright. Known for works such as “Blues People” a...
Chaun Webster
Chaun Webster NONE Chaun Webster, a poet, publisher, and graphic designer, is influenced by the Black Arts Movement, Jazz, and Graffiti. He founded Free Poet’s Press in 2009 to encourage art producti...
Goldie the Poet
Goldie the Poet NONE Goldie the Poet, a Bay-Area native and prominent alumnus of Leimert Park’s World Stage Poets, is a gifted actor and artist. With performances across the U.S. and Europe, his uniq...
Sharrif Simmons
Sharrif Simmons NONE Sharrif Simmons, a poet, musician, writer, and arts educator, has a performance career extending over three decades. Inspired by veteran poet Sonia Sanchez and influenced by vari...
muMs the schemer
muMs the schemer NONE Craig Grant, known as muMs the Schemer, is a poet and actor from the Bronx, New York. He rose to fame in the documentary SlamNation and through his role as “Poet” in HBO's Oz. H...
Patricia Spears Jones
Patricia Spears Jones 0000000031494569 Patricia Spears Jones, born in Arkansas, is the 2024 New York State Poet Laureate, a Jackson Poetry Prize laureate, and a cultural activist. An esteemed poet, p...
Robert Hayden
Robert Hayden 0000000114660665 Hayden was Named U.S. Poet Laureate for (1976–1978) Robert Hayden (1913-1980) was a renowned African-American poet, essayist, and educator. He was the first Africa...
Tracy K. Smith
Tracy K. Smith 0000000049042106 Smith was U.S. Poet Laureate, 2017-2019 Tracy K. Smith, born 1972, is a Pulitzer-winning poet and educator. She has published three poetry collections and teaches creat...
Jim Daniels
Jim Daniels 0000000055106495 James Raymond Daniels, born 1956, is an American poet and writer from Detroit, Michigan. He currently resides in Pittsburgh with his wife, poet Kristin Kovacic, and their...
Jasmine Mans
Jasmine Mans NONE Jasmine Mans, a Black American poet and artist from Newark, NJ, is a University of Wisconsin Madison graduate. Author of the 2012 poetry collection, Chalk Outlines of Snow Angels, a...
Cheryl Boyce-Taylor
Cheryl Boyce-Taylor 0000000038283932 Trinidad-born, Queens-bred Cheryl Boyce Taylor is a celebrated poet and visual artist. She's authored several poetry collections, received the Partners in Writing...
Heru Ptah
Heru Ptah NONE Heru Ptah is a multifaceted writer, known for his work as a poet, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He's appeared on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, CNN, and has a novel published by MTV B...
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...
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 ...
Eugene B. Redmond
Eugene B. Redmond 0000000117637604 Eugene B. Redmond, an American poet and academic, is renowned for his connection to the Black Arts Movement. A St. Louis native, Redmond earned degrees from Souther...
Dionne Brand
Dionne Brand 0000000109071487 “The best poetry jolts and shocks, it mines language for what we have not seen, have not heard.” Dionne Brand is an acclaimed poet and novelist, known for win...
Robert Lee Brewer
Robert Lee Brewer NONE Robert Lee Brewer is a Senior Content Editor at Writer's Digest, author, and was voted Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere in 2011. He is known for his expertise in editing, onlin...
Juan Boria
Juan Boria NONE Jaime Torres Torres, known as Juan Boria, was a celebrated Puerto Rican poet and actor born in 1906. Despite humble beginnings, he earned a university degree and taught for 37 years. ...
George Moses Horton
George Moses Horton 000000006316904X George Moses Horton (1798–1884) was the first African American poet to be published in the Southern US, while still enslaved. His notable works include “The Hop...
Julian Randall
Julian Randall NONE Julian Randall, a Queer Black poet from Chicago, has received multiple fellowships and was named 2015's Best Poet at CUPSI. He curates for Winter Tangerine Review and is pursuing ...
Jamila Woods, Mahogany L. Browne, and Idrissa Simmonds
Jamila Woods, Mahogany L. Browne, and Idrissa Simmonds MULTIPLE Jamila Woods, a Chicago-based poet influenced by Lucille Clifton and Gwendolyn Brooks, explores themes of blackness and womanhood. Maho...
Alice Dunbar-Nelson
Alice Dunbar-Nelson 0000000081179540 Check out Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson (1875-1935) was an acclaimed American journalist, political act...
Shauntay Grant
Shauntay Grant 0000000082860020 Shauntay Grant is a Halifax-based writer and performance artist. She's written multiple children's books, including award-winning 'Up Home' and 'Africville'. Grant als...
r.h. Sin
r.h. Sin NONE Reuben Holmes, known as r.h. Sin, is a New York Times bestselling poet from New Brunswick, N.J. Overcoming a difficult upbringing through his love for writing, Sin currently lives in Ne...
J. Drew Lanham
J. Drew Lanham NONE J. Drew Lanham is a distinguished author, poet, and professor of Wildlife Ecology. Known for his books 'Sparrow Envy' and 'The Home Place', he's recognized with a MacArthur Grant ...
Warsan Shire
Warsan Shire 0000000401939810 Warsan Shire, a Somali British writer and poet, is renowned for her chapbooks, and for winning the inaugural Brunel International African Poetry Prize. She was London's ...
Pat Parker
Pat Parker 0000000106773440 Pat Parker (1944-1989) was a renowned African-American, lesbian-feminist poet and performer. Notable works include 'Jonestown & Other Madness' and 'Movement in Black'. She...
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...
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’...
Rita Dove
Rita Dove 0000000114709625 Dove was U.S. Poet Laureate, 1993-1995 Rita Dove, former U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner, is known for her poetry collections, novel, and drama. She's been reco...
Saul Williams
Saul Williams 0000000055187280 Saul Williams, hailed as the “Bob Marley of American poets” is a celebrated poet, actor, and spoken-word artist. Known for his vibrant and fearless writing, Williams ha...
Sterling D. Plumpp
Sterling D. Plumpp 0000000081297870 “You can not ever get free as a result of legislationHellip;you always have to take freedom.” Sterling Dominic Plumpp, born 1940, is an esteemed poet, e...
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...
Ed Bullins
Ed Bullins 0000000108602549 Ed Bullins (1935-2021) was a renowned figure in American theater, significantly contributing to African American drama during the Black Arts Movement. A playwright, poet, ...
Rondall Brasher
Rondall Brasher NONE Rondall Brasher is a passionate poet with a love for words that spans over three decades. Inspired by great names such as Dr. Seuss and Kahlil Gibran, he seeks to express his sub...
Jess Marie
Jess Marie NONE Jessica Marie Smith, known as Poet Jess Marie, is an inspirational writer from Detroit, MI, best known for her book “Anthology for Hope in the Hood.” A graduate of Michigan State Univ...
Rachel Eliza Griffiths
Rachel Eliza Griffiths 0000000527846142 Rachel Eliza Griffiths, a poet, photographer, and creative writing teacher, is renowned for her literary portraits, fine art photography, and lyric videos. She...
D-Knowledge
D-Knowledge NONE Writer/Performer Dr. Derrick Gilbert, PhD, a/k/a poet D-Knowledge, lost his battle with liver disease on Sunday morning, November 1, 2015. He was 45. Straddling the worlds of enter...
Lemn Sissay
Lemn Sissay 0000000079088199 Lemn Sissay is a British author, poet, and broadcaster, known for his contributions to BBC Radio 4 and his role as the first poet commissioned for the London Olympics. He...
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. ...
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...
Danielle Legros Georges
Danielle Legros Georges NONE Danielle Legros Georges, a professor at Lesley University, is a renowned writer and poet with interests in arts, education, American and African-American poetry, Caribbea...
Haki Madhubuti
Haki Madhubuti 0000000114735014 Haki R. Madhubuti, a leading figure in Black literature, is a poet, publisher, editor, and educator. With over 30 published books and 3 million copies in print, he's o...
Staajabu
Staajabu NONE Staajabu is a multi-talented poet, activist, and Straight Out Scribes member from Philadelphia, now based in Sacramento. She is a mother, U.S. Air Force veteran, health advocate, prison...
Jabari Asim
Jabari Asim 0000000027516761 Jabari Asim, an acclaimed poet, playwright, and writer, is known as a leading African American literary critic. Formerly editor-in-chief at The Crisis and an editor at th...
James Grey
James Grey NONE James Grey is an author and poet. Has been writing since the age of 13 or 14. After winning a contest for young writers he was motivated to continue writing poetry and short stories....
Jayne Cortez
Jayne Cortez 0000000080983190 Jayne Cortez (1936-2012) was a celebrated poet and performance artist, known for her political and surrealistic lyricism. She authored eleven books of poetry and present...
Lenard D. Moore
Lenard D. Moore 0000000079037447 Lenard D. Moore is a celebrated poet, anthologist, and U.S. Army Veteran, known globally for his works published in 15+ countries and translated into multiple languag...
Artress Bethany White
Artress Bethany White NONE Artress Bethany White, PhD, is an award-winning poet, essayist, and literary critic known for her poetry collections and scholarly essays. Her notable works include 'My Afm...
Jeffery Boston Weatherford
Jeffery Boston Weatherford NONE Jeffery Boston Weatherford, an illustrator and poet, founded Triiibe Worldwide. His debut book, You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen, acclaimed by several organizations, e...
Tracy K. Smith and John Freeman
Tracy K. Smith and John Freeman MULTIPLE Tracy K. Smith is a Pulitzer-winning poet, author of four books, including 'Life on Mars', and editor of 'American Journal'. She served as the US Poet Laureat...
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...
Judith Falloon-Reid
Judith Falloon-Reid NONE Judith Falloon-Reid is a renowned author, filmmaker, and motivational speaker. Her versatile career involves writing books, directing films, and inspiring audiences through h...
Erica Hunt
Erica Hunt 0000000382845383 Erica Hunt is a renowned poet and essayist, known for works like Local History and A Day and Its Approximates. Her writings appear in various publications and she has been...
Kevin Young
Kevin Young 0000000109530225 Kevin Young, born in 1970, is a renowned poet and teacher influenced by Hughes, Berryman, Dickinson, and Basquiat. A Harvard graduate, Young authored multiple poetry book...
Mary-Alice Daniel
Mary-Alice Daniel NONE Mary-Alice Daniel is a Yale-educated poet recognized by Poet Laureate Louise Glück. With an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, her work appears in variou...
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes 0000000121303076 “Democracy will not come / Today, this year, nor ever / Through compromise and fear.” Langston Hughes, The Poet Laureate of Harlem: Author, Poet, Essayist, Novelist, P...
Sharyn Skeeter
Sharyn Skeeter NONE Sharyn Skeeter is an award-winning novelist, poet, editor, and educator, known for her debut novel “Dancing with Langston.” She has served as an editor at Essence and Black Elegan...
Marc Lacy
Marc Lacy NONE Marc Lacy, a graduate from Alabama A&M University, renowned poet, author, and CEO of AVO Publishing, is known for his national literary performances and spoken word venues. He's also a...
Rio Cortez
Rio Cortez NONE Rio Cortez is a Pushcart-nominated poet and writer, recognized with fellowships from esteemed literary organizations. Her work has featured in top publications and she also works as a...
Samantha King Holmes
Samantha King Holmes NONE Samantha King Holmes, a poet and author since age 11, uses writing as a form of therapy. Her poetry, akin to diary entries, captures the various stages of her life. Currentl...
Rudy Francisco
Rudy Francisco NONE Rudy K. Francisco, born 1982, is a renowned Spoken Word Poet known for his social critique, introspection, humor, and honesty. He discusses race, class, gender, and religion throu...
Kevin Coval
Kevin Coval 0000000053723529 Kevin Coval, author of ALA “Book of the Year†finalist Slingshots: A Hip-Hop Poetica, is the Artistic Director of Louder Than a Bomb: The Chicago Teen Poetry Festival...
Quartez Harris
Quartez Harris NONE Quartez Harris, Ohio's Poet of the Year and Baldwin House fellow, is renowned for his acclaimed poetry and book, We Made It to School Alive. A former second-grade teacher, he now ...
Danusha Laméris
Danusha Laméris NONE Danusha Lameris, a poet and essayist, was raised in Northern California, born to a Dutch father and Barbadian mother. Danusha Laméris, a poet and essayist, was raised in Nor...
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...
Tony Keith Jr.
Tony Keith Jr. NONE Tony Keith Jr. is a Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and hip-hop educational leader. Tony also CEO of Ed Emcee Academy and lives with his husband, Harry Christian III,...
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...
Shelia P. Moses
Shelia P. Moses 000000004377316X Shelia P. Moses, a North Carolina-born poet, author, playwright, and producer, is best known as the co-author of Dick Gregory's memoir and the award-winning author of...
James Berry
James Berry 0000000081429589 James Berry was a renowned Jamaican poet based in the UK. He won the Coretta Scott King Book Award and the Smarties Grand Prix, and received an OBE for his contributions ...
Antwan Floyd Sr
Antwan Floyd Sr NONE Antwan Floyd Sr. is a multifaceted talent, excelling as a poet, author, publisher, and graphic designer. He founded Bleeding Pen Publishing in 2009, offering a unique storytellin...
Sterling Brown
Sterling Brown 0000000467837526 Sterling A. Brown (1901-1989) was a renowned African American professor, poet, and literary critic. Born and educated in prestigious institutions, he devoted 40 years ...
Pearl Cleage
Pearl Cleage 0000000031900424 “The purpose of my writing, often, is to express the point where racism and sexism meet.” Pearl Cleage, born in 1948, is an acclaimed playwright, journalist, ...
Alain Mabanckou
Alain Mabanckou 0000000121422753 Alain Mabanckou is a French-Congolese novelist, poet, journalist, and academic based in the United States, where he is a Professor of Literature. Alain Mabanckou is a...
Calvin Trillin
Calvin Trillin 0000000116991695 Calvin Trillin is a renowned American journalist, humorist, and poet, contributing regularly to The New Yorker since 1963. Calvin Trillin is an American journalist, hu...
Thomas Sayers Ellis
Thomas Sayers Ellis 0000000052292843 AALBC Mourns Thomas Sayers Ellis Passing July 17, 2025 Thomas Sayers Ellis is a poet, photographer, and educator. He co-founded the Dark Room Collective, promoting...
Tiphanie Yanique
Tiphanie Yanique 0000000071326295 Tiphanie Yanique, a novelist, poet, and professor from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, is renowned for her numerous awards including the Mary Grant Charles Award ...
Toi Derricotte
Toi Derricotte 0000000083980729 “My skin causes certain problems continuously, problems that open the issue of racism over and over like a wound.” Toi Derricotte is an award-winning poet a...
Joan Sikand
Joan Sikand NONE Joan Sikand is a lawyer and poet based in Nairobi, Kenya, where she lives with her husband. Joan Sikand is a poet and lawyer. She and her husband reside in Nairobi, Kenya
Traci Brooks
Traci Brooks NONE Traci Brooks is a San Francisco State University graduate, poet, public speaker, and writer dedicated to empowering Black people through her works. Her first published piece, 'Stepp...
Kwame Dawes and Chris Abani
Kwame Dawes and Chris Abani MULTIPLE Kwame Dawes and Chris Abani are renowned authors, recognized for their profound contributions to literature. Dawes, a poet and writer, merges cultural experiences...
Lorenzo Thomas
Lorenzo Thomas 0000000051283785 Lorenzo Thomas was a poet whose work was deeply tied to BAM’s literary and political sensibilities. Lorenzo Thomas (August 31, 1944 – July 4, 2005) was a poet wh...
René Maran
René Maran 0000000121258172 René Maran (1887-1960) was a French Guyanese poet and novelist. Notably, he was the first Black writer to win the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 1921. René Maran was...
Useni Eugene Perkins
Useni Eugene Perkins 0000000082421407 Useni Eugene Perkins (1932-2023) was a renowned author, poet, playwright, social worker, and civil rights activist. Known for his work during the Chicago Black A...
Eware Osayande
Eware Osayande NONE Eware Osayande is a poet, cultural analyst, political activist, and author of seven books, including a notable work on Black Youth & Hip Hop. He presently serves as the media chai...
Stephen Mack Jones
Stephen Mack Jones 000000050165955X Stephen Mack Jones is an acclaimed poet, playwright, and recipient of the Kresge Arts in Detroit Literary Fellowship. After years in advertising, Jones now resides...
Chet’la Sebree
Chet’la Sebree 0000000501001520 Chet’la Sebree, a poet, editor, and educator, holds an MFA from American University. She joined Bucknell University as an assistant professor and Director for the Stad...
Annie Matthew
Annie Matthew NONE Annie Matthew, a former professional athlete, is now a renowned novelist and poet residing in Iowa with her dog, Gus. Annie Matthew is a novelist and a poet. In a former life, she ...
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...