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Marla Gibbs
Marla Gibbs 0000000078401868 Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, five-time Emmy-nominated actress Marla Gibbs (born June 14, 1931) wears many hats: mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, actor, entrepr...
Shawnee Gibbs and Shawnelle Gibbs
Shawnee Gibbs and Shawnelle Gibbs MULTIPLE Shawnee Gibbs & Shawnelle Gibbs are writers for comics, graphic novels, television, film & animation. The Gibbs Sisters, Shawneé Gibbs (l) and Shawne...
Melvin Gibbs
Melvin Gibbs 0000000055545607 Melvin Gibbs is a Grammy-nominated composer, musician, artist, and writer born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Widely recognized for his groundbreaking work across ja...
Cynthia Freeman Gibbs
Cynthia Freeman Gibbs NONE Cynthia Freeman Gibbs is a Michigan-born author, MBA holder, and former Merck Pharmaceutical corporate worker. She launched her writing career in 2016 and published her boo...
Marla Washington
Marla Washington NONE Dr. Marla Washington, a PhD in Sociology, is a specialist on daddyless daughters. Drawing from her own experiences and those of others, she authored a book offering strategies t...
Alexandra Boiger
Alexandra Boiger 0000000037741903 Alexandra Boiger, a Munich-born illustrator, has contributed to nearly 20 picture books such as the She Persisted series and the vTallulah series. She also authored ...
St. Clair Drake and Horace R. Cayton
St. Clair Drake and Horace R. Cayton MULTIPLE John Gibbs St. Clair Drake (1911-1990) was a pioneering African-American sociologist and anthropologist, known for documenting 1960s social turmoil, esta...
Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon 0000000081038238 Mark Harmon, renowned for his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS, is now entering the publishing world with “Ghosts of Honolulu.” The Emmy-nominated actor and producer ha...
Bernard N. Lee, Jr.
Bernard N. Lee, Jr. MULTIPLE Bernard N. Lee, Jr., also known as Bernie, is a former military kid whose childhood experiences shaped his memoir series, “A Look Back in Time.” He studied engineering an...
Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar MULTIPLE Amber Ruffin, first black woman to write for a late-night talk show, hosts The Amber Ruffin Show and writes for Late Night with Seth Meyers. Her sister, Lacey La...
Ben Greenman
Ben Greenman 0000000043364577 Ben Greenman, a New Yorker contributor and New York Times bestselling author, writes both fiction and non-fiction. Notably, he collaborated with Questlove on a hip-hop m...
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...
asha bandele
asha bandele 0000000385071694 Asha Bandele is an award-winning author and former features editor for Essence Magazine. She's known for her 1999 debut, The Prisoner's Wife, a memoir about her relation...
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...
Solomon Northup
Solomon Northup 0000000374327420 Born free, Solomon Northup was kidnapped into slavery in 1841, enduring this for 12 years in Louisiana. Regaining his freedom in 1853, he penned the memoir “Twelve Ye...
Elizabeth Nunez
Elizabeth Nunez 0000000080832288 Elizabeth Nunez, a Trinidad-born, award-winning author, wrote ten novels and a memoir, with several recognized by the New York Times and Oprah's book club. Her works,...
Tembi Locke
Tembi Locke 0000000500051382 Tembi Locke is a writer, entrepreneur, and thought leader in creativity and resilience. She is a New York Times bestselling author, television producer, actor, and scree...
Ras Baraka
Ras Baraka NONE "Ras Baraka, son of famed poets and father of three, is a published author. His latest work, 'Black Girls Learn Love Hard', is a tribute to his late sister, Shani Baraka.” Ras Baraka ...
Jayson Blair
Jayson Blair 0000000049735885 Jayson Blair, born in 1976, is a former New York Times journalist who resigned in 2003 following a plagiarism and fabrication scandal. Post-scandal, Blair wrote a memoir...
Albert French
Albert French 0000000054146305 Albert French, a Vietnam war veteran and former US Marine, turned his distressing war experiences and emotional struggle into powerful memoirs and novels. His works inc...
Patricia Raybon
Patricia Raybon 0000000067719627 Patricia Raybon is an award-winning author and essayist known for her works on faith, race, and grace. Her books include the Christopher Award-winning memoir 'My Firs...
Susie King Taylor
Susie King Taylor 0000000084839030 Susan Taylor Baker King, born into slavery in 1848, overcame adversity to become a teacher, nurse, and author. Despite education restrictions, she attended secret s...
Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany
Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany MULTIPLE Sarah Delany, the last of the Delany sisters, passed away at 109. Born to a former slave, she was the first colored woman to teach home economics in w...
Terry McMillan
Terry McMillan 000000011827688X Terry McMillan, born in 1951, is a celebrated author and screenwriter known for her novels, four of which have been adapted into films. She fell in love with books as ...
Nonku Kunene Adumetey
Nonku Kunene Adumetey NONE Nonkululeko “Nonku” Kunene Adumetey is a devoted wife, mother, and children's author. Born in eSwatini, educated in Canada and the US, she's passionate about inspiring chil...
Iceberg Slim
Iceberg Slim 0000000107778710 Iceberg Slim, originally Robert Maupin, was a notorious pimp turned acclaimed author. Known for his icy demeanor and ruthless tactics, he controlled over 400 women durin...
Jimmie Allen
Jimmie Allen 0000000465260495 Jimmie Allen is a multi-platinum American recording artist and the first Black artist to achieve two consecutive #1 hits on country radio and win the ACM New Male Artist...
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...
MK Asante
MK Asante NONE MK Asante, Jr., a bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, and professor, uses his talent for storytelling to overcome personal struggles. Known for his memoir 'Buck,' Asante's wor...
Tarana Burke
Tarana Burke NONE Tarana Burke, founder of the “me too” movement, is dedicated to combating sexual violence and systemic issues affecting marginalized communities. She started her activism in the 198...
Annette Gordon-Reed
Annette Gordon-Reed 0000000035723517 Annette Gordon-Reed, a professor of law and history, authored “Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy.” She delves into the complex and intim...
Franchesca Ramsey
Franchesca Ramsey NONE Franchesca Ramsey, also known as Chescaleigh, is a distinguished social justice advocate, comedian, actress, and writer. Renowned for her web series Decoded on MTV, she's also ...
Sarah Gordon Weathersby
Sarah Gordon Weathersby NONE Born in a Virginia rectory, Sarah Weathersby attended segregated schools before moving to DC, graduating from Drew University, and raising two sons in North Carolina. Aft...
Kwame Onwuachi
Kwame Onwuachi NONE Kwame Onwuachi, winner of the 2019 James Beard Foundation Award, shares his inspiring journey in his memoir. From selling candy on the subway, to running a failed acclaimed restau...
Tanya Smith
Tanya Smith NONE “What Does It Take to Become a Prodigy Scam Artist?” — The New York Times (Aug. 28, 2024) Tanya Smith, a Minneapolis native, grew up in a theater that fostered Princ...
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...
Ingrid M. Ellis
Ingrid M. Ellis NONE Ingrid M. Ellis, a New York-born, California-educated author, turned a passion for writing into a 20-year career. From children’s series to a stirring memoir, she bravely self-pu...
Portia Cosby
Portia Cosby NONE Portia A. Cosby is a renowned novelist, screenwriter, and poet from Indianapolis, known for her relatable storytelling. With a background in kinesiology and film, she blends her ski...
Tiffany Rose
Tiffany Rose NONE Tiffany Rose, a teacher and author/illustrator, is known for her book 'M is for Melanin'. Passionate about creating art and stories that reflect underrepresented children, she also ...
Alberto O. Cappas
Alberto O. Cappas NONE Alberto O. Cappas, a Puerto Rican-born poet, writer, and community activist, is known for his work in economic development, literature, and advocacy in New York and Buffalo. He...
Jerald Walker
Jerald Walker NONE Jerald Walker is a distinguished author known for his memoirs and essays, with recognitions like the 2011 PEN New England Award for Nonfiction and honors from the National Book Awa...
Harriet Jacobs
Harriet Jacobs 0000000121310444 Harriet Ann Jacobs, an escaped slave turned abolitionist speaker and reformer, authored “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” one of the first books highlighting th...
Patricia Storace
Patricia Storace 0000000034695024 Patricia Storace, born in Chicago and raised in Alabama, is an award-winning author educated at Columbia University and Cambridge. She has written a travel memoir, a...
Anita L. Helm
Anita L. Helm NONE Anita L. Helm is an author and transformational presenter. She allows readers into the intimate and traumatic moments of her life. Her story is raw and transparent in areas of our ...
Geri Spencer Hunter
Geri Spencer Hunter NONE Geri Spencer Hunter is an award-winning writer and co-founder of The Sacramento Black Nurses Association. A retired nurse from Iowa, she has authored two novels and contribut...
Charles M. Blow
Charles M. Blow 0000000434813325 Charles M. Blow is a renowned journalist and op-ed columnist for the New York Times, appearing regularly on CNN. He is also the author of a bestselling memoir. A magn...
Dana Canedy
Dana Canedy 000000011303526X Dana Canedy, SVP and Publisher at Simon and Schuster, is a former New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of bestseller “A Journal For Jordan.” With e...
Joan Potter
Joan Potter NONE Joan Potter is a co-author of three books, a prolific article writer, and an essayist featured in anthologies and literary journals. She's also a memoir workshop instructor based in ...
Quincy Troupe
Quincy Troupe 0000000376418772 Quincy Troupe, born in 1939, is an award-winning author, recognized for his poetry, children's books, and non-fiction works. His notable titles include a memoir of Earl...
Sandra L. Manigault
Sandra L. Manigault NONE Sandra L. Manigault, formerly a high school math teacher and college professor, she fell in love with books by African American women and other 20th and 21st century writers,...
James Smethurst
James Smethurst NONE James E. Smethurst, a Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is an expert in African American literature and culture. An accomplished auth...
Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds 0000000050509463 Jason Reynolds is a 2024 MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius” Grant Winner Jason Reynolds, an acclaimed author and professor, aims to engage readers, espec...
Dedrick Moone
Dedrick Moone NONE Dedrick L. Moone, COO of The Rules of a Big Boss LLC, is an author, philanthropist, and motivational speaker offering empowerment products and services. He authored 'The Unexpected...
Michel Marriott
Michel Marriott NONE Michel Marriott was a renowned journalist for over 20 years with The New York Times and other publications. He was also a celebrated memoir workshop instructor at Baruch College,...
Staceyann Chin
Staceyann Chin 0000000040460475 Staceyann Chin is a multifaceted poet, actor, and artist known for her memoir “The Other Side of Paradise” and her performances in Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam. Feat...
Ishmael Beah
Ishmael Beah 0000000368812665 Ishmael Beah, a Sierra Leonean author and human rights activist, became known for his memoir, “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.” A former child soldier, Beah w...
Malaika Adero
Malaika Adero 0000000384232281 Malaika Adero runs a literary agency, Adero's Literary Tribe, where she works with publishers and individual clients. She is the author of several books including “Up S...
James McBride
James McBride 0000000121485295 James McBride is a celebrated author and musician, known for his memoir 'The Color of Water' and his novel 'Miracle at St. Anna'. He has written for notable publication...
Liz Montague
Liz Montague NONE Liz Montague is a cartoonist, writer, and illustrator known for her work on self and social awareness. She's contributed to the New Yorker, the US Open, Food Network, Google, and th...
Ron Lacks
Ron Lacks NONE "Ron Lacks, the oldest grandson of Henrietta Lacks, shares a deeply personal memoir in 'Henrietta Lacks The Untold Story', revealing the past 9 years of his family's history. The book ...
Jackie Kay
Jackie Kay 0000000108753136 Jacqueline Margaret Kay is a celebrated author and former National Poet of Scotland known for her memoir Red Dust Road and various acclaimed poetry collections. Her first ...
Stephen Bentley
Stephen Bentley NONE Stephen Bentley, born in 1954, is a renowned cartoonist, best known for creating 'Herb and Jamaal'. A South Central LA native, Bentley moved to Pasadena in the late '60s, graduat...
Daniel Bernstrom
Daniel Bernstrom NONE Daniel Bernstrom is a visually impaired author who enjoys creating rhythmic stories. His work often draws inspiration from his surroundings, such as his story about a eucalyptus...
Ashleigh Corrin
Ashleigh Corrin NONE Ashleigh Corrin Webb is a talented graphic designer and award-winning illustrator based in Northern VA. Inspired by her late grandmother, she uses her creativity to tell unique s...
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...
Jael Richardson
Jael Richardson NONE Jael Ealey Richardson is a Toronto-based author and educator with an MFA in Creative Writing. Known for her memoir and children's book, both titled The Stone Thrower, her work re...
Halifu Osumare
Halifu Osumare 0000000031536722 Dr. Halifu Osumare, Professor Emerita at UC Davis, is a renowned dancer, choreographer, and scholar of black popular culture with over 40 years of experience. She has ...
Veronica Chambers
Veronica Chambers 0000000063184848 Veronica Chambers is a celebrated author known for her memoir, Mam's Girl. Born in Panama and raised in Brooklyn, her Afro-Latina heritage often influences her work...
Marvin V. Arnett
Marvin V. Arnett NONE Marvin V. Arnett, a retired Federal Manager from Detroit, had a successful career receiving numerous awards for job performances and cost-cutting suggestions. She served as Nati...
Susan D. Peters
Susan D. Peters NONE Susan D. Peters, a Chicago native and DePaul University graduate, lived in Liberia for 11 years. Her experiences during the Liberian Civil War inspired her award-winning memoir, ...
zaji
zaji NONE Zaji is an accomplished author and freelance writer with a B.A. in English and M.S. in Journalism from Iona College. She's written a novel, poetry book, short stories, and is working on her...
Patrisse Khan-Cullors
Patrisse Khan-Cullors 0000000486461392 Patrisse Khan-Cullors, an LA-based artist and freedom fighter, is known for co-founding Black Lives Matter and Dignity and Power Now. A Fulbright scholar and NA...
James F. Daniels
James F. Daniels NONE James F. Daniels, author of 'Metamorphosis: From Cotton Picker to Community Leader', shares his journey from growing up as a sharecropper in the Jim Crow South to becoming a com...
John Baldwin West
John Baldwin West NONE Dr. John Baldwin West was a renowned African American pulp detective fiction writer in the 1950s. He authored six novels featuring private investigator Rocky Steele, with most ...
Jake Lamar
Jake Lamar 0000000042394002 Jake Lamar, a Bronx native, is a renowned author of the memoir, Bourgeois Blues, and novels including The Last Integrationist and Close to the Bone. Residing in Paris sinc...
Stacey Patton
Stacey Patton NONE Dr. Stacey Patton, an adoptee and child abuse survivor, is a children’s advocate, journalist, historian, and motivational speaker. She authored 'That Mean Old Yesterday: A Memoir' ...
Victoria Rowell
Victoria Rowell 0000000059397373 Victoria Rowell, renowned for her role as Drucilla Winters in The Young and the Restless, is a bestselling author celebrated for her memoir, The Women Who Raised Me. ...
Tiffany Haddish
Tiffany Haddish 0000000475934019 Tiffany Sarac Haddish is a pioneering black female stand-up comedian, popularly known for hosting SNL and her role in 'Girls Trip'. She's also a successful author, wi...
Ronald Ancrum
Ronald Ancrum NONE Ron Ancrum, a nonprofit management and organizational development expert, has a diverse career as a professor, consultant, executive, and musician. A graduate of University of Conn...
C. G. Esperanza
C. G. Esperanza NONE Charles G. Esperanza, a South Bronx native, is a renowned author-illustrator known for his unique fusion of jazz, graffiti, and whimsical truth. Known for his book “Red, Yellow, ...
Mary Williams
Mary Williams NONE Mary Williams, adopted daughter of Jane Fonda, worked with humanitarian organizations and founded the Lost Boys Foundation. She lived in various locations, including Africa and acr...
Fred Beauford
Fred Beauford NONE Fred Beauford is a prolific novelist, essayist, and editor, known for his eight novels, memoir, essay collections, and contributions to notable literary series. He's also the found...
June Cross
June Cross NONE June Cross is a two-time Emmy and duPont-Columbia Journalism award-winning documentary television producer and professor at Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism. Known for her 199...
Mark Mathabane
Mark Mathabane 0000000108774033 "Mark Mathabane is a South African author and human rights activist, known for his memoir 'Kaffir Boy' which sheds light on his life under apartheid. His works, transl...
Joseph Earl Thomas
Joseph Earl Thomas NONE Joseph Earl Thomas is an author known for his unique and poignant storytelling. His first major work, Sink: A Memoir, published in 2022, explores his challenging upbringing i...
William C. Rhoden
William C. Rhoden NONE Author Rhoden delves into institutionalized racism in sports in his book, “Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete.” He traces African ...
S.R. Martin
S.R. Martin NONE S.R. “Rudy” Martin Jr. (1935-2016) was a founding faculty of The Evergreen State College, teaching American/African American Studies. He authored a family memoir and a novel before r...
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...
Hans J. Massaquoi
Hans J. Massaquoi 0000000078269078 Hans Massaquoi, former Ebony magazine editor and author, notably known for his memoir on his unique childhood in Germany, passed away at the age of 87 in Jacksonvil...
Lillian McEwen
Lillian McEwen NONE Lillian McEwen, a retired Justice, served in multiple legal roles in Washington, D.C. Her memoir, “D.C. Unmasked & Undressed,” offers a candid look into her personal life, includi...
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...
Elona Washington
Elona Washington NONE Elona Washington, a DC native and best-selling author, is a sexual assault survivor turned advocate who has worked with RAINN since 2011. A successful publisher, TV host, and bl...
Scholastique Mukasonga
Scholastique Mukasonga 0000000073708975 Scholastique Mukasonga, born in Rwanda in 1956, experienced ethnic conflicts and genocide, which claimed 37 of her family members. She later settled in France....
Albert J. Raboteau
Albert J. Raboteau 0000000081058642 Albert J. Raboteau (1943-2021) was a renowned professor of religion at Princeton University. Born into a Catholic family in segregated Mississippi, his experiences...
Chris Washburn
Chris Washburn NONE "Ex-high school basketball star, Chris Washburn, shares his journey from NBA fame to losing everything due to a 14-year crack addiction in his upcoming memoir. His redemptive stor...
Loida Lewis
Loida Lewis 000000008483319X Loida Nicolas Lewis is a Filipino-American CEO, immigration lawyer, and philanthropist. As the current chairperson of TLC Beatrice, she oversees diverse business sectors....
Douglas Century
Douglas Century 0000000120268336 Douglas Century is a bestselling author and investigative journalist known for works such as Under and Alone, Hunting El Chapo, and Takedown. He was a 2003 Edgar Awar...