AALBC Search
Paschal Beverly Randolph
Paschal Beverly Randolph 0000000080818187 The Mystical Black Genius Time Erased Paschal Beverly Randolph was a key figure in African-American history, renowned for his work as an author, spiritual lea...
Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Beverly Guy-Sheftall
Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Beverly Guy-Sheftall MULTIPLE Johnnetta B. Cole, Ph.D. and Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Ph.D. are renowned scholars and authors, celebrated for their substantial contributions to t...
Beverly Jenkins, Geri Guillaume, Francis Ray, and Monica Jackson
Beverly Jenkins, Geri Guillaume, Francis Ray, and Monica Jackson MULTIPLE Beverly Jenkins, Geri Guillaume, Monica Jackson, and Francis Ray are renowned authors, each with their unique, captivating wr...
Beverly Jenkins
Beverly Jenkins 000000011691928X Beverly Jenkins, a USA TODAY bestselling author, is renowned for her African-American historical romance fiction, mainly set in the 19th century. With over thirty nov...
Beverly Daniel Tatum
Beverly Daniel Tatum 0000000082603083 Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is a renowned psychologist and educator, known for her research and publications on race and education. She was the ninth president of S...
Beverly Guy-Sheftall
Beverly Guy-Sheftall 0000000081062350 Beverly Guy-Sheftall, a renowned professor of English and Women's Studies at Spelman College, is the founding director of the Women’s Research & Resource Center....
J. Tremble
J. Tremble NONE J. Tremble, a graduate of Missouri Valley College and Howard University, works as a sixth-grade math teacher in Prince George's County Public School System. He's a dedicated family ma...
Noa Denmon
Noa Denmon 0000000496215312 Noa Denmon, a Philadelphia-based artist and illustrator, holds a BFA in Illustration and an MAT in Arts and Teaching. She loves patterns and spicy foods. Her first picture...
Del Sandeen
Del Sandeen NONE Del Sandeen is a Florida-based copy editor and speculative fiction writer. She made her debut with “This Cursed House” in 2024. Her work has been featured in FIYAH Magazine, Nightlig...
T.R. Simon
T.R. Simon NONE T.R. Simon is an acclaimed author renowned for “Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground” and co-author of award-winning “Zora and Me” with Victoria Bond. Also co-authored “Oskar and the Eight ...
Terry Alford
Terry Alford 0000000058885607 Terry Alford is an award-winning author and historian specializing in American history, race relations, and the Civil War era. He earned a Ph.D. in history from Mississ...
David S. Reynolds
David S. Reynolds 0000000109376942 David S. Reynolds is a distinguished literary critic, historian, and biographer whose work explores the intersection of culture, biography, society, and politics. ...
Elizabeth Keckley
Elizabeth Keckley 0000000057594701 Elizabeth Keckley, born a slave in 1818, bought her freedom and became a leading figure in Washington society as a dressmaker and confidante to Mary Todd Lincoln. L...
Damon Wayans
Damon Wayans 000000005928060X Damon Wayans, a NY Times bestselling author and award-winning actor from a renowned Hollywood family, is known for his roles in 'In Living Color' and 'My Wife and Kids'....
Gwendolyn Osborne
Gwendolyn Osborne NONE Gwendolyn Osborne, known as “The Word Diva”, was a Chicago-based freelance writer and former associate editor for Black Issues Book Review. Known for her love of romance novels...
Bevy Smith
Bevy Smith 0000000496656249 Beverly “Bevy” Smith, born in 1966, is a renowned TV personality, motivational speaker, and businesswoman. She hosts SiriusXM's “Bevelations” and is known for her work on ...
Chigozie Obioma
Chigozie Obioma 000000007886845X “the heir to Chinua Achebe” (New York Times) Chigozie Obioma, born in Nigeria, is an award-winning author and professor of English at the University of Neb...
Susan Robeson
Susan Robeson 0000000084570270 Susan Robeson is a longtime documentary film and television producer. Her award-winning work has appeared on PBS, NBC and ABC affiliates, and Channel 4 in the UK, and h...
Gil Scott-Heron
Gil Scott-Heron 0000000120176415 One of the most influential progenitors of rap music, Gil Scott-Heron’s aggressive, no-nonsense street poetry inspired a legion of intelligent rappers while his en...
Gene Barretta
Gene Barretta NONE Gene Barretta is an acclaimed children's book author and illustrator, known for titles like “Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare.” He has won the Carolyn W. Field Award and Bank...
Michael R. Jackson
Michael R. Jackson 0000000023302176 Michael R. Jackson, a BFA and MFA graduate from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, is a renowned songwriter and playwright. Known for his work on musicals like 'Teeth',...
Keith Henry Brown
Keith Henry Brown NONE Keith Henry Brown, illustrator of 'Birth of the Cool', began his career drawing superheroes and later combined his love for art and jazz as Lincoln Center's creative director. ...
David W. Blight
David W. Blight 0000000109197565 David W. Blight, Sterling Professor of History at Yale, directs the Gilder Lehrman Center for Slavery Studies. An author/editor of 12 books, he's dedicated much of hi...
T. Owens Moore
T. Owens Moore NONE T. Owens Moore, Ph.D., is a renowned biomedical researcher, professor, and author. A graduate of Lincoln University and Howard University, he's currently a Full Professor in the A...
Marc Lamont Hill and Todd Brewster
Marc Lamont Hill and Todd Brewster MULTIPLE Marc Lamont Hill is a media personality, educator, and entrepreneur, hosting BET News and Black News Tonight, and holding a chair at Temple University. He ...
Uche Okonkwo
Uche Okonkwo NONE Uche Okonkwo has an MFA in Fiction from Virginia Tech, and a master’s in Creative Writing from University of Manchester. She is currently [2025] a Ph.D. student in English at Univer...
Anika Noni Rose
Anika Noni Rose 0000000114968598 Anika Noni Rose (born September 6, 1972) is a Tony Award winning actor and singer who has performed all over the world, including singing at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Ce...
Silk White
Silk White NONE Silk White, a best-selling urban fiction author from Harlem, New York, is also a co-owner of Good2Go Publishing and Films. He has credit for films like No Way Out & Black Barbie, and ...
Allison Mick
Allison Mick NONE Allison Mick is a Los Angeles–based comedy and animation writer from the Great Lakes. Mick’s writing appears in Trailer Park Boys: Big A$$ Comic Collection (Devil’s Due Co...
Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka 0000000122837862 Winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature Wole Soyinka, born July 13, 1934, is the first Black Nobel Laureate in Literature, awarded in 1986 for his work that fashions...
Esther Iverem
Esther Iverem NONE Esther Iverem is a multi-disciplinary artist, writer, curator, and social justice advocate. She's a radio host, founder of the Black website SeeingBlack.com, and author of four boo...
Hubert Henry Harrison
Hubert Henry Harrison 0000000012399179 Hubert Henry Harrison (1883–1927) was a St. Croix-born writer, orator, and activist known for founding the “New Negro” movement and influencing the Civil Righ...
J. A. Rogers
J. A. Rogers NONE Joel Augustus Rogers was a self-taught Jamaican author, journalist, and historian who greatly contributed to African and African American history. His work challenged racial ideas, ...
William Evans
William Evans NONE William Evans, a renowned author, speaker, and MFA candidate, is a co-founder of Black Nerd Problems and creator of the Writing Wrongs Poetry Slam. He's a recipient of multiple gra...
Randy Weston
Randy Weston 0000000081037964 Randy Weston, born April 6, 1926, was a renowned jazz musician whose career spanned over six decades. Known for his unique fusion of African rhythms and jazz improvisati...
Jeff Edwards
Jeff Edwards 0000000379483254 Rev. Dr. Jefferson Edwards, a senior pastor and founder of the Freedom Christian Center Church in Missouri, is a renowned author and international minister with over 43 ...
Vince Bailey
Vince Bailey NONE Vince Bailey is an award-winning author and construction estimator from Central Arizona. His childhood experiences heavily influence his nostalgic fiction writing, particularly his ...
J.D. Myall
J.D. Myall NONE J.D. Myall is a publishing and library professional and an adjunct packet exchange professor in Drexel University’s MFA program. She is the host of Craft Chat Chronicles, a podcast w...
Earvin Magic Johnson
Earvin Magic Johnson 0000000368581203 Earvin “Magic” Johnson is a former NBA player born in Lansing, Michigan. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, earning multiple championships and MVP awards. Aft...
Cynthia Harris Casteel
Cynthia Harris Casteel NONE Cynthia Harris Casteel, a retired teacher and Maryland native, is an aspiring writer, playwright, and founder of the happiness organization, Frankie's Angels. Known for he...
Charlie Murphy
Charlie Murphy 0000000114942873 Born on July 12, 1959, Charles Quinton Murphy, Jr. grew up in Roosevelt, Long Island. He served in the U.S. Navy before following his brother Eddie into show business....
Kianna Alexander
Kianna Alexander NONE Like any good Southern belle Kianna Alexander wears many hats: a loving wife, doting mama, advice-dispensing sister, and grabbing girlfriend. She’s a voracious reader, an amate...
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...
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 ...
Tlotlo Tsamaase
Tlotlo Tsamaase NONE Tlotlo Tsamaase is a Motswana author of Womb City and The Silence of the Wilting Skin. Her second novel, House of Margins, is forthcoming in Spring 2026, as well as her debut YA...
Catherine Clinton
Catherine Clinton 0000000110842429 Catherine Clinton, educated at Harvard, Sussex, and Princeton, is a renowned author known for her works on U.S. history including 'Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freed...
Renée Watson
Renée Watson 0000000060818307 Renée Watson, acclaimed author of young adult and children's literature, uses art to help youth deal with trauma and discuss social issues. Known for her book “This Side...
Leslie Kwan
Leslie Kwan NONE Leslie Kwan, a Guyanese-American harpsichordist and arts executive, has worked at CHANEL and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She founded ArtsWell, a media production company, and is b...
Albert Murray
Albert Murray 0000000083695821 Albert L. Murray (1916-2013) was a respected critic, novelist, and biographer. Born in Alabama, he divided his time between teaching and serving in the air force before...
Robert Coles
Robert Coles 0000000108597620 Robert Coles (literary scholar & poet) is emeritus associate professor of African-American literature at Hampshire College. He earned his B.A. from Lincoln Universi...
Colin Bootman
Colin Bootman NONE Colin Bootman is an acclaimed children's book illustrator and author, known for over 25 works including 'The Steel Pan Man of Harlem'. He's a recipient of numerous awards, such as ...
Troy Pappy Johnson
Troy Pappy Johnson NONE Troy “Pappy” Johnson, a Brooklyn native, is a Howard University graduate and US Army veteran. He has had a successful career in Theatrical/Film Production in NYC, working with...
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 ...
Lerone Bennett
Lerone Bennett 0000000117733137 Lerone Bennett Jr. (1928-2018) was an esteemed African-American author and social historian, known for his insights on US race relations. His notable works include “Be...
Charisse Carney-Nunes
Charisse Carney-Nunes NONE Charisse Carney-Nunes, writer, speaker and literary advocate, is the award-winning author of the children’s books, I AM BARACK OBAMA (2009), I DREAM FOR YOU A WORLD:...
Toni Blackman
Toni Blackman 0000000036920264 Toni Blackman, an international champion of hip-hop culture, is known for her captivating performances and powerful presence. She's the first hip-hop artist to work as ...
Russell Freedman
Russell Freedman 0000000373864646 Russell Freedman, an award-winning author of 47 books translated into multiple languages, wasn't always a children's book writer. He worked as a reporter and editor ...
David Rivera
David Rivera 0000000119349964 David Rivera Jr., a writer inspired by contemporary black male authors, has been writing since high school. His debut book, Harlem's Dragon, received great acclaim. Draw...
Juanita Bynum
Juanita Bynum 000000004089322X Dr. Juanita Bynum, born on January 16, 1959, is a multifaceted personality - a televangelist, platinum gospel recording artist, NY Times bestselling author, TV and radi...
Pamela Sneed
Pamela Sneed 0000000035258600 Pamela Sneed is a New York-based poet, writer, and actress, featured in prestigious publications and has performed globally. She's included in “The 100 Best African Amer...
J. Everett Prewitt
J. Everett Prewitt NONE J. Everett Prewitt, a distinguished alumnus and Vietnam veteran, has received numerous awards for his novels, including “Snake Walkers” and “A Long Way Back.” His works have b...
Deborah G. Plant
Deborah G. Plant 0000000055229006 Deborah G. Plant is a respected scholar and critic, specializing in African American literature and Africana Studies, particularly the works of Zora Neale Hurston. P...
Elizabeth Acevedo
Elizabeth Acevedo 0000000120164676 Elizabeth Acevedo, a New York Times bestselling author, is known for her award-winning debut novel, The Poet X. She is a daughter of Dominican immigrants, with degr...
Greg Thomas
Greg Thomas 0000000055234489 Greg Thomas is an esteemed jazz writer, editor, educator, and broadcaster. With works published in numerous publications, he was the founding Editor-in-Chief of Harlem Wo...
Andrea Pippins
Andrea Pippins NONE Andrea Pippins is an esteemed author and illustrator based in Stockholm. Her work, reflecting her unique vision in art and design, has been featured in major publications and coll...
Ira Berlin
Ira Berlin 0000000110814313 Dr. Ira Berlin was a renowned historian, professor at the University of Maryland, and past president of the Organization of American Historians. He authored award-winning ...
Kelvin Boston
Kelvin Boston NONE Kelvin E. Boston is a Financial journalist, author, and entrepreneur. Kelvin Boston believes that financial education is the key that unlocks the doors to financial success. Bo...
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...
Lee E. Meadows
Lee E. Meadows NONE Lee E. Meadows, a native Detroiter and Michigan State University graduate, is a multi-faceted professional with experience in academia, corporate training, and media. He has held ...
Michele Harper
Michele Harper NONE Michele Harper, an emergency room physician with over a decade of experience, has served as chief resident and worked at multiple institutions. She is an alumna of Harvard Univers...
Clay Cane
Clay Cane NONE Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, author, and radio host known for his challenging discussions on SiriusXM and insightful books. Creator of the acclaimed documentary, Holler If...
Julie Iromuanya
Julie Iromuanya NONE Julie Iromuanya was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction, the Etisalat Prize for Literature, and the National Book Critics Cir...
Neal Hall
Neal Hall 0000000050176742 Dr. Neal Hall, a poet and experienced ophthalmologist, challenges racial inequality in America despite his extensive education and career. His experiences, from studying at...
Nella Larsen
Nella Larsen 0000000109109756 Nella Larsen was the first AA woman to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship in creative writing. Nellallitea “Nella” Larsen was the first AA woman to receive a Guggenheim Fel...
Harmony Holiday
Harmony Holiday NONE Harmony Holiday is a writer, dancer, archivist, filmmaker, and the author of five collections of poetry including Hollywood Forever and Maafa. She curates a standing archive spa...
Charles R. Saunders
Charles R. Saunders 0000000073596061 Charles Robert Saunders (1946–2020) was a pioneering African American author and journalist credited with creating the Sword and Soul genre. Born in Pennsylvania...
Sonya Atkins
Sonya Atkins NONE Sonya Atkins: "I am a twenty-five-year-old English instructor at Northeast Louisiana University. However, I received my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Grambling State...
Terrance Dean
Terrance Dean 000000003396662X Terrance Dean, a former MTV producer, became a philanthropist and “Cardio-Spiritualist” after leaving his jet-set job. He founded Men's Empowerment and co-created “The ...
Huguens Noel
Huguens Noel NONE Huguens Noel, an author, entrepreneur, and inventor with an engineering background, aims to inspire fresh perspectives and challenge conventional thought. Based in Upper Montclair, ...
Amos N. Wilson
Amos N. Wilson 0000000083152296 Dr. Amos N. Wilson was a renowned psychologist, social worker, and academic who held roles in the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice and taught at City Unive...
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...
Russell Atkins
Russell Atkins 0000000067797174 Russell Atkins, born in 1926, is a Cleveland-based musician, playwright, poet, and national figure in American avant garde poetry. He studied at renowned Cleveland ins...
William Leo Hansberry
William Leo Hansberry 0000000021037954 “The Father of African Studies” Historian and anthropologist, William Leo Hansberry studied at Atlanta University and Harvard. He devoted his life to...
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 ...
Janks Morton
Janks Morton NONE Janks Morton is a filmmaker, author, activist, director, producer, editor, and cinematographer. Morton is the founder and CEO of iYAGO Entertainment Group, an independently owne...
John Valentine
John Valentine NONE John Valentine, born in 60s' Mississippi, is a writer and cultural historian. From a background of poverty and racism, Valentine channeled his experiences into understanding the h...
Jill Nelson
Jill Nelson 0000000066956364 Jill Nelson, a seasoned journalist from Harlem, is a graduate of the City College of New York and the Columbia School of Journalism. Her work has graced various publicati...
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...
Tiffany L. Warren
Tiffany L. Warren NONE Tiffany L. Warren is a bestselling author, playwright, and songwriter. She's written over 15 novels, including two YA series under the pen name Nikki Carter. Alongside her husb...
Brittany Johnson
Brittany Johnson NONE Brittany Johnson is a proud Black, African American, queer woman who was raised in both the Northeast and Southeast regions of the United States—but that wasn’t always the case...
Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins 0000000110367920 AALBC Mourns the passing of Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore “Sonny” Rollins (September 7, 1930 – May 25, 2026) was a jazz tenor saxophonist widely recognized as one of th...
Ray Billingsley
Ray Billingsley 0000000031424835 Ray Billingsley, creator of the comic strip “Curtis”, draws upon his personal experiences and urban life for inspiration. Born in Wake Forest, N.C., and raised in Har...
Julian Mims
Julian Mims NONE Julian Merrell Mims was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1979, the eldest son of Anthony Ronald Mims, a college football coach, and Virginia Mims, an elementary school teacher. ...