AALBC Search
Olaudah Equiano
Olaudah Equiano 0000000110225228 Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) was a freed slave and influential abolitionist. His autobiography, published in 1789, played a crucial role in ending the African slave tr...
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington 0000000114628411 Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) was a pivotal African American educator, author, and advisor to presidents. Born into slavery, he rose to become a key leader fo...
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington 0000000114635056 Kerry Washington, an Emmy-winning actor, director, and producer from The Bronx, is known for her groundbreaking role in ABC's Scandal and films like Django Unchained...
Monica R. Guillemin and Carla McMichael
Monica R. Guillemin and Carla McMichael MULTIPLE Carla McMichael is a respected Administrative Law Judge, globetrotter, mother, grandmother, mentor, and friend. With degrees from UC Santa Cruz and UC...
R.L. Byrd
R.L. Byrd NONE R.L. Byrd, born in Brunswick, Georgia, was raised by his grandparents and developed an “old soul” from their stories, shaping his writing style. Pursuing interests in Architecture and ...
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...
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...
Ketanji Brown Jackson
Ketanji Brown Jackson 0000000115333586 Justice Ketanji Onyika Brown Jackson, born September 14, 1970, is the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a Harvard graduate, former pu...
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...
Greg Mathis
Greg Mathis 0000000034573270 Judge Mathis is a public servant and advocate for equal justice. His career began in college leading campaigns, later joining Detroit City councilman Clyde Cleveland's st...
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...
William R. Harvey
William R. Harvey 0000000117109879 Dr. William R. Harvey, an American educator, academic administrator, and businessman, has served as President of Hampton University since 1978. He's introduced nume...
M. NourbeSe Philip
M. NourbeSe Philip 0000000116780353 M. NourbeSe Philip is a renowned Caribbean-Canadian poet, writer, and lawyer, widely celebrated for her groundbreaking work that explores themes of colonialism, ra...
C. Michelle Atkins, Dannielle Brown, Amanda Garcia, Nisha, Lori Obayomi, Lisa McGovern, Stephanie Thomas, Tracee Upteen, and Elona Washington
C. Michelle Atkins, Dannielle Brown, Amanda Garcia, Nisha, Lori Obayomi, Lisa McGovern, Stephanie Thomas, Tracee Upteen, and Elona Washington MULTIPLE C. Michelle Atkins, Dannielle Brown, Amanda Garc...
Jesse J. Holland
Jesse J. Holland 0000000048283848 Jesse J. Holland is a noteworthy journalist from Mississippi, focusing on race, ethnicity, and demographics. He is a Washington correspondent for The Associated Pres...
Dominic Carter
Dominic Carter NONE Veteran newsman Dominic Carter has been described as the best political reporter working in New York television today. A fixture at NY1 since the news channel launched in...
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...
E. D. Arrington
E. D. Arrington NONE E.D. Arrington, also known as Lois, was raised by her grandparents in Greene County, North Carolina. After a successful career at the National Education Association, she turned t...
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...
Roland S. Jefferson
Roland S. Jefferson NONE Roland S. Jefferson, originally from Washington, D.C., is a celebrated author known for his rich, multi-layered characters and contemporary themes. After receiving his medica...
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass 0000000121171288 “Without Struggle… There Is No Progress!” —Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), born into slavery, was an influential abolit...
Margaret A. Burnham
Margaret A. Burnham NONE Margaret A. Burnham, a notable law professor and the founding director of the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project at Northeastern University, has had a diverse caree...
Tanika L. Lynch
Tanika L. Lynch NONE Born in Detroit, Tanika L. Lynch overcame a challenging past marked by abuse, abandonment, and a stint in prison. During her incarceration, she earned her GED, attended college, ...
Valerie Graves
Valerie Graves 0000000120182073 Valerie Graves, a renowned creative director and author, is recognized for her work with Fortune 500 companies and her groundbreaking role as one of the first black co...
Ronda Racha Penrice
Ronda Racha Penrice NONE Ronda Racha Penrice, an expert in African American history and culture, studied at Columbia University and NYU, focusing on African American literature. She contributed to Th...
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...
Dorothy Butler Gilliam
Dorothy Butler Gilliam 0000000032505856 Dorothy Butler Gilliam, the first black woman reporter for the Washington Post, dedicated over six decades to journalism. Throughout her career, she worked to ...
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...
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela 0000000121447715 Nelson Mandela, born July 18, 1918, was South Africa's first black President from 1994-1999, and ANC party President from 1991-1997. After 27 years in prison, he was r...
Ruth J. Simmons
Ruth J. Simmons 0000000041673982 Dr. Ruth J. Simmons, born in 1945, is an esteemed academic leader, having served as president of Smith College, Brown University, and Prairie View A&M University. She...
Jay Manuel
Jay Manuel NONE TV personality Jay Manuel is celebrated for his roles as a Fashion Correspondent, Host, Judge, Creative Director, and Executive Producer on popular television shows over 20 years. He'...
Thomas Long
Thomas Long 0000000376122955 Thomas Long, a self-published poet from Baltimore, transitioned to urban fiction, reflecting his experiences growing up in the inner city. His debut novel, Dayvon’s Story...
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 ...
John Conyers III
John Conyers III NONE John Conyers III, as the son of former Congressman John Conyers, Jr., and former City Council President Monica Conyers, John brings a unique perspective to community service and...
Siku
Siku 0000000065618187 Siku is a multifaceted British artist, author, theologian, and musician, renowned for his comic book/concept art. He has worked with 2000AD, Marvel UK, and COM X, producing nota...
Keith Boykin
Keith Boykin 0000000034973717 Keith Boykin is a multi-talented author, political science professor at Columbia University, CNN commentator, and actor with a history of LGBT advocacy. A Harvard and Da...
Stephen L. Carter
Stephen L. Carter 0000000114553253 Stephen L. Carter, a distinguished Yale Law professor with 30 years of experience, is an acclaimed author of seven nonfiction works and three bestselling novels. Bo...
Jermain Wesley Loguen
Jermain Wesley Loguen 0000000032721380 Rev. Jermain Wesley Loguen was an African-American abolitionist, bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and author of the real-life slave narrat...
Kevin P. Chavous
Kevin P. Chavous 0000000037996068 Kevin P. Chavous is a respected attorney, author, and education reform leader from Indianapolis. He has significantly contributed to public schooling and charter sch...
Jarrett Adams
Jarrett Adams NONE Jarrett Adams, a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University, served a fellowship with Judge Ann Claire Williams and clerked in the U.S. District Court. After working for the Innocence ...
Carl Phillips
Carl Phillips 0000000034354617 Carl Phillips, born 1959, is a renowned author and professor, best known for his dozen books of poetry and two works of criticism. With an educational background from H...
Steven L. Reed
Steven L. Reed NONE Steven L. Reed, the first Black Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama, was also the youngest and first Black probate judge. He holds a BA from Morehouse College and an MBA from Vanderbilt ...
Charles D. Ellison
Charles D. Ellison NONE Charles D. Ellison is an acclaimed political strategist, commentator, and advocacy expert with nearly 20 years of experience. He's the Washington Correspondent for The Philade...
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...
William Craft and Ellen Craft
William Craft and Ellen Craft MULTIPLE William and Ellen Craft, escaped slaves from Georgia, became famous fugitives in the 1840s. Disguised as a white man and his servant, they reached the North and...
Martin R. Delany
Martin R. Delany 0000000080985970 Martin Delany (1812-1885) was a pioneering African American abolitionist and the first African American Field Officer in the U.S Army. Post-Reconstruction, he promot...
Karla Renee Floyd, Elona Washington, Shennetta Smith, Joy Blakeney, Annette Smiley, Cheryl Peavy, Sharon Blake, Sahsha Campbell-Garbutt, Kim Bjanes, and Stephanie L. Ghoston
Karla Renee Floyd, Elona Washington, Shennetta Smith, Joy Blakeney, Annette Smiley, Cheryl Peavy, Sharon Blake, Sahsha Campbell-Garbutt, Kim Bjanes, and Stephanie L. Ghoston MULTIPLE "Karla Renee Flo...
Lisa Washington
Lisa Washington NONE Lisa Washington is a bestselling Christian Fiction author, honored with the 2020 Author Elite Award and the 2018 African-American Literary Show Award. A U.S. Navy veteran and alu...
Frederick Douglass, Solomon Northup, Harriet Jacobs, Booker T. Washington, Olaudah Equiano
Frederick Douglass, Solomon Northup, Harriet Jacobs, Booker T. Washington, Olaudah Equiano MULTIPLE "Explore the works of acclaimed authors Frederick Douglass, Solomon Northup, Harriet Jacobs, Booker...
Janelle Washington
Janelle Washington NONE Janelle Washington, a self-taught paper cut artist from Virginia, has work in the Smithsonian National Museum and Downing-Gross Community Arts Center. She is a member of The G...
Kathy Strahs
Kathy Strahs NONE Kathy Strahs, creator of the top-rated blog Panini Happy, left her corporate career to follow her passion for cooking. Her innovative recipes and stunning food photography have been...
Diane D. Turner
Diane D. Turner NONE Diane D. Turner is the curator for Temple University's Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection. Her expertise lies in Black history, film, and music. She authored the childr...
Eugene Williams, Jr.
Eugene Williams, Jr. MULTIPLE Eugene Williams, Jr. is a versatile professional with experience as an educator, writer, motivational speaker, and actor. He's a former child actor, known for his role i...
James Stewart
James Stewart 0000000121039797 Dr. James Stewart, a native of Cleveland & Professor Emeritus at Penn State University, is the President of ASALH’s Manasota Chapter. He held leadership roles in major ...
Earl Sewell
Earl Sewell NONE Earl Sewell, a Chicago-born author, studied Creative Writing at Columbia College. After initial rejections, he founded his own publishing company, Katie Books, publishing his first n...
Lauren Francis-Sharma
Lauren Francis-Sharma NONE Lauren Francis Sharma, a New York-born author of Trinidadian descent, pursued law before becoming a writer. Raised in Baltimore, she graduated from the University of Pennsy...
David Washington
David Washington NONE Dr. David Washington decision to write a graphic novel stemmed from his dissatisfaction with the lack of diversity in the superhero genre. He hoped to provide his children with ...
Jeff Johnson
Jeff Johnson NONE Jeff Johnson is a decorated journalist and communication specialist, now President of JIJ Communications. Co-founder and CEO of Elite Voices Speakers, he's a regular on TheRoot.com ...
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...
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice 000000011071227X Dr. Condoleezza Rice is the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution and a Senior Fellow on Public Policy. She is the Denning Professor in Global Bu...
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris 0000000065826859 Harris Made History as the First Female Vice President Kamala Harris, born in 1964, is a U.S. Senator from California, known for her work in civil rights and public safe...
Zeinab Badawi
Zeinab Badawi NONE Sudanese-born Zeinab Badawi, President of the University of London's SOAS, is an acclaimed broadcaster, journalist, and filmmaker. She has served on several renowned boards, receiv...
Nell Irvin Painter
Nell Irvin Painter 0000000081655121 Nell Irvin Painter is a renowned historian, known for her works on 19th-century Southern US history. She has held prestigious positions like the President of the S...
Brigid Washington
Brigid Washington NONE Brigid R. Washington is a Trinidadian food writer who has covered a variety of topics, including Caribbean food and culture as it intersects with life in the United States. ...
James M. Washington
James M. Washington NONE James M. Washington, Ph.D., was a renowned academic, serving as a Professor of Church History at Union Theological Seminary and an Adjunct Professor of Religion at Columbia U...
Bryan Washington
Bryan Washington 0000000493630393 Bryan Washington is a renowned author featured in publications like The New Yorker, The New York Times, BuzzFeed, and The Paris Review. He resides in Houston. Bryan ...
Farah Jasmine Griffin and Salim Washington
Farah Jasmine Griffin and Salim Washington MULTIPLE Farah Jasmine Griffin and Salim Washington are renowned authors known for their significant contributions to literature and music studies. Farah Ja...
Breena Clarke
Breena Clarke 0000000116790578 Breena Clarke, a Washington D.C. native and Howard University alumnus, is a renowned author known for her debut novel, an Oprah Book Club selection 'River, Cross My Hea...
AlTonya Washington
AlTonya Washington NONE AlTonya Washington is an award-winning romance novelist with 12 years of experience. She's won two Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice Awards and the Romance Slam Jam EM...
Oge Mora, Frank Morrison, Janelle Washington, and Others
Oge Mora, Frank Morrison, Janelle Washington, and Others MULTIPLE Illustrators include award-winning artists such as: Oge Mora Frank Morrison Janelle Washington …and many more talented...
Mary Helen Washington
Mary Helen Washington 0000000076894080 Mary Helen Washington is an English Professor at the University of Maryland. She's a former Bunting Fellow at Harvard and has taught at the University of Massac...
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...
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...
Essex Hemphill
Essex Hemphill 0000000029631982 Essex Hemphill (1957-1995) was a notable poet and activist, significant in the 1980s Washington D.C. art scene. Raised in poverty, he sought solace in poetry, explorin...
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 ...
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...
Ned Sublette
Ned Sublette 0000000108555156 Ned Sublette, born in 1951, is a talented composer, musician, and author hailing from Texas. Known for his work in Spanish Classical Guitar, he is also a renowned musico...
Lawrence Jackson
Lawrence Jackson 000000004075078X Lawrence Jackson, former White House Photographer for President Obama for eight years, now operates a photography business in Washington, DC, where he resides with h...
Kymone
Kymone NONE Kymone Freeman is an award-winning writer, activist, and entrepreneur known for his works in poetry, playwriting, and media. He co-founded We Act Radio, a progressive station in Washingto...
Sheryl Huggins Salomon
Sheryl Huggins Salomon NONE Sheryl Huggins Salomon is a seasoned journalist and digital media expert, having worked with media giants like Time Inc., The Washington Post Company, AOL, and Dow Jones. ...
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...
Jean Toomer
Jean Toomer 0000000120198120 Jean Toomer (1894-1967), born as Nathan Pinchback Toomer, was a leading African American poet and novelist of the Harlem Renaissance and Modernism. Born to wealthy parent...
Kay Mills
Kay Mills 0000000114412223 Kay Mills (1941–2011) was a distinguished journalist and author, known for her advocacy of civil rights and women’s rights through her writing. Born in Washington, D...
Ahmad Wright
Ahmad Wright NONE Ahmad Wright is an accomplished writer and assistant professor of English at the University of the District of Columbia Community College. With a rich writing career, his book revie...
Lawrence Deron Thomas
Lawrence Deron Thomas NONE Lawrence Deron Thomas, a Bay Area native, was inspired by his parents to pursue strength, courage, and success. After a brief stint as a rapper, he found his passion for wr...
Adia Harvey Wingfield
Adia Harvey Wingfield 0000000072510983 Adia Harvey Wingfield is a renowned sociologist, author, and professor at Washington University, known for her research on racial and gender inequality in profe...
Dinesh Sharma
Dinesh Sharma 0000000057310182 Dinesh Sharma, a Harvard-educated cultural psychologist and acclaimed author, is a respected research professor and senior fellow at various institutes. Known for his b...
Julian Bond
Julian Bond 0000000110860184 Horace Julian Bond was a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement, politician, professor, and writer. He co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and t...
E. Franklin Frazier
E. Franklin Frazier 0000000110444690 Edward F. Frazier (1894-1962) was a renowned American sociologist and author. His influential work, “The Negro Family in the United States,” won the 1940 Anisfiel...
Andrew P. Jackson
Andrew P. Jackson 0000000045924849 Andrew P. Jackson (Sekou Molefi Baako) served as Executive Director of Queens Library’s Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center in New York from 1980...
Kipjo K. Ewers
Kipjo K. Ewers NONE Kipjo K. Ewers, born in 1975, has always had a vivid imagination, crafting stories from a young age. His passion for writing continued through his education and into his career. D...
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Valerie Smith, William L. Andrews, Frances Foster, Brent Hayes Edwards, Deborah E. McDowell, Hortense J. Spillers, Kimberly W. Benston, Farah Jasmine Griffin, and Jesse McCarthy
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Valerie Smith, William L. Andrews, Frances Foster, Brent Hayes Edwards, Deborah E. McDowell, Hortense J. Spillers, Kimberly W. Benston, Farah Jasmine Griffin, and Jesse McCarth...
Gwendolyn Hooks
Gwendolyn Hooks NONE Gwendolyn Hooks is a children's book author inspired by pets, friendship, and family. Born in Georgia, she's lived in several places including Italy. She initially pursued a care...
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...
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta 0000000121015234 Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, born in 1897, was a prominent leader of African nationalism. He studied anthropology at the London School of Economics. As the first native-born Pre...
Johnnie Cochran
Johnnie Cochran 0000000035524710 Johnnie L Cochran, Jr. was a renowned American trial lawyer, celebrated for his victories against legal system misconduct and his representation of high-profile clien...
K. Elliott
K. Elliott NONE K. Elliott, raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, overcame a difficult early life involving poverty, the drug trade, and jail. Encouraged by a professor, he pursued writing, excelling ...
Larry Linwell Rowe
Larry Linwell Rowe NONE Larry Linwell Rowe is a lawyer, historian, and former West Virginia legislator with degrees from West Virginia University. Based in Old Malden, he's known for his research on ...
June Dade
June Dade NONE June Dade, a Northern Virginia native, is a certified computer analyst and technology teacher based in Washington, D.C. Her passion for writing, which began in her youth, has culminate...
Timbaland and Veronica Chambers
Timbaland and Veronica Chambers MULTIPLE Timothy Z. Mosley, known as Timbaland, is a renowned music producer, part of hip-hop duo Timbaland & Magoo, and CEO of Mosley Music Group. Veronica Chambers, ...