AALBC Search
Tony Rose
Tony Rose 000000005879297X AALBC Mourns the Passing of Tony Rose Tony Rose (October 11, 1950 – May 27, 2025) was the Publisher and CEO of Amber Communications Group, Inc. the nation’s large...
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 0000000081090255 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor in 1947, is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time. A 7-foot-2 Hall of Famer, he dominat...
Alisa Hyman
Alisa Hyman NONE Alisa Hyman, a Maryland native and Hampton University graduate, is a high school English teacher and mentor in Washington, DC. With a passion for writing rooted in her love of books,...
Publishers Weekly’s Booklife
Publishers Weekly’s Booklife NONE Booklife by Publishers Weekly offers expert guidance to indie authors, leveraging its vast experience and credibility in the publishing industry to help them reach t...
Diane Patrick
Diane Patrick NONE Diane Patrick is a seasoned writer and editor with over 20 years of experience in various industries. Known for her work in publishers like Publishers Weekly and Billboard, she's a...
Molefi Kete Asante
Molefi Kete Asante 0000000108973825 Dr. Molefi Kete Asante is Professor and Chair, Department of African American Studies at Temple University. Considered by his peers to be one of the most distingu...
Keith Mallett
Keith Mallett 0000000033964456 Keith Duncan Mallett, born in 1948, is a prominent artist trained in New York City. He spent 15 years as the in-house artist for Frontline Art Publishers and now works ...
Ousmane Sembène
Ousmane Sembène 0000000120171534 “Father of African Film” Ousmane Sembène (1923-2007) was a renowned Senegalese director, producer, and writer. Often recognized as the “father of African ...
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. MULTIPLE Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Nobel laureate, was a key figure in the nonviolent civil rights movement and one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. A ...
Halima Taha
Halima Taha NONE Halima Taha is a renowned advocate for African and African-American art, known for her educational initiatives and influential writings. Her contributions have spearheaded recognitio...
John G. Jackson
John G. Jackson 0000000027592692 John Glover Jackson, one of our greatest cultural historians, was born on April 1, 1907 (he died October 13, 1993) in Aiken, South Carolina. Jokingly, he would somet...
Edna Lewis
Edna Lewis 000000006657645X Edna Lewis, one of the greatest American chefs, revived Southern cooking almost single-handedly. Commemorated by a US Postal stamp, she was often referred to as “the Gra...
Walt Goodridge
Walt Goodridge NONE The “Passion Prophet” Walt F.J. Goodridge is a versatile individual with a passion for teaching. He has worked as an artist, engineer, DJ, author, and speaker among oth...
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...
Andre Ward
Andre Ward NONE Andre Michael Ward, born 1984, is a retired American boxer with an untarnished record. He was a multi-time world champion in two weight categories from 2004-2017. Recognized by The Ri...
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. MULTIPLE Dr. Henry “Skip” Louis Gates Jr., a distinguished Harvard professor, is widely recognized for his contribution to African and African American research. As editor in c...
T. Styles
T. Styles NONE Driven by her faith and inspired by trailblazers like Sister Souljah, this multi-talented author has a diverse background in massage therapy, modeling, and public speaking. Passionate ...
Richard B. Moore
Richard B. Moore 0000000082432341 Moore was an early advocate for the use of “African American” as opposed to “Negro” or “Black.” Richard Benjamin Moore was an infl...
Tamkara Adun
Tamkara Adun NONE Tamkara Adun is a Nigerian author, researcher, and historian specializing in indigenous African history. She founded ỌdúnìfẹÌ, a platform for teaching African history and lan...
Neely Fuller, Jr.
Neely Fuller, Jr. MULTIPLE AALBC Mourns the Passing of Neely Fuller, Jr. Neely Fuller, Jr., born in 1929, is an author and activist committed to combating racism. His work, influenced by personal expe...
Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley 0000000083304069 Ex-pro basketball player, Charles Barkley, now an NBA analyst for TNT’s Inside the NBA, boasts 11 All-Star Game appearances, All-Star MVP, 1993's league MVP, and is n...
Charles S. Finch III
Charles S. Finch III NONE AALBC Mourns the passing of Dr. Finch January 17, 2026 Dr. Charles S. Finch III is a renowned African-American physician, author, and cultural historian. Known for his health...
Ivor W. Hartmann
Ivor W. Hartmann NONE Ivor W. Hartmann is a Zimbabwean writer, editor, and publisher, known for editing the groundbreaking anthology AfroSF: Science Fiction by African Writers. His work has promoted ...
Rakim
Rakim 0000000118505494 Rakim, a transformative hip-hop artist, gained fame with the album 'Paid in Full', named MTV's greatest hip-hop album. His unique style influenced artists like Jay Z, Eminem, a...
Cheryl Willis Hudson and Wade Hudson
Cheryl Willis Hudson and Wade Hudson MULTIPLE Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson, parents based in Northern NJ, founded Just Us Books in 1988 to address a lack of quality Black-interest children's ...
Quintard Taylor
Quintard Taylor 0000000114391610 AALBC Truly Mourns the Lost of Quintard Taylor Quintard Taylor, a Professor of American History, specializes in African American history with over three decades of exp...
Jim Brown
Jim Brown 0000000072514239 James Nathaniel Brown, born February 17, 1936, is a former American football player and actor. Renowned for his time as a fullback with the Cleveland Browns (1957-1965), he...
Terrence L. Johnson
Terrence L. Johnson NONE Terrence L. Johnson is the Charles G. Adams Professor of African American Religious Studies, Professor of African and African American Studies (FAS), Director of Religion and...
Runoko Rashidi
Runoko Rashidi 0000000067534868 “Africans came to America before, during, and after enslavement. Don’t start our history at the end; start it at the beginning.” Dr. Runoko Rashidi wa...
Wade Hudson
Wade Hudson 0000000067647969 Why I Publish Children’s Books Wade Hudson, born in 1946, is an author, journalist, and civil rights activist. Known for his children's books promoting positive Afri...
Sylvia L. Walker
Sylvia L. Walker NONE Sylvia L. Walker, a Pasadena-born artist, is renowned for her children's fashion illustrations and book illustrations. She has worked with major clients like Simplicity, McCalls...
Herb Boyd
Herb Boyd 0000000110710186 Herb Boyd Receives Social Justice Award Herb Boyd, born in 1938, is an award-winning author and journalist. He's written over 20 books and numerous articles, with notable wo...
Michael W. Twitty
Michael W. Twitty 0000000048281199 Michael W. Twitty is a renowned culinary and cultural historian, creator of Afroculinaria, a blog focusing on African American historic foodways. Celebrated as one ...
Marta Moreno-Vega
Marta Moreno-Vega 0000000032859822 Dr. Marta Moreno-Vega, born in 1952, is a renowned scholar and advocate for cultural equity. She holds degrees from New York University and Temple University. She f...
Clyde R. Taylor
Clyde R. Taylor NONE Clyde Russell Taylor was a vital figure in African American studies, known for his influential work in film and cultural criticism. He focused on the portrayal of Black people in...
Anosike Peter
Anosike Peter NONE Peter Anosike is a renowned development economist and motivational writer from Africa. Known for his best-selling book 'Dangote’s Ten Commandments on Money', he's acclaimed by Forb...
Patrice Caldwell
Patrice Caldwell NONE Patrice Caldwell, a Wellesley College alumna, is the founder of People of Color in Publishing. She's an ex-children's book editor, current literary agent, and author, known for ...
Amina Gautier
Amina Gautier 0000000118109950 Dr. Amina Gautier, an award-winning author of three short story collections, is a scholar and professor specializing in African American literature. She teaches in the ...
John Steptoe
John Steptoe 0000000083178664 John Lewis Steptoe (1950-1989) was a renowned children's book author and illustrator from Brooklyn, NY. Known for his rich illustrations depicting the African American e...
George G. M. James
George G. M. James NONE Dr. George G. M. James, born November 9, 1893 in Guyana, was a significant historian and author who asserted that Greek philosophy originated from North Africa. He argued that...
Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston 0000000109083197 “One of the greatest writers of our time.”—Toni Morrison Zora Neale Hurston is considered one of the titans of twentieth-century African American ...
Patricia Jabbeh Wesley
Patricia Jabbeh Wesley 0000000046027939 Wesley Receives the 2023 Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Award Dr. Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, a Penn State Altoona professor of English, creative writing and Afri...
Lebron James
Lebron James 0000000033823012 LeBron James, an acclaimed basketball player with three NBA championships, two Olympic golds, and four MVP titles, is also recognized for his philanthropy. Raised in Akr...
Jaron Lanier
Jaron Lanier 0000000118753199 Lanier is a globally renowned technology writer known for his humanistic approach. Awarded the 2014 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, his internationally bestselling...
Gil Robertson
Gil Robertson NONE Gil L. Robertson IV is a renowned authority on African-American pop culture. A journalist, author, lecturer, and media consultant, he provides platforms for social change through h...
Parry Brown
Parry Brown NONE Parry “Ebony Satin” Brown, Author Parry “Ebony Satin” Brown is is the national best-selling author of What Goes Around (One World), Fannin ’ the Flames (One World/Balla...
Johanna Sparrow
Johanna Sparrow NONE “Sometimes your tragedy is your best feature.” Antoinette M. Watkins, pen name Johanna Sparrow, is an experienced author of over 31 books ranging from children's liter...
Venus Williams
Venus Williams 0000000114587007 Venus Ebony Starr Williams (born June 17, 1980) became a professional tennis player at the remarkable age of fourteen, immediately making waves in the sport by defeat...
Simba Sana
Simba Sana NONE Simba Sana overcame hardships in Washington, D.C. to graduate with degrees in Accounting, Business and Finance, and African Studies. He left his auditing job to join Karibu Books, gro...
Solomon Plaatje
Solomon Plaatje 000000010911853X Solomon 'Sol' Plaatje (1876-1932) was a pioneering South African intellectual, journalist, and writer, known for being the first General Secretary of the South Africa...
Troy Johnson
Troy Johnson 0000000530602616 “I lead the world's oldest and largest online platform dedicated to books by and about people of African descent.” Troy Demetrius Johnson, founder and President of AALBC....
Arthur R. Flowers
Arthur R. Flowers NONE Arthur Flowers, a Vietnam veteran, blues singer, and Memphis native, is a co-founder of the New Renaissance Writer's Guild and a notable performance poet. He teaches at Syracus...
Nia Damali
Nia Damali NONE Nia Damali, owner of Medu Bookstore and a prominent figure in the Black Book Ecosystem, is dedicated to promoting literacy and knowledge within the Black community. Editor of historic...
W. Paul Coates
W. Paul Coates 0000000029319323 Coates Wins the 2024 Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation W. Paul Coates, founder of Black Classic Press, specializes in republishing significant work...
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o 0000000109301051 AALBC Mourns the passing of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o May 28, 2025 Kenyan-born Ngugi wa Thiong’o was a leading East African novelist, educated in Kenya, ...
Fenton Johnson
Fenton Johnson 0000000038623095 Fenton Johnson (1888-1958) was an African American poet, essayist, and editor who significantly contributed to the Harlem Renaissance. His work, including his well-kno...
Bernette Ford
Bernette Ford 0000000038486553 Bernette Ford, founder of COLOR-BRIDGE BOOKS, was a renowned children's book packager and consultant, and an advocate for diversity in children's literature. She held s...
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...
Carleen Brice
Carleen Brice NONE Carleen Brice, a prolific author and editor, is known for the books 'Orange Mint and Honey' and 'Lead Me Home'. With over 100,000 copies sold of 'Walk Tall: Affirmations for People...
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...
Joe Louis
Joe Louis 0000000081503179 “You can run, but you can’t hide.” Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was n professional boxer who reigned as world heavyweight cha...
Brandon M. Terry
Brandon M. Terry NONE Brandon M. Terry is the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University and the co-director of the Institute on Policing, Incarceration, and Publi...
James Haskins
James Haskins 0000000109303938 James Haskins (1941-2005) was a celebrated author of over 100 books for adults and children, focusing on African American achievements, African history, and culture. Hi...
Kaven Brown
Kaven Brown NONE Kaven Brown, a multifaceted entrepreneur known for his work as an author, photographer, and producer, has been influential in the publishing and music video industry. Brown's work ra...
Desaray Mnyandu
Desaray Mnyandu NONE Desaray Mnyandu is a Turkey-born author and co-founder of Zulunomics, dedicated to integrating Zulu language into tech platforms. Passionate about world cultures, her children's ...
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Gabriel Garcia Marquez 0000000121333785 Gabriel José GarcÃa Márquez (1927-2014), one of Latin America's most renowned writers, was born in Aracatca, Colombia. His acclaimed works include 'One Hund...
Ama Ata Aidoo
Ama Ata Aidoo 0000000108626567 Ama Ata Aidoo was a celebrated Ghanaian author, poet, and playwright, recognized for her significant contributions to African literature. Her works, including Our Siste...
National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Museum of African American History and Culture MULTIPLE The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), established by Congress in 2003, is devoted to documenting Afric...
Ivan Van Sertima
Ivan Van Sertima 0000000063040713 Born in Guyana, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima was a literary critic, linguist, anthropologist, and writer who won the Clarence L. Holte Prize for his work, They Came Before C...
Henri Lopes
Henri Lopes 0000000081022754 Henri Lopes (1937-2023) was a distinguished writer and politician from the Belgian Congo. He made significant contributions to African literature and served as the Prime ...
Carol Mackey
Carol Mackey NONE Carol M. Mackey, former editor-in-chief of award-winning Black Expressions Book Club, is recognized as one of the 50 most powerful African Americans in publishing. With a career inc...
Nelda LaTeef
Nelda LaTeef 000000008348432X Nelda LaTeef is an award-winning author and illustrator, known for acclaimed children's books like Animal Village and The Talking Baobab Tree. Her work has received nume...
Wade Nobles
Wade Nobles 0000000082420463 Dr. Wade W. Nobles is a professor emeritus at San Francisco State University and founder of the Institute for the Advanced Study of Black Family, Life and Culture, Inc. A...
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...
Yosef Ben-Jochannan
Yosef Ben-Jochannan 0000000084792068 Born in Gondar, Ethiopia, Dr. Yosef Alfredo Antonio ben-Jochannan (December 31, 1918 - March 19, 2015), or “Dr. Ben”, as he is affectionately known devoted th...
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...
Carl Weber
Carl Weber 0000000111497479 Carl Weber, born in 1964, is a New York Times bestselling author and renowned African American author with over 20 novels. He's also the CEO of Urban Books LLC, one of the...
Skyler Houston
Skyler Houston NONE Skyler “Skye” Houston is a Mississippi-born, Georgia-raised author with a Master's in Organizational Leadership. Her love for children and writing inspired her to pen “I Want to b...
Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ
Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ 0000000048742231 Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ, an acclaimed novelist, poet, and essayist, is an Assistant Professor of English at Cornell University. He was shortlisted for the Caine Prize and Pen...
Carolyn Holland
Carolyn Holland NONE Carolyn Holland, a bibliophile and historical romance enthusiast, is dedicated to diversifying the genre by writing books for and about people of color. Inspired by LA Banks and ...
Maulana Karenga
Maulana Karenga 0000000116973657 Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies and influential figure in the Black Power movement, created the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa. A graduate of UC...
Felicia Pride
Felicia Pride 0000000046853843 Felicia Pride is a versatile author, screenwriter, producer, and educator with a career spanning over 15 years. She has written seven books, including the motivational ...
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 ...
Robin Walker
Robin Walker 000000006356551X Robin Walker is a London-born author and editor known for his work on Black history and culture. He co-edited the influential Black Community Reports and authored books ...
Everett Hoagland
Everett Hoagland NONE Everett Hoagland, a Philadelphia-born poet, professor, and activist, is renowned for his contributions to African American literature. A significant literary figure, he has nume...
Margaret Busby
Margaret Busby 0000000384780261 Margaret Busby, UK's youngest and first black female publisher, co-founded Allison & Busby Ltd and was a director at Earthscan Publications. An award-winning writer, e...
Kosoko Jackson
Kosoko Jackson NONE Kosoko Jackson is a vocal champion of diversity in YA literature, the author of YA novels featuring African American queer protagonists, and a sensitivity reader for Big Five Publ...
Anita Bunkley
Anita Bunkley NONE Anita Richmond Bunkley is a highly-acclaimed author and motivational speaker. Overcoming initial rejections, she self-published her first novel and has since written five more, all...
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...
Derrick Bell
Derrick Bell 0000000108752280 Derrick Bell, the first tenured African-American professor at Harvard Law School and one of the first African-American law school deans, was a pioneer in critical race t...
Pascal Lemaitre
Pascal Lemaitre 0000000117765729 Pascal Lemaitre, a Belgium-based freelance author and illustrator, specializes in children and adult books. His work is featured by American, Belgian, and French publ...
Q. B. Wells
Q. B. Wells NONE Q.B. Wells, founder of Art Official Media LLC, is a publisher of urban-themed books and media. Wells also writes for various urban literature outlets. An entrepreneur and former educ...
Sonia Sanchez
Sonia Sanchez 0000000080885435 Sonia Sanchez (b. 1934) is a significant figure in the Black Arts Movement, known for her innovative and original poetry that explores racial and gender struggles. Her ...
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...
Clothilde Ewing
Clothilde Ewing NONE Clothilde “Clo” Ewing, a former journalist and TV producer, is now a dedicated writer aiming to inspire adults to rediscover their childlike wonder. A proud Syracuse University l...
Cozbi A. Cabrera
Cozbi A. Cabrera NONE I wanted to express something that was really beautiful… —Cozbi A. Cabrera Cozbi A. Cabrera, a Brooklyn native, is a multidisciplinary creative best known for design...
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, ...
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...
Nah Dove
Nah Dove NONE Nah Dorothy Dove, Ph.D. is a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She has lived in Ghana, Nigeria, Canada, the U.S., and the UK. She graduated with a PhD from the State Un...
Betty J. Dopson
Betty J. Dopson NONE Betty J. Dopson is a cultural activist, administrator, and organizer with a degree in Communications Arts and Sciences. She served as the Director of Public Relations at Harlem H...