AALBC Search
Pam Grier
Pam Grier 000000010893536X Pamela Suzette Grier, born in 1949, is known as “cinema's first female action star.” Famous for her roles in 1970s action and blaxploitation films, she has been nominated f...
William H. Grier
William H. Grier 0000000033046751 William H. Grier was an accomplished psychiatrist and author renowned for his significant contributions to African American mental health issues. William H. Grier
William H. Grier and Price M. Cobbs
William H. Grier and Price M. Cobbs MULTIPLE William H. Grier, ex-chairman of Psychiatry at Meharry Medical College & professor at Wayne State University, resides in San Diego. Price M. Cobbs is a Ps...
Pam Dawling
Pam Dawling NONE Pam Dawling is an expert in sustainable vegetable farming with over 40 years of experience in diverse climates. She's the author of the best-seller, Sustainable Market Farming, and s...
Echo Brown
Echo Brown NONE Echo Brown is a renowned storyteller, author, and performer known for her one-woman show, 'Black Virgins Are Not for Hipsters'. She's also the author of 'Black Girl Unlimited'. Echo f...
Loretta Collins Klobah
Loretta Collins Klobah NONE Loretta Collins Klobah is a Caribbean Literature and creative writing professor at the University of Puerto Rico. She's lived in various Caribbean-related locations and ho...
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 ...
Iyanla Vanzant
Iyanla Vanzant 0000000110419866 Iyanla Vanzant, a Yoruba priestess and spiritual life coach, overcame adversity to become a New York Times best-selling author and host of OWN's Iyanla: Fix My Life. H...
Bridgett M. Davis
Bridgett M. Davis NONE Bridgett M. Davis is a Detroit-born author, professor, and filmmaker. A graduate of Spelman College and Columbia University, she now teaches English at Baruch College. Her film...
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...
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson 0000000084378609 Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is an award-winning children's author and librarian. She penned “Bad News for Outlaws,” which won the 2010 Coretta Scott King Award, and...
Eleanor Taylor Bland
Eleanor Taylor Bland 000000006389177X Eleanor Taylor Bland (1944-2010) was a renowned crime fiction author, known for creating detective Marti McAllister. Born in Boston, she married young and reloca...
Reginald Dwayne Betts
Reginald Dwayne Betts 000000007591721X Reginald Dwayne Betts, a poet and legal scholar, transformed his life after a nine-year prison sentence for carjacking at 16. His poetry is published in various...
E. C. Osondu
E. C. Osondu NONE E.C. Osondu is a renowned Nigerian author and English professor at Providence College. Known for his short stories, he won the 2009 Caine Prize for African Writing. His debut collec...
Allen Bernard West
Allen Bernard West NONE Allen Bernard West is a decorated military veteran, former US Congressman, and notable contributor to media and policy organizations. His military legacy spans four generation...
Ayesha Rascoe
Ayesha Rascoe NONE Ayesha Rascoe, host of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday and Up First's Saturday episodes, is a former White House correspondent who covered three presidential administrations. Prior to...
Stephanie Renee Bell
Stephanie Renee Bell NONE Stephanie Renée Bell, an author of 5 books and a gifted musician, dedicated her life to her faith and art until her passing in 2010. Renowned for her Christian rap songs, p...
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,...
Primrose Cameron
Primrose Cameron NONE Primrose Cameron is an experienced motivational speaker, life coach, teacher, and counselor based in West Volusia. She offers personal and professional development through her t...
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, ...
Sunshine Smith-Williams
Sunshine Smith-Williams NONE Sunshine Smith-Williams, a Queens native, overcame a poverty-stricken upbringing through education, climbing the corporate ladder. After job loss in 2010, she bravely fou...
Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton 0000000117802788 Lucille Clifton (1936-2010) was a distinguished poet and professor, notable as the first African American woman to win the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. She also won the N...
Pamela C. Rice
Pamela C. Rice NONE Pamela C. Rice is an acclaimed children's author and illustrator with over 25 books to her credit. Notable for her artistic collaborations and warm illustrations, Rice's works dra...
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 ...
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...
Maura Cheeks
Maura Cheeks NONE Maura Cheeks, renowned author featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic and others, won a masthead reporting residency with The Atlantic in 2019. 'Acts of Forgiveness' is her deb...
Keeonna Harris
Keeonna Harris NONE Keeonna Harris is a writer, storyteller, mother of five, prison abolitionist, activist, and academic. Her work focuses on health disparities and radical organizing for women conne...
Tai Allen
Tai Allen NONE Tai Allen, a renowned Brooklyn-based creative director, poet, and musician, has excelled in multiple disciplines. His poetry and music have gained recognition from notable publications...
Earl Cox
Earl Cox NONE Earl Cox is a publishing industry veteran with nearly two decades of experience. As the President and CEO of Earl Cox & Associates Worldwide, he acts as a literary manager and consultan...
Jaz Johnson
Jaz Johnson NONE Jasmine “Jaz” Johnson is an author passionate about art, writing and graphic design. She published her first novel, 'Sibling Secrets' in 2010. Her writing spans fantasy, science fict...
Kiran H. J. Dellimore
Kiran H. J. Dellimore NONE Kiran Dellimore, a scientist, inventor, and author based in Utrecht, has authored three books on diverse topics. A keen runner, squash player, and rock climber, he is curre...
Heidi R. Lewis
Heidi R. Lewis NONE Dr. Heidi R. Lewis is an Associate Professor and Director of the Feminist & Gender Studies Program at Colorado College. Specializing in Feminist Theory, Hip Hop Culture, and Criti...
Judith Ortiz Cofer
Judith Ortiz Cofer 0000000120330160 Judith Ortiz Cofer is a renowned Puerto Rican American author known for her award-winning work across various literary genres. She is a former English and Creative...
Brenda M. Hampton
Brenda M. Hampton NONE Brenda M. Hampton, a native St. Louisan, is a passionate writer known for her addictive series, The Naughty Series. With over 20 novels, novellas, and anthologies to her credit...
Ayesha Harruna Attah
Ayesha Harruna Attah 0000000389081478 Ayesha Harruna Attah, born in Accra, Ghana, is an acclaimed author known for her novel 'Harmattan Rain', shortlisted for the 2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. He...
Shadra Strickland
Shadra Strickland NONE Shadra Strickland, an award-winning illustrator and teacher, studied at Syracuse University and the School of Visual Arts. She won the Ezra Jack Keats and Coretta Scott King/Jo...
Kerry G. Johnson
Kerry G. Johnson NONE Kerry G. Johnson, a talented cartoonist, caricaturist, and graphic designer from Nashville, is known for his webcomic, Harambee Hills, which was nominated for a 2010 Glyph Comic...
Lynn Nottage
Lynn Nottage 0000000080050112 Congrats to Lynn Nottage: Winner 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama Lynn Nottage, a distinguished playwright and lecturer, is celebrated for her outstanding plays and awarded ...
Ai Ogawa
Ai Ogawa 0000000368573553 Ai Ogawa (1947-2010), born Florence Anthony, was a prominent poet and author awarded with the American Book Award and a National Book Award. She authored seven books of poet...
Jennifer Rahim
Jennifer Rahim 0000000122103674 Jennifer Rahim is an awarded critic, poet, and short-story writer with four volumes of poetry and a collection of short stories to her credit. Co-editor of two essay c...
Ursula M. Burns
Ursula M. Burns 0000000445332455 Ursula M. Burns is a pioneering American businesswoman, the first black woman to become a Fortune 500 CEO at Xerox, where she served from 2009-2016. She was also Chai...
Pamela Shivdyal
Pamela Shivdyal NONE Pamela Shivdyal, a Guyanese-born English major at Medgar Evers College, is deeply inspired by her grandfather's emphasis on education. After migrating to New York City, she overc...
Luke Flowers
Luke Flowers NONE Luke Flowers, founder of Luke Flowers Creative in 2010, is dedicated to illuminating the imagination in all his work, inspired by the meaning of his name, 'Light'. He aims to enligh...
Dimitry Elias Leger
Dimitry Elias Leger NONE Dimitry Elias Léger, born in Haiti, is a former editor and writer for The Source, Fortune, and MTV News, with work in The New York Times and The Washington Post. A UN adviso...
Susan Montanari
Susan Montanari NONE Susan Montanari, a seasoned author of children's books and middle-grade novels, was a finalist for the 2010 Tassy Walden Award. She relishes gardening, scuba diving, and cryptozo...
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...
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...
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...
Ty Allan Jackson
Ty Allan Jackson NONE Ty Allan Jackson is a celebrated author and publisher, renowned for his children's book 'Danny Dollar Millionaire: The Lemonade Escapade.' Inspired by his son's curiosity about ...
George Cain
George Cain 0000000081133884 George Cain (1943-2010) was a New York-born author known for his only book, Blueschild Baby (1970). He left college to travel across America and started his writing caree...
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...
Terrance Hayes
Terrance Hayes 0000000052553847 Terrance Hayes is a renowned poet, author of four collections and winner of the 2010 National Book Award for Poetry. A MacArthur fellow, Hayes has received numerous ac...
Michael I. Days
Michael I. Days NONE AALBC Mourns the passing of Michael I. Days, October 18, 2025 Michael I. Days is an esteemed editor of the Philadelphia Daily News, recognized for leading the team to numerous awa...
Juan Williams
Juan Williams 0000000117727052 Juan Williams is an Emmy-winning journalist, political analyst, and Fox News Contributor since 1997. Known for his work with The Washington Post, The New York Times, an...
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...
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...
Alicia T. Bowens
Alicia T. Bowens NONE Alicia T. Bowens, from Chicago, overcame early motherhood to graduate high school and the University of Illinois. She built a successful career in IT, earned two masters degrees...
Hana Ali
Hana Ali 0000000023085001 Hana Ali, born in 1976, is the third youngest child of Muhammad Ali and author of three books about her father's life. Known for her appearances in documentaries like 'I am ...
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...
Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa NONE Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa, born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York, is a renowned writer and educator. Her work, influenced by her Puerto Rican heritage and experiences, i...
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...
Pat Simmons
Pat Simmons 0000000055458378 Pat Simmons, a seasoned author with 10 years of experience and 30+ titles to her name, is a passionate genealogy sleuth who often casts her ancestors in her novels. She h...
Chris Gardner
Chris Gardner 0000000040093476 Chris Gardner is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and single parent who overcame homelessness to become a best-selling author. His memoir, The Pursuit of Happyn...
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...
Misty Copeland
Misty Copeland 0000000053252958 Misty Copeland, born in 1982, is a renowned soloist at the American Ballet Theatre and a recipient of the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts. She resides in New ...
Aminatta Forna
Aminatta Forna 0000000123211415 Aminatta Forna, born in Glasgow and raised in Sierra Leone and the UK, is an acclaimed author with works including The Devil that Danced on the Water, Ancestor Stones,...
Monique Roffey
Monique Roffey 0000000046732443 Monique Roffey, an award-winning novelist and essayist, is known for her novel “The Mermaid of Black Conch,” which won the Costa Book Award. A Trinidadian-born British...
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Jeremy McCarter
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Jeremy McCarter MULTIPLE Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara AlegrÃa Hudes, and Jeremy McCarter are renowned figures in the arts. Miranda, a multi-award-winning ...
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...
RuPaul
RuPaul 0000000055514093 RuPaul Andre Charles, a Tony and Emmy award-winning executive producer and host, is renowned for his contributions to the TV franchise RuPaul's Drag Race. Known for his music,...
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 ...
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...
Casey Gerald
Casey Gerald NONE Casey Gerald is the author of There Will Be No Miracles Here, a memoir that was named a Best Book of 2018 by NPR and The New York Times, a finalist for the LAMBDA Literary Award, 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...
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...
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...
Tamika Newhouse
Tamika Newhouse NONE Tamika Newhouse is a self-published author and founder of Delphine Publications. Recognized as Self Published Author of the Year in 2009 and 2011, she also received an award for ...
Elizabeth Savage
Elizabeth Savage NONE Elizabeth Navarette Savage, native of Texas, is the CEO of S.T.A.N.D, a non-profit organization against domestic violence. As an author, public speaker, and survivor, she inspir...
David H. Rothman
David H. Rothman 0000000373908303 David H. Rothman, author of 'Drone Child', is known for his advocacy of both traditional and digital libraries and efforts to close the digital divide. Rothman, who ...
China Robinson
China Robinson NONE China Robinson is a motivational speaker and author who uses her personal experiences to inspire others towards self-empowerment and overcoming obstacles. Managing her supermodel ...
Ray Anthony Shepard
Ray Anthony Shepard 0000000084780219 “As a fifth-grader in Nebraska, I was one of the few Black students in the class, and when American slavery was taught I was embarrassed by the topic.”...
Tariq Trotter
Tariq Trotter 0000000001157609 Tariq Trotter, known as Black Thought, is a celebrated hip-hop artist and actor. With three GRAMMYs and three NAACP awards, he's produced albums both solo and with The ...
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...
Robbie Montgomery
Robbie Montgomery NONE Robbie Montgomery, “Miss Robbie,” is a former professional singer who worked with Ike Turner and other notable artists before opening a soul food restaurant, Sweetie Pie's, in ...
M. Nicole Bryant
M. Nicole Bryant NONE M. Nicole Bryant, born in Missouri, is a breast cancer survivor and advocate turned author. After her diagnosis at 42, she was driven to raise awareness, especially amongst Afri...
Tiya Miles
Tiya Miles 0000000114701869 Tiya Alicia Miles is a historian and professor at the University of Michigan. Specializing in African American and Native American histories, she's the author of award-win...
Carolina Maria de Jesus
Carolina Maria de Jesus 0000000083875208 Carolina Maria de Jesus, born in 1914, was a Brazilian writer who highlighted life in favelas through her diaries. Despite facing extreme poverty and social o...
Cydney Rax
Cydney Rax NONE Cydney Rax, an influential author known for her provocative love triangle novels, has been passionate about books since childhood. Her debut novel, My Daughter's Boyfriend, sparked co...
June Jordan
June Jordan 0000000114793687 June Millicent Jordan (1936-2002) was a renowned poet, activist, teacher, and essayist, known for her influential voice in liberation. A professor at UC Berkeley, she dir...
Tonja Myles
Tonja Myles NONE Tonja Myles, an ordained minister and community activist, uses her own experiences as an addict and abuse survivor to promote mental wellness and recovery. As a certified peer suppor...
George C. Fraser
George C. Fraser 0000000035434555 George Fraser, CEO of FraserNet, Inc., overcame adversity to lead a global networking movement for people of African descent. Born into a large family and orphaned a...
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...
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...
Renee Gladman
Renee Gladman 0000000038222494 Renee Gladman is a renowned writer and artist, known for her exploration of poetry, prose, and architecture. Her prolific work includes a popular novel series set in th...
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...
Donna Britt
Donna Britt NONE Donna Marie Britt, a renowned Washington Post columnist since 1991, shares stories about life and relationships. A graduate of Hampton University and University of Michigan, she auth...
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...
Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Natasha Anastasia Tarpley NONE Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, a Chicago native, nurtured her love for writing from a young age. She began publishing poetry in high school and honed her craft at Harvard U...