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Kevin Powell for Congress
Kevin Powell for Congress Kevin Powell Article Message Date: April 9th 2006 Good day to you, friend. I hope you and yours are well. As you may know by now, I am a candidate for th...
Don't Bring Home a White Boy
Don't Bring Home a White Boy Troy Johnson Article A couple of days ago I posted a video (below) of Karen Hunter and Karyn Langhorne Folan, who are the publisher and author, respectively, of the b...
African Influence on Easter (Ancient & Modern)
African Influence on Easter (Ancient & Modern) Cinque Brown Article Many African American will be celebrating the religious holiday of Easter this weekend. It is interesting that many of us only thin...
Harlemnite Prays for Shootings... So Say the New York Times
Harlemnite Prays for Shootings... So Say the New York Times Troy Johnson Article Someone forwarded me a NY Times Article. The Times usually pisses me off when they write about Black folks 'cause they...
Share Info from Indie Black Owned Websites
Share Info from Indie Black Owned Websites Troy Johnson Article Add Huria Search Resources to Your Website or Blog Huria Search was created in reaction to the current trend in search results that f...
New World of Words: Black Writers and poets spin tales of imagination and reality from Detroit to the world
New World of Words: Black Writers and poets spin tales of imagination and reality from Detroit to the world Renee Prewitt Killingsworth Article Originally featured in Detroit’s Cityview News...
Dark Matter II
Dark Matter II Troy Johnson Article The Call for submission has ended DARK MATTER II : Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora Edited by Sheree R. Thomas GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION...
I'm Voting for Barack Obama - Period!
I'm Voting for Barack Obama - Period! Troy Johnson Article He is Black and that is all I care about period.I don't give a crap if he has funny colored lips, a white mother, and African Father.I don't...
The Willie Lynch Letter is a Hoax!
The Willie Lynch Letter is a Hoax! Troy Johnson Article As a book seller, my primary goal is to connect readers with books that they will enjoy and learn from. Having a reader thank me for introduci...
7 Free Tools Guaranteed to Make Your Website Better!
7 Free Tools Guaranteed to Make Your Website Better! Troy Johnson Article Managing a large website can be a difficult, requiring a wide variety of skills. As the sole developer of AALBC.c...
It’s All About Love: Romance Readers Speak Out
It’s All About Love: Romance Readers Speak Out Gwendolyn Osborne Article Many Americans hold preconceived notions about romance fiction without having read one of these books. Their knowledg...
HBF Publishers
HBF Publishers Troy Johnson Article About HBF Publishers http://www.hbfpublishers.comHBF Publishers is a publishing house dedicated to providing a unique and simple ...
Milligan Books
Milligan Books Troy Johnson Article Dr. Milligan with Author Monica Regina Payton Dr. Rosie Milligan, CEO Milligan Books Discusses Milligan Books Jun...
Submission Guidelines
Submission Guidelines Troy Johnson Article DIALOGUE is published by The Alliance for Cultural Enrichment, Inc. (ACE), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Because ACE is a small but growing orga...
Interview with Production Designer Wynn Thomas
Interview with Production Designer Wynn Thomas Booker T. Mattison Article Production designer Wynn Thomas started working in theatre as a teenager growing up in Philadelphia. Upon graduation...
Racist Hate Mail
Racist Hate Mail Troy Johnson Article I was listening to the radio (1010 AM, WINS, New York) this week and heard a report of some Jewish people in Roslyn, LI who received some Jewish hate mail.Appare...
21st Century Slavery - My Reaction
21st Century Slavery - My Reaction Troy Johnson Article Generally when I get spam, whether it come from friends, family or a stranger, I usually just delete it. I get a lot of email. Most of it is ...
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 1
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 1 Kalamu ya Salaam Article “Elizabeth Nunez, the conference director and the director of the Black Writers Ins...
A Reaction to the Opinion, “Watched Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song for the first time. It was really bad.”
A Reaction to the Opinion, “Watched Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song for the first time. It was really bad.” W. Paul Coates Article Maybe, but I do agree with you on the acting; not much there to crow abo...
Jane Addams Book Award Winner Jewell Parker Rhodes
Jane Addams Book Award Winner Jewell Parker Rhodes Troy Johnson Article ABOUT JEWELL PARKER RHODES Jewell Parker Rhodes is the Piper Endowed Chair and founding artistic director of the Virginia G. P...
Bern Nadette Stanis - Pens Book on Relationships
Bern Nadette Stanis - Pens Book on Relationships Troy Johnson Article For you children out there: Bern Nadette played Thelma Evans in Good Times a popular sitcom from the early 70's, which featured a...
Documentary Film on History of Blacks in Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction Books
Documentary Film on History of Blacks in Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction Books Troy Johnson Article https://www.youtube.com/embed/uvDW5z0b9po “The Invisible Universe documentary reveals the his...
Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America
Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America Michael Eric Dyson Article Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White AmericaBeloved, the deed has been done. We have—since that ’we’ mu...
36 African-American Nominees for National Book Awards
36 African-American Nominees for National Book Awards Troy Johnson Article November 11, 2015 Update: A complete list of National Book Award Honorees, of African descent, is now available. The mi...
Join the Fight for Independence on the Web
Join the Fight for Independence on the Web Troy Johnson Article This article is intended for writers and other content providers, who are active on social media and have a goal of generating reve...
Reflections on Black Book Reviews
Reflections on Black Book Reviews Troy Johnson Article For more than a decade I, through AALBC.com, have published hundred's of reviews of books written by or about Black people. Over the years thi...
Dr. John Henrik Clarke - A Great and Mighty Walk - Watch This Film!
Dr. John Henrik Clarke - A Great and Mighty Walk - Watch This Film! Troy Johnson Article "...the first light of human consciousness and the world's first civilizations were in Africa."-Dr. John Henr...
Rappers Delight – Jay Z’s new book and the RZA interviewed
Rappers Delight – Jay Z’s new book and the RZA interviewed Troy Johnson Article “My life after childhood has two main stories: the story of the hustler and the story of the rapper, and the two ov...
African Americans Figure Prominently in Presidential Debate
African Americans Figure Prominently in Presidential Debate Jamie Walker Article African Americans Figure Prominently in Presidential Debate by Jamie Walker Washington, DC&...
Can Black People Go 5 Minutes Without Music?
Can Black People Go 5 Minutes Without Music? Troy Johnson Article ...or rather why do we have to blast the music during every gathering? Having been back in Harlem now for about 4 years -- after bein...
The Power of Blogs Part 3
The Power of Blogs Part 3 Troy Johnson Article OK, so I built this blog almost a week ago but how will anyone know to visit it? As with a web site, I have to believe content is the most important th...
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 3
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 3 Kalamu ya Salaam Article Report from the Field National Black Writers Conference 2000 Part 3 of 3 “E...
We, As a People, Will Get to the Promised Land!
We, As a People, Will Get to the Promised Land! Martin Luther King, Jr. Article Dr. King’s last sermon was delivered April 3, 1968, at the Church of God in Christ Headquarters, Memphis, Tennes...
Dwayne Alexander Smith on Winning the 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work—Debut Author
Dwayne Alexander Smith on Winning the 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work—Debut Author Dwayne Alexander Smith Article When I reached the podium, after the applause had faded, the fir...
Colin Channer On His Novel, Satisfy My Soul
Colin Channer On His Novel, Satisfy My Soul Colin Channer Article What is SATISFY MY SOUL saying about the American experience? That the destruction of African gods has shaped the destiny of...
Jennifer Lopez on Playing Puchi and Producing Her First Picture
Jennifer Lopez on Playing Puchi and Producing Her First Picture Kam Williams Article Born in the South Bronx on July 24, 1969, Jennifer Lynn Lopez “J-Lo” has come a long way f...
Macavelli Press
Macavelli Press Troy Johnson Article Macavelli is currently reviewing manuscripts: Macavelli Press Mission Statement http://www.macavellipress.com More than fifty thousand books are publ...
Quantum Leap Publisher
Quantum Leap Publisher Troy Johnson Article http://qleappub.com/ Quantum Leap Publisher produces a range of diverse books including photographic books. Since its founding in 1990, the c...
Tupac Play
Tupac Play Troy Johnson Article Web aalbc.com thumperscorner.com
National Book Awards Honors IBPA Members’ Impact
National Book Awards Honors IBPA Members’ Impact Troy Johnson Article This article was originally published in the April 2025 issue of the IBPA Independent magazine, the magazine for members of the I...
Child’s Play: A Poem
Child’s Play: A Poem Frederick K. Foote, Jr. Article Another young Black man knocked unconscious, lying motionless on the fake grass His fellow players move around him in hushed groups radiating fea...
AALBC is Done with Amazon!
AALBC is Done with Amazon! Troy Johnson Article For almost 22, years AALBC has exposed readers of all backgrounds to books written by, or about, people of African descent. AALBC has published th...
Google Should Pay for Content We Produce Which They Use to Generate Revenue
Google Should Pay for Content We Produce Which They Use to Generate Revenue Troy Johnson Article When you ask Google Home’s Smart Assistant to “Name some African American websites,” Google pulls the...
“Would You Stop Buying Books from Amazon.com to Save the Black Book Industry?”
“Would You Stop Buying Books from Amazon.com to Save the Black Book Industry?” Troy Johnson Article Exploring The Feasibility Boycotting Amazon’s Bookstore In the following video, Ruth J. Morrison, ...
We Must Patronize Black-Owned Websites or Lose Them
We Must Patronize Black-Owned Websites or Lose Them Troy Johnson Article Part of AALBC.com’s mission is to help support Black-owned websites. Historically, I've focused on sites related to books i...
How Facebook is Perverting Your Internet.
How Facebook is Perverting Your Internet. Troy Johnson Article A friend shared a link to a video on Facebook with me. The video, shown at the end of the article, is a short New York Times documentar...
Do You Trust That There are no Mistakes in Life?
Do You Trust That There are no Mistakes in Life? Troy Johnson Article Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make ...
Our 10 Most Popular Discussions (and Why Discussion Forums Matter)
Our 10 Most Popular Discussions (and Why Discussion Forums Matter) Troy Johnson Article Our discussion forums have been running for more than 17 years. According to Google's Analytics, these are the...
In Remembrance of Dr. Walter Rodney, Martyred on June 13, 1980
In Remembrance of Dr. Walter Rodney, Martyred on June 13, 1980 James McIntosh Article This talk was delivered by Dr. McIntosh at John Henrik Clarke House on June 7, 2015 Today our topic is Walt...
Are Reading Rates Declining in the African American Community?
Are Reading Rates Declining in the African American Community? Troy Johnson Article Frequent AALBC.com visitors may already know I consider search results biased toward large corporate sites t...
Authors Don't Need Twitter
Authors Don't Need Twitter Troy Johnson Article Many authors invest a great deal of time managing their Twitter accounts. Hours a day are spent attracting new followers and keeping them engaged with...
Mixed Race or Just Mixed Up? Children's Books Provide Answers
Mixed Race or Just Mixed Up? Children's Books Provide Answers Troy Johnson Article I noticed a surge in the number of books I sold, over the last two months (see best-selling books list), that dealt ...
THE BLACK SCHOLAR: Journal of Black Studies and Research
THE BLACK SCHOLAR: Journal of Black Studies and Research Troy Johnson Article Volume 1 Number 1 November 1969 Mission Statement From the Inaugural Issue: THE BLACK SCHOLAR has been born out of th...
February 28th 2013 - eNewsletter Highlights
February 28th 2013 - eNewsletter Highlights Troy Johnson Article Our monthly eNewsletter contains information about books and films by or about people of African descent. Authors You Should Know ...
The Lit Bit Celebrates Women’s History Month
The Lit Bit Celebrates Women’s History Month Charisse Carney-Nunes Article Welcome to Women’s History Month! So often we African Americans complain that the preceding month of February, Bla...
What Happened to the Best African American Literary Magazines?
What Happened to the Best African American Literary Magazines? Troy Johnson Article I'm a collector. My family calls it hoarding. While I'm a big proponent of electronic books, I still love to sur...
"Troy's Triangle" for Publishing Success
"Troy's Triangle" for Publishing Success Troy Johnson Article [caption id="attachment_973" align="aligncenter" width="581" caption=""Troy's Triangle" for Publishing Success Copyright ©...
Black Book Websites Need Love Too
Black Book Websites Need Love Too Troy Johnson Article Over the last decade there has been a great deal of lamenting over the closing of Black owned, independent brick and mortar book stores. Recent...
Social Media Conversation with Two Successful Webmasters
Social Media Conversation with Two Successful Webmasters Troy Johnson Article Here Ron Kavanaugh, founder of Mosaicbooks.com and I, founder of AALBC.com, speak with Darryl J. Jenkins (my cousin) ...
My Friend and Publishing Leader Manie Barron Passed away Saturday
My Friend and Publishing Leader Manie Barron Passed away Saturday Troy Johnson Article [caption id="attachment_334" align="alignnone" width="478" caption="Emanuel Joseph Barron (December 7, 1955 to J...
An Author You Should Know: Lalita Tademy
An Author You Should Know: Lalita Tademy Troy Johnson Article [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="559" caption="Lalita Tademy (Photo Credit © InMenlo LLC, 2010)"][/caption] Recently a visitor ...
Facebook Profile Photo Trick
Facebook Profile Photo Trick Troy Johnson Article I'm often inspired by the things other people do. While checking out the Facebook profile of a recent contributor to my discussion board yesterday I...
AALBC.com has changed a lot over the last 13 years.
AALBC.com has changed a lot over the last 13 years. Troy Johnson Article Sometimes I'm amazed at how an experiment started 13 years ago turned into my livelihood today. While AALBC.co...
Troy still has a few tricks
Troy still has a few tricks Troy Johnson Article Last year I started working out again. As I lost weight and got a little stronger, I started doing some of my old gymnastics moves in the gym during m...
VIDEO: Amiri Baraka: Evolution of a Revolutionary Poet
VIDEO: Amiri Baraka: Evolution of a Revolutionary Poet Troy Johnson Article Amiri Baraka: Evolution of a Revolutionary PoetExhibit at Zambezi Bazaar in conjunction with the Leimert Park Book Fair.Ami...
2008 Essence Literary Award Winning Books Announced
2008 Essence Literary Award Winning Books Announced Troy Johnson Article 2008 Essence Literary Award Winning Books Announced http://books.aalbc.com/2008_essence_literary_awards_nominees.htm Would yo...
Barack Obama at Harlem's Apollo Theater, November 29th 2007
Barack Obama at Harlem's Apollo Theater, November 29th 2007 Troy Johnson Article Barack Obama http://aalbc.com/authors/barack_obama.htm Barack Obama hosted a fund raiser at Harlem's "World ...
My Interview with Snoop of HBO's The Wire
My Interview with Snoop of HBO's The Wire Troy Johnson Article Felicia "Snoop" Pearson and AALBC.com founder Troy Johnsonvideo taped interview (8 minutes) The first time I saw Snoop was on HBO's The ...
Two Years Ago - Black New Yorkers: Booklover hopes to profit from his passion
Two Years Ago - Black New Yorkers: Booklover hopes to profit from his passion Troy Johnson Article Black New Yorkers: Booklover hopes to profit from his passionby Tanangachi Mfuni, Amsterdam News Sta...
2007 Outstanding Alumni Award from Syracuse University
2007 Outstanding Alumni Award from Syracuse University Troy Johnson Article It has been almost 30 years since I first set foot on the Syracuse University Campus during, what I believe was, the 1st Em...
Author Martha Southgate Reflects on the State of African American Fiction
Author Martha Southgate Reflects on the State of African American Fiction Troy Johnson Article This article was brought to my attention by author Eisa Ulen (www.EisaUlen.com/blog).Author Martha South...
Black New Yorkers: Booklover hopes to profit from his passion
Black New Yorkers: Booklover hopes to profit from his passion Troy Johnson Article Black New Yorkers: Booklover hopes to profit from his passionby TANANGACHI MFUNIAmsterdam News StaffSeptember 28 - O...
“...what, he think he live in a white neighborhood or sumptin?!”
“...what, he think he live in a white neighborhood or sumptin?!” Troy Johnson Article I'll never understand, why people feel it is okay to litter. I can go outside, right now and watch an adult fini...
Panel discussion entitled Their Eyes Were Reading Smut:
Panel discussion entitled Their Eyes Were Reading Smut: Troy Johnson Article I attended a panel discussion entitled Their Eyes Were Reading Smut: The Impact of Ghetto Fiction on African American Lite...
The Best of The Black Book Web Sites - and other thoughts
The Best of The Black Book Web Sites - and other thoughts Troy Johnson Article Having published and monitored the activity of on-line newsletters for over 7 years I have a good feel for what subjects...
Musings on AALBC.com
Musings on AALBC.com Troy Johnson Article Blogs...and I'm averaging about one post a month. One thing I've learned is that blogs take time -- it you are short on time don't bother.It is not that I'm ...
The Power of Blogs
The Power of Blogs Troy Johnson Article With this, we begin AALBC.com's foray in the world of Blogs. I've been reading a lot about Blogs lately. It seems the media is way ahead of the curve on thi...
The Power of Blogs Part 2
The Power of Blogs Part 2 Troy Johnson Article Interestingly enough the process was not as difficult as I thought it might be, however it is far from intuitive -- particularly if you are not technica...
Remembering Glenn Thompson
Remembering Glenn Thompson W. Paul Coates Article Born in Harlem and raised in Brooklyn, Glenn Thompson [September 24, 1940 – September 7, 2001] left the U. S. as a young man and traveled...
List of Contributors to Step into a World
List of Contributors to Step into a World Kevin Powell Article The Following is the List of Contributors to This Amazing Volume Toyin Adewale is a native of Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeri...
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 2
The 5th National Black Writers Conference Report from the Field 2 Kalamu ya Salaam Article Report from the Field National Black Writers Conference 2000 Part 2 of 3 “E...
Gloria Naylor Discusses Her Novel The Men of Brewster Place on Barnesandnoble.com
Gloria Naylor Discusses Her Novel The Men of Brewster Place on Barnesandnoble.com Gloria Naylor Article Moderator: Welcome, Gloria Naylor! Thank you for taking the time to join us online this evening...
8 Ways Bookstores Can Engage the eReading Community
8 Ways Bookstores Can Engage the eReading Community Shawneda Marks Article Here are 8 ways brick and mortar stores can welcome indie and eBook authors. Introduce readers to indie authors...
Top Ten Reasons Why African American Bookstores Are Closing
Top Ten Reasons Why African American Bookstores Are Closing Gwen Richardson Article Editor’s Note: On March 25, 2012 we published our new bookstore database. At the same time we also publ...
“The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain”
“The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” Langston Hughes Article One of the most promising of the young Negro poets said to me once, “I want to be a poet—not a Negro poet,” meanin...
Book Clubs Focused on Black Literature
Comprehensive registry of national and community book clubs reading and discussing books written by or about people of African descent.
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AALBC.com - African American Literature Book Club (Home)
AALBC.com is the oldest and largest website dedicated to books by or about people of African descent. Celebrating Black literature, authors, book reviews, bestselling books, literary events, and Black...
Can I Get An Amen?
Can I Get An Amen? Ruth C. Taylor Article This article was originally published on now defunct, but historically significant, The Black World Today website and is shared here for archival purposes....
Get Published Not Exploited
Get Published Not Exploited Kalamu ya Salaam Article I don’t give up my copyright to anyone. Period. I will do work for hire— in which case, the copyright is understood before hand t...
Why Fertile Ground is an Important Work
Why Fertile Ground is an Important Work Kalamu ya Salaam Article These Are The Lyrics, Our People Are The Music WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE SPIRIT OF BLACKNESS, the spirit of doing for self...
The Last Poets: Still On a Mission
The Last Poets: Still On a Mission DuEwa M. Frazier Article Before hip hop pioneers like the Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel or Run DMC, there was The Last Poets. Called the "...
Come on Florida, Let’s Race to the Top!
Come on Florida, Let’s Race to the Top! Gina Wilson Beckles Article Dr. Gina Wilson Beckles As a fourth generation Floridian, I am appalled and embarrassed that four of the eight school distric...
Seven Reasons Why Grant Proposals Fail to get Funded
Seven Reasons Why Grant Proposals Fail to get Funded Gina Wilson Beckles Article Gina Wilson Beckles, Ph.D. Program Evaluation Services, Inc. Life is about opportunities. They are ever present ...
More Poetry!/Less Jam!
More Poetry!/Less Jam! Tara Betts Article More Poetry!/Less Jam! by Tara Betts Bruce George’s outgoing voicemail message at Phat Farm states "Don’t leave a message unless it&rsq...
The Moors in Europe
The Moors in Europe Runoko Rashidi Article THE GLOBAL AFRICAN COMMUNITY HISTORY NOTES: THE MOORS IN EUROPE BY RUNOKO RASHIDI It would not be inaccurate to say that the Moors helped reintrodu...
Voices of The Harlem Renaissance
Voices of The Harlem Renaissance Alain Locke Article From Locke’s essay “Harlem,” published in the March 1925 issue of Survey Graphic. If we were to offer a symbol of what Harlem...
Back to (Mysteries) School
Back to (Mysteries) School Mel Hopkins Article Is the oldest storytelling format, the monomyth, also known as The Hero’s Journey, one of the templates used for awakening the human consciousness...
Farrakhan to Black Youth: Study Ferguson, MO and Gaza
Farrakhan to Black Youth: Study Ferguson, MO and Gaza Leroy Baylor Article The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan Photo: Michael Muhammad The military readiness of police in Fer...
A Report From The Field
A Report From The Field Troy Johnson Article 360� A Revolution of Black Poets -- A Report From The Field "360� was a two day gathering of poets in Baltimore, Maryland on September 11 & 12, ...
More Bios.
More Bios. Troy Johnson Article 360� A Revolution of Black Poets Produced in the tradition of the Black Poetry Festivals and Conferences of the Black Arts Movement, this first Nati...