AALBC Search
William “Damani” Keene and Carole “Ife” Keene
William “Damani” Keene and Carole “Ife” Keene MULTIPLE William “Damani” Keene and Carole “Ife” Keene, a couple with a long history together, have turned to historical fiction to tell the captivating ...
John Keene
John Keene 0000000032165978 Winner 2022 National Book Award for Poetry John Keene, acclaimed author known for Annotations, has been published in various anthologies and journals, earning several award...
John Keene and Christopher Stackhouse
John Keene and Christopher Stackhouse MULTIPLE John Keene and Christopher Stackhouse are renowned authors known for their contributions to literature and art. Their collaborative and individual works...
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...
Nigel I. Malcolm
Nigel I. Malcolm NONE Nigel I. Malcolm is an associate professor of communication at Keene State College and the author of “One More River to Cross: The Therapeutic Rhetoric of Race in the Post-Civil...
John A. Williams
John A. Williams 0000000081606231 “…arguably the finest African-American novelist of his generation.” John Alfred Williams (1925-2015), a renowned author and professor, had a distin...
John Lewis
John Lewis 0000000114586629 Born to sharecroppers, John Robert Lewis became a key figure in the US Civil Rights Movement. As chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and a speaker at...
Poet On Watch
Poet On Watch NONE Poet On Watch is a renowned performance poet and multimedia artist, who collaborates globally as an independent art director. She's authored two poetry collections and has contribu...
Tracy K. Smith and John Freeman
Tracy K. Smith and John Freeman MULTIPLE Tracy K. Smith is a Pulitzer-winning poet, author of four books, including 'Life on Mars', and editor of 'American Journal'. She served as the US Poet Laureat...
Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks 0000000081816650 Brooks was U.S. Consultant in Poetry, 1985-1986 (title was changed to U.S. Poet Laureate in 1986) Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (1917-2000) was an influential African-Am...
Natasha Trethewey
Natasha Trethewey 0000000084159051 Trethewey was U.S. Poet Laureate, 2012-2014 Natasha Trethewey, an American poet and winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for her collection “Native Guard,” was inspired...
John S. Mbiti
John S. Mbiti 0000000110268607 “The Father of Contemporary African Theology... Canon John Samuel Mbiti, a Kenyan-born Anglican priest, is a renowned theologian, educator, and author. Formerly a...
John McWhorter
John McWhorter 0000000117982707 John H. McWhorter is a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a renowned author and linguistics scholar. Known for his commentary on cultural and racial issues, ...
Mervyn Morris
Mervyn Morris 0000000122796976 Born in 1937, Mervyn E. Morris is a renowned Jamaican poet and scholar. A Rhodes Scholar and Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing & West Indian Literature, he was the...
Malik Canty
Malik Canty NONE Malik Canty, also known as the Word Bird, is a spiritual poet, teacher, and writer known for giving voice to the voiceless. He has performed at renowned venues including The Apollo T...
John H. Bracey Jr., Sonia Sanchez, and James Smethurst
John H. Bracey Jr., Sonia Sanchez, and James Smethurst MULTIPLE Explore the Black Arts Movement with authors John Bracey Jr., James Smethurst, and Sonia Sanchez. Their collective knowledge provides d...
John A. Williams and Lori Williams
John A. Williams and Lori Williams MULTIPLE John A. Williams is a celebrated author, happily married to his wife Lori Isaac (neé) for 50 years. John A. Williams with his wife of 50 years Lori Isaac...
Jeffrey Allen Tucker and John A. Williams
Jeffrey Allen Tucker and John A. Williams MULTIPLE Jeffrey Allen Tucker and John A. Williams are renowned authors contributing significantly to their respective fields. Tucker's work is marked by his...
John A. Williams and Dennis A. Williams
John A. Williams and Dennis A. Williams MULTIPLE John A. Williams and Dennis A. Williams are acclaimed authors, known for their remarkable contribution to literature. Their insightful works have garn...
John Oliver Killens and Jerry W. Ward
John Oliver Killens and Jerry W. Ward MULTIPLE John O. Killens and Jerry W. Ward are renowned authors recognized for their significant contributions to literature. Their work has greatly influenced t...
John Edgar Wideman and Tracie Church Guzzio
John Edgar Wideman and Tracie Church Guzzio MULTIPLE John Edgar Wideman and Tracie Church Guzzio are renowned authors. Wideman, a Rhodes Scholar, is known for his works on race, sports, and society. ...
Cody Ziglar, John Ridley, Anthony Piper, and Paco Medina
Cody Ziglar, John Ridley, Anthony Piper, and Paco Medina MULTIPLE "Cody Ziglar, John Ridley, Anthony Piper, and Paco Medina are renowned authors and creatives, each contributing significantly to thei...
John H. Bracey Jr., August Meier, and Elliott Rudwick
John H. Bracey Jr., August Meier, and Elliott Rudwick MULTIPLE John Bracey Jr., August Meier, and Elliott Rudwick are renowned authors known for their significant contributions in literature. Their ...
John Koehler and Joe Coccaro
John Koehler and Joe Coccaro MULTIPLE John Koehler and Joe Coccaro are accomplished authors with a rich background in writing and publishing. Their works span various genres, demonstrating their dive...
John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
John Lewis and Andrew Aydin MULTIPLE Nate Powell, John Lewis, and Andrew Aydin are an acclaimed trio of authors, known for their significant contributions to literature. (l to r) Nate Powell, John Le...
John Gibson
John Gibson 0000000080602546 John H. Gibson, a former high-tech engineer with over 25 years of experience, is a writer of thrilling political novels. His career in writing began as a hobby while resi...
John O’Neal
John O’Neal NONE John O'Neal, co-founder of the Free Southern Theater and Junebug Productions, is a prominent playwright and activist. His work, which spans over 50 years, focuses on reviving the mem...
John Conyers Jr.
John Conyers Jr. 0000000025669916 John Conyers Jr. was a long-serving Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan, representing Detroit and its surrounding areas from 1965 t...
Zadie Smith, Junot Diaz, Teju Cole, John Freeman, and others
Zadie Smith, Junot Diaz, Teju Cole, John Freeman, and others MULTIPLE "Zadie Smith, Junot DÃaz, Teju Cole, and John Freeman are renowned authors known for their significant contributions to literatu...
John Henrik Clarke
John Henrik Clarke 0000000109007688 Dr. John Henrik Clarke was born January 1, 1915 in Union Springs, Alabama and died July 16, 1998 in New York City. His family came from a long line of sha...
John Edgar Wideman
John Edgar Wideman 0000000110326512 John Edgar Wideman, born in 1941, is a renowned author and professor hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He completed his B.A. in English from the University of...
John Baldwin West
John Baldwin West NONE Dr. John Baldwin West was a renowned African American pulp detective fiction writer in the 1950s. He authored six novels featuring private investigator Rocky Steele, with most ...
John Koehler
John Koehler NONE John L. Koehler, author of 'Stasi: The Untold Story of the East German Secret Police', is a former journalist for the Associated Press and U.S. Army Intelligence Officer. He advised...
John Vercher
John Vercher NONE John Vercher is a Philadelphia-based author and Assistant Teaching Professor at Drexel University. With degrees from University of Pittsburgh and Mountainview MFA program, he's writ...
John Swanson Jacobs
John Swanson Jacobs 0000000082397144 John Swanson Jacobs (1815 or 1817 – December 19, 1873) was an abolitionist, miner, sailor, and citizen of the world. John Jacobs has a life story that is ...
John Murillo
John Murillo NONE John Murillo is a renowned poet and professor known for his works “Up Jump the Boogie” and “Kontemporary Amerikan Poetry.” He's won numerous awards including two Larry Neal Writers ...
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...
Lorene Cary
Lorene Cary 0000000080840763 Lorene Cary was graduated from St. Paul’s School in 1974 and received B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978. She won a Thouron Fe...
Carrie R. Moore
Carrie R. Moore NONE Carrie R. Moore is the author of the story collection Make Your Way Home, which won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction. Her work has appeared in The Best American Short S...
Countee Cullen
Countee Cullen 0000000081534450 Countée Porter Cullen (1903-1946) was a prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance, known for his poetry books “Color” and “Copper Sun.” He taught and mentored James ...
Rita Dove
Rita Dove 0000000114709625 Dove was U.S. Poet Laureate, 1993-1995 Rita Dove, former U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner, is known for her poetry collections, novel, and drama. She's been reco...
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...
Elnathan John
Elnathan John 0000000460091813 Elnathan John is a distinguished Nigerian novelist and satirist known for his short stories, “Bayan Layi” and “Flying,” both shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African...
Kwame Dawes and John Kinsella
Kwame Dawes and John Kinsella MULTIPLE Kwame Dawes and John Kinsella are acclaimed authors known for their impactful works. Dawes' Ghanaian heritage influences his poetry, while Kinsella's Australian...
Mz. Lady P and Lucinda John
Mz. Lady P and Lucinda John MULTIPLE Mz. Lady P and Lucinda John are accomplished authors, renowned for their captivating narratives and profound insights. Their work spans various genres, offering e...
Daymond John
Daymond John 0000000048788301 Daymond John, founder of the $6 billion fashion brand FUBU, is a pioneering entrepreneur. He's a Shark on ABC's Shark Tank, a New York Times best-selling author, motivat...
John Ridley
John Ridley 0000000114963631 John Ridley is an award-winning American screenwriter, film director, and novelist. Best known for “12 Years a Slave” and the series “American Crime,” his latest work is ...
John Singleton and Veronica Chambers
John Singleton and Veronica Chambers MULTIPLE John Singleton is a celebrated filmmaker and Veronica Chambers is a prolific author & journalist. They have collaborated on numerous projects, blending f...
Michael Bradley with John Henrik Clarke
Michael Bradley with John Henrik Clarke MULTIPLE Michael Bradley with John Henrik Clarke
John Strausbaugh
John Strausbaugh 0000000067554770 John Strausbaugh, born in 1951, is a renowned author and cultural commentator. Known for his authority on New York City's history, he also hosts The New York Times' ...
John Freeman
John Freeman 0000000067029909 John Freeman is an award-winning writer, book critic, and former president of the National Book Critics Circle. Known for his work in The New Yorker, The New York Times,...
Bonnie St. John
Bonnie St. John 0000000036620085 Bonnie St. John, the first African-American Winter Paralympic medalist, is a highly accomplished individual. Despite losing her leg at age five, she ventured into var...
Charlie Jane Anders, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Charles Yu, Victor LaValle, and John Joseph Adams
Charlie Jane Anders, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Charles Yu, Victor LaValle, and John Joseph Adams MULTIPLE Charlie Jane Anders, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Charles Yu, Victor LaValle, and John Joseph Adams are re...
John Holyfield
John Holyfield NONE John Holyfield is a renowned artist noted for his depictions of family, spirituality, and culture, showcasing a distinctive southern rural essence. He resides in Rosemont, West Vi...
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...
John Riddick, Jr.
John Riddick, Jr. MULTIPLE John Riddick, Jr., editor of Rhapsody in Black, a quarterly literary magazine, showcased selected national writers and artists' talents. This publication aimed to promote d...
John Hope Franklin
John Hope Franklin 0000000114547638 John Hope Franklin (January 2, 1915 – March 25, 2009) was an educator and historian. Franklin lived through America’s most defining twentieth-century transf...
John Oliver Killens
John Oliver Killens 0000000081741003 “The Godfather of the Black Arts Movement” John Oliver Killens was an important figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, Killens was a close ...
John Frank
John Frank 0000000109166945 John Frank is an acclaimed author, known for his award-winning books 'The Toughest Cowboy', 'The Tomb of the Boy King' and 'How to Catch a Fish'. His captivating tales hav...
John H. Bracey Jr.
John H. Bracey Jr. NONE John H. Bracey Jr. (1941-2023) was a renowned Afro-American studies professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, known for his work on African American history and cu...
John Anthony West
John Anthony West 0000000083802324 ”Egyptian civilization was not a development, it was a legacy.” John Anthony West was an American author, lecturer, and guide known for his Sphinx water ...
John Harris
John Harris 0000000114527290 John Harris is a seasoned journalist, experienced in covering sports, culture, and race. He has written for major publications and networks. Co-author of 'From Gold Teeth...
John Joven
John Joven NONE John Joven, a Colombian illustrator known for works like The Plan for the Gingerbread House and Preschool, Here I Come! A graphic design graduate who enjoys soccer, movies, travel, an...
Yahrah St. John
Yahrah St. John NONE Yahrah St. John, an established author, began writing at 12 and penned 20 novellas in her teens. As of 2023, she has authored 39 books with Arabesque, Kimani Romance, Harlequin D...
John Blake
John Blake 0000000043266547 John Blake is an acclaimed CNN journalist and GLAAD Media Award winner. Recognized by numerous institutions for his work in journalism, he focuses on race, religion, and p...
Juan Boria
Juan Boria NONE Jaime Torres Torres, known as Juan Boria, was a celebrated Puerto Rican poet and actor born in 1906. Despite humble beginnings, he earned a university degree and taught for 37 years. ...
Alexander Pushkin
Alexander Pushkin 0000000121372055 Alexander Pushkin (1799–1837) was a Russian poet, playwright, and novelist—widely regarded as the founder of modern Russian literature. His verse novel Eugen...
Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka 0000000446460520 Amiri Baraka, also known as LeRoi Jones, was a prolific 20th-century African American writer, poet, and Obie-winning playwright. Known for works such as “Blues People” a...
Chaun Webster
Chaun Webster NONE Chaun Webster, a poet, publisher, and graphic designer, is influenced by the Black Arts Movement, Jazz, and Graffiti. He founded Free Poet’s Press in 2009 to encourage art producti...
Goldie the Poet
Goldie the Poet NONE Goldie the Poet, a Bay-Area native and prominent alumnus of Leimert Park’s World Stage Poets, is a gifted actor and artist. With performances across the U.S. and Europe, his uniq...
Sharrif Simmons
Sharrif Simmons NONE Sharrif Simmons, a poet, musician, writer, and arts educator, has a performance career extending over three decades. Inspired by veteran poet Sonia Sanchez and influenced by vari...
muMs the schemer
muMs the schemer NONE Craig Grant, known as muMs the Schemer, is a poet and actor from the Bronx, New York. He rose to fame in the documentary SlamNation and through his role as “Poet” in HBO's Oz. H...
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...
Rita Daniels
Rita Daniels NONE Rita Daniels is the great-great-great grandniece of Harriet Tubman, is the President and Founder of the Harriet Tubman Learning Center. Rita Daniels, the great-great-great grandnie...
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes 0000000121303076 “Democracy will not come / Today, this year, nor ever / Through compromise and fear.” Langston Hughes, The Poet Laureate of Harlem: Author, Poet, Essayist, Novelist, P...
Willis Nathaniel Huggins and John G. Jackson
Willis Nathaniel Huggins and John G. Jackson MULTIPLE Willis Nathaniel Huggins and Johnson George Jackson are renowned authors, known for their significant contributions to literature and their profo...
Harriette Cole and John Pinderhughes
Harriette Cole and John Pinderhughes MULTIPLE Harriette Cole and John Pinderhughes
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...
William Loren Katz
William Loren Katz 0000000115886981 Bill Katz (1927-2019) was a prolific author and lecturer, known for his contributions to African American history. A graduate of Syracuse University and New York U...
John B. King Jr.
John B. King Jr. 0000000499301320 John B. King Jr. (born January 5, 1975) served in President Barack Obama’s cabinet as the tenth U.S. Secretary of Education. Over the course of his extensive and in...
Victoria Adukwei Bulley
Victoria Adukwei Bulley 0000000474165676 Victoria Adukwei Bulley is a celebrated poet, writer, and artist, recognized for her exceptional poetry with an Eric Gregory Award. She's an alumna of the Bar...
Nate Powell
Nate Powell 0000000078269174 Nate Powell, born in 1978, is a New York Times best-selling graphic novelist known for “March,” the autobiography of John Lewis. A self-publisher from age 14, Powell's aw...
Carole Boston Weatherford
Carole Boston Weatherford 0000000042539806 Carole Boston Weatherford, a New York Times best-selling author, has written over 50 books, earning multiple awards including three Caldecott Honors and two...
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...
Michael S. Harper
Michael S. Harper 000000011480004X Michael S. Harper was an American poet and English professor at Brown University. He was the Poet Laureate of Rhode Island from 1988 to 1993. Michael S. Harper (Ma...
Tracy K. Smith
Tracy K. Smith 0000000049042106 Smith was U.S. Poet Laureate, 2017-2019 Tracy K. Smith, born 1972, is a Pulitzer-winning poet and educator. She has published three poetry collections and teaches creat...
Jim Daniels
Jim Daniels 0000000055106495 James Raymond Daniels, born 1956, is an American poet and writer from Detroit, Michigan. He currently resides in Pittsburgh with his wife, poet Kristin Kovacic, and their...
Jasmine Mans
Jasmine Mans NONE Jasmine Mans, a Black American poet and artist from Newark, NJ, is a University of Wisconsin Madison graduate. Author of the 2012 poetry collection, Chalk Outlines of Snow Angels, a...
Cheryl Boyce-Taylor
Cheryl Boyce-Taylor 0000000038283932 Trinidad-born, Queens-bred Cheryl Boyce Taylor is a celebrated poet and visual artist. She's authored several poetry collections, received the Partners in Writing...
Heru Ptah
Heru Ptah NONE Heru Ptah is a multifaceted writer, known for his work as a poet, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He's appeared on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, CNN, and has a novel published by MTV B...
DuEwa M. Frazier
DuEwa M. Frazier NONE DuEwa Frazier is an accomplished writer, educator, and poet, renowned for her literary contributions and educational initiatives. Born in Brooklyn and raised in St. Louis, she f...
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 ...
Eugene B. Redmond
Eugene B. Redmond 0000000117637604 Eugene B. Redmond, an American poet and academic, is renowned for his connection to the Black Arts Movement. A St. Louis native, Redmond earned degrees from Souther...
Dionne Brand
Dionne Brand 0000000109071487 “The best poetry jolts and shocks, it mines language for what we have not seen, have not heard.” Dionne Brand is an acclaimed poet and novelist, known for win...
Robert Lee Brewer
Robert Lee Brewer NONE Robert Lee Brewer is a Senior Content Editor at Writer's Digest, author, and was voted Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere in 2011. He is known for his expertise in editing, onlin...
George Moses Horton
George Moses Horton 000000006316904X George Moses Horton (1798–1884) was the first African American poet to be published in the Southern US, while still enslaved. His notable works include “The Hop...
Julian Randall
Julian Randall NONE Julian Randall, a Queer Black poet from Chicago, has received multiple fellowships and was named 2015's Best Poet at CUPSI. He curates for Winter Tangerine Review and is pursuing ...