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Why Black Owned Websites Fail
Why Black Owned Websites Fail Troy Johnson Article A few days ago a friend came across an article in, WhereItzAt Magazine. In the magazine was an article, “In defense of Black Bookstores,” addressed ...
Only 54 Black Owned Bookstores Remain in America
Only 54 Black Owned Bookstores Remain in America Troy Johnson Article This is a follow up to an article, “Death of the Black Owned, Independent, Book...
Death of the Black Owned, Independent, Bookstore
Death of the Black Owned, Independent, Bookstore Troy Johnson Article Editor's Note: We published an update of our bookstores in March of 2014. One of the very first things I put on AA...
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...
Marcus Books of San Francisco Evicted—Should We Care?
Marcus Books of San Francisco Evicted—Should We Care? Troy Johnson Article Back in the the summer of 2013, I joined the fight to help save Marcus Books. My motivation was not solely limited to savin...
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 ESSENCE Brand—Where Black Women Come First—NOT!
The ESSENCE Brand—Where Black Women Come First—NOT! Troy Johnson Article A few weeks ago, I visited Essence Magazine’s website to learn which Black owned bookstore they were going to use as the books...
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...
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...
Black-Owned Bookstores Directory
The most comprehensive global directory of Black-owned physical and online bookstores. Find local independent Black booksellers.
Help Keep the Country's Oldest Black-owned Bookstore Open
Help Keep the Country's Oldest Black-owned Bookstore Open Troy Johnson Article Editor's Note (posted May 8th 2014): Marcus Books of San Francisco Evicted Sign the petition to help save the sto...
5 Ways to Support Independent Black Voices
5 Ways to Support Independent Black Voices Troy Johnson Article The Digital Divide, or the disparity between internet adoption rates between various groups, has been a topic of conversation since the...
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...
Mainstream American Publishers Launch Large Number of Imprints Focused on Black Books
Mainstream American Publishers Launch Large Number of Imprints Focused on Black Books Mainstream American Publishers Launch Large Number of Imprints Focused on Black Books Also check out the top 100 p...
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...
Table of Contents
Table of Contents Loading Resources for African American Writers, Authors and ReadersPlaces to Submit WorkPublishersDialogueFYAH.comCopyright InformationPublishing GlossaryOn-line Writers Works...
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...
There is a Lack of Unity Among Black Websites
There is a Lack of Unity Among Black Websites Troy Johnson Article Over the last year, I’ve invested a lot of effort informing the public about the adverse impact of the corporate take over of the we...
AALBC.com Clients Make the NY Times Best Sellers List!
AALBC.com Clients Make the NY Times Best Sellers List! Troy Johnson Article [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="250"] #13 NY Times Best Seller, Hardcover Fiction May 20, 2012[/caption] I start...
AA Book Stores
AA Book Stores Troy Johnson Article Click Here for New Black Owned, Independent Bookstore Database
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...
Host a Listening Party for SHUT UP AND READ!
Host a Listening Party for SHUT UP AND READ! Jeannine A. Cook Article .image:hover { transform: translateY(-5px); box-shadow: 0 12px 24px rgba(255, 126, 3, 0.4); } Host a Listening Pa...
October Bestsellers, Award Winning Books, New Bookstores and More
October Bestsellers, Award Winning Books, New Bookstores and More Troy Johnson Article Bestselling Books September/October 2017 The fiction category was dominated by Sadeqa Johnson’s novel Second ...
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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...
Bklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors
Bklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors Troy Johnson Article Brooklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors by Leah Mullen Perhaps the most overlooked and under acknowledged heroines and heroes...
Bklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors
Bklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors Loading Brooklyn Festival Showcases Emerging Authors by Leah Mullen Perhaps the most overlooked and under acknowledged heroines and heroes ...
Bestselling Books, The Top 25 Black-Owned Sites, New Books, and More
Bestselling Books, The Top 25 Black-Owned Sites, New Books, and More Troy Johnson Article Bestselling Books July – August 2017 Fiction titles outsold all other genres this period, led by the stren...
The Top 50 Black-Owned Websites
Curated directory of prominent Black-owned digital platforms, media publications, newspapers, and cultural portals.
Greene Response to “Their Eyes Were Reading Smut”
Greene Response to “Their Eyes Were Reading Smut” Brenda M. Greene Article Brenda M. Greene, Ph.D.,Professor of English Medgar Evers College, CUNY The Op-Ed Page 229 We...
“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, ...
AA Book Stores
AA Book Stores Loading Click Here for New Black Owned, Independent Bookstore Database
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...
The Importance of Literacy
The Importance of Literacy Troy Johnson Article ...and this is what you read.
17th Annual Celeb.of Black Writing
17th Annual Celeb.of Black Writing Troy Johnson Article PHOTOS and a report of this event coming soon! The 17th Annual Celebration of Black Writing February 16 to 18, 2001 Philadelphia For...
How Bloggers Can Help Each Other
How Bloggers Can Help Each Other Troy Johnson Article A few years ago I created a website, Huria Search, to showcase and highlight the websites of Black content providers, including magazines, ne...
Financial Advice During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Financial Advice During the Covid-19 Pandemic Lynnette Khalfani-Cox Article The COVID-19 outbreak is disproportionately impacting African-Americans, from a public health standpoint and from an econom...
Black Orchid Lit. Agency
Black Orchid Lit. Agency Loading Black Orchid Literary Agency http://www.flashtech.net/bola/ 820 Lamar Street Cleveland, TX 77327 William E. Wright, President & Publisher Founded: June 1998...
C&B Books Distribution
C&B Books Distribution Troy Johnson Article http://www.cbbooksdistribution.com/ C&B Books Distribution started out as an online bookstore. Our mission was to sell books at a discount p...
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...
Black Orchid Lit. Agency
Black Orchid Lit. Agency Troy Johnson Article Black Orchid Literary Agency http://www.flashtech.net/bola/ 820 Lamar Street Cleveland, TX 77327 William E. Wright, President &...
Getting in Dialogue
Getting in Dialogue Troy Johnson Article INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS Interested in being interviewed or having your project considered for DIALOGUE? Mail your biographical sketch and a detailed de...
History of our Annual Black Pack Party
History of our Annual Black Pack Party Troy Johnson Article The Black Pack Party is a gathering of professionals across the Black book ecosystem. It was originally held annually during Book Expo Amer...
2016 National Black Writers Conference
2016 National Black Writers Conference Troy Johnson Article Update: March 25, 2016 The Conference's Complete and final Schedule of Events is Now Available. Greetings Colleagues, We are excited a...
What I’d Say: On Writing “Frankie Five Hundred”
What I’d Say: On Writing “Frankie Five Hundred” Michael A. Gonzales Article Recently my short story “Frankie Five Hundred” was published on the literary website Evergreen Review. Founded ...
New Books Worth Checking Out - July 2013
New Books Worth Checking Out - July 2013 Troy Johnson Article At least once a month, on my Blog, I will share information about new books that I think you will enjoy. If you subscribe to my blog, v...
What is typical discount to book sellers?
What is typical discount to book sellers? Troy Johnson Article "I have self published my own book and I am presently looking to place it with local bookstores. Is there a customary discount giv...
What is typical discount to book sellers?
What is typical discount to book sellers? Loading "I have self published my own book and I am presently looking to place it with local bookstores. Is there a customary discount given and is it ba...
Booking Matters Magazine
Booking Matters Magazine Loading Shunda Leigh Editor-in-Chief Booking Matters Magazine June 2005 - Video � AALBC.com Booking Matters Magazine takes pride in implementing the vision of be...
C&B Books Distribution
C&B Books Distribution Loading http://www.cbbooksdistribution.com/ C&B Books Distribution started out as an online bookstore. Our mission was to sell books at a discount price to the African A...
Milligan Books
Milligan Books Loading Dr. Milligan with Author Monica Regina Payton Dr. Rosie Milligan, CEO Milligan Books Discusses Milligan Books June 2005 - Video � AALBC.com Since its foundi...
Huria Search - Search the Global Black Community
Huria Search - Search the Global Black Community Troy Johnson Article Editors Note: As of March 2016, after a 5 year run, Huria Search's run as a standalone site has ended. The Search engine and the...
Meroen Press
Meroen Press Troy Johnson Article Meroen Press http://www.meroen.com/ The Meroen Press is a small publishing company owned and operated by William and Tameka Hobbs. Meroen Press i...
Milligan Books
Milligan Books Troy Johnson Article Dr. Milligan with Author Monica Regina Payton Dr. Rosie Milligan, CEO Milligan Books Discusses Milligan Books Jun...
Publishing Consultant
Publishing Consultant Loading Under construction.... Earl Cox started his career in publishing nearly eighteen years ago as a shipping and receiving clerk at the Baruch College Bookstore in New...
EyeEdit -- Editorial Services
EyeEdit -- Editorial Services Troy Johnson Article EyeEdit is a Black owned and operated online company established to provide editing, proofreading and writing services. Our clien...
Publishing Consultant
Publishing Consultant Troy Johnson Article Under construction.... Earl Cox started his career in publishing nearly eighteen years ago as a shipping and receiving clerk at the Baruch College Books...
EyeEdit -- Editorial Services
EyeEdit -- Editorial Services Loading EyeEdit is a Black owned and operated online company established to provide editing, proofreading and writing services. Our clients include authors, academ...
Spotlight on the 14th National Black Writers Conference: March 22 – March 25, 2018
Spotlight on the 14th National Black Writers Conference: March 22 – March 25, 2018 Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com is Hosting an Independent Publishing Workshop How to Publish Your Book Independently...
Their Eyes Were Reading Smut
Their Eyes Were Reading Smut Nick Chiles Article Last month I happened to go into the Borders Books store at the Stonecrest mall in Lithonia, Ga., about a half-hour from my house here. To my surprise...
Blacktrospective 2012 - Annual Assessment of the Best in Black Film
Blacktrospective 2012 - Annual Assessment of the Best in Black Film Troy Johnson Article Each year we publish our annual list of the best in Black cinema. This list is unique in that it assesses...
2012 Black Pack Party Photographs
2012 Black Pack Party Photographs Troy Johnson Article (HARLEM - June 12, 2012) - Londel's Restaurant served as the venue for the 6th Black Pack Party held June 6th, 2012. The Black Pack Party, held...
Black Belt Press
Black Belt Press Troy Johnson Article The Black Belt, defined by its dark, rich soil, stretches across central Alabama. It was the heart of the cotton belt. It was and is a place of great beauty,...
Contest Winner
Contest Winner Troy Johnson Article The AALBC in conjunction with BlackWords sponsored a contest for the "360� Degree A Revolution of Black Poets" event. The question posed was "What is the imp...
Contest Winner
Contest Winner Loading The AALBC in conjunction with BlackWords sponsored a contest for the "360� Degree A Revolution of Black Poets" event. The question posed was "...
The Top Cities for Readers of African American Literature
The Top Cities for Readers of African American Literature Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com assessed the relative strengths of almost 300 American cities, to determine which ones are best able to provid...
5 Things Writers Must Do To Survive Online
5 Things Writers Must Do To Survive Online Troy Johnson Article Today, despite all the technology and social media at our disposal, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the average writer to ear...
Chester Himes
Chester Himes Michael Marsh Article Long before becoming a famous novelist, Chester Himes was a budding criminal. But his life changed after he was arrested in Chicago. His approach to his fir...
Meroen Press
Meroen Press Loading Meroen Press http://www.meroen.com/ The Meroen Press is a small publishing company owned and operated by William and Tameka Hobbs. Meroen Press is dedicated to providing a vessel ...
Black Books Galore! AALBC.com's November 2016 eNewsletter
Black Books Galore! AALBC.com's November 2016 eNewsletter Troy Johnson Article Picador USA – Our eNewsletter Sponsor for November Read one of the year’s most highly lauded – and highly provocative...
100 Bestselling Black Authors Leaderboard
The 100 all-time and yearly bestselling Black authors leaderboard based on total weeks on national and independent bestseller lists.
Black Book Videos & Author Channels
AALBC’s independent video channel: 600+ deep-dive author interviews, poetry sessions, book festival panels, and literary craft discussions celebrating Black literature.
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...
Kimani Press
Kimani Press Troy Johnson Article This Summer Sizzles With the Launch Of Kimani Romance�! Bestselling Authors Pen Sophisticated and Sexy Novels for the World's Only African-American Roman...
BARTLETT’S FAMILIAR BLACK QUOTATIONS: Edited by Retha Powers
BARTLETT’S FAMILIAR BLACK QUOTATIONS: Edited by Retha Powers Loading Bartlett's Familiar Black Quotations: 5,000 Years of Literature, Lyrics, Poems, Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs from Voices Around ...
Black Belt Press
Black Belt Press Loading The Black Belt, defined by its dark, rich soil, stretches across central Alabama. It was the heart of the cotton belt. It was and is a place of great beauty, of e...
Black Renaissance Noire
Black Renaissance Noire Loading Black Renaissance Noire African American Literature Book Club - The #1 Site for "Readers of Black Literature" AALBC.com Home � Back&...
2015 Year End Thank You!
2015 Year End Thank You! Troy Johnson Article Coming in the New Year The biggest news for the new year is our website upgrade. We are redesigning AALBC.com from scratch, and we have the benefit of 1...
Spike’s New Film is Bad, Kickstarter Funding is Worse
Spike’s New Film is Bad, Kickstarter Funding is Worse Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com’s movie critic, Kam Williams, is my friend. He is one of the most easy going guys I know. He has reviewed thousa...
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...
Critical Book Reviews & Author Interviews
Read thousands of in-depth book reviews, critical literary commentary, and film reviews covering major and independent Black writers.
The 2017 Black Pack Party @ Clyde Frazier’s May 31, 2017
The 2017 Black Pack Party @ Clyde Frazier’s May 31, 2017 Troy Johnson Article 11th Annual Black Pack Party We are hosting the 11th Annual Black Pack Party on the evening of Wednesday, May 31st. It w...
Black Writers Dominate the 2017 Pulitzer Prizes
Black Writers Dominate the 2017 Pulitzer Prizes Troy Johnson Article Back in January of this year, I took the time to try to figure out how many Black writers have won Pulitzer Prizes in the six ...
Tavis Smiley is no good for Black folks!
Tavis Smiley is no good for Black folks! Troy Johnson Article Actually, I believe the exact opposite, strongly. I used the provocative title to draw attention to this blog post. My hope is that y...
BARTLETT’S FAMILIAR BLACK QUOTATIONS: Edited by Retha Powers
BARTLETT’S FAMILIAR BLACK QUOTATIONS: Edited by Retha Powers Troy Johnson Article Bartlett's Familiar Black Quotations: 5,000 Years of Literature, Lyrics, Poems, Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs...
Neshee Publication
Neshee Publication Troy Johnson Article http://nesheepublication.com Neshee Publication� was founded in January, 2001 by Aalim & Heather Elitou, a husband and wife team also known as...
Neshee Publication
Neshee Publication Loading http://nesheepublication.com Neshee Publication� was founded in January, 2001 by Aalim & Heather Elitou, a husband and wife team also known as Neshee. Neshee in t...
Editing Services
Editing Services Loading AALBC.com's Manuscript Editing Service http://www.aalbc.com/writers/manuscript_review.html EyeEdit Editorial Services http://bit.ly/eyeedit Jazzy Pen Communications htt...
Editing Services
Editing Services Troy Johnson Article AALBC.com's Manuscript Editing Service http://www.aalbc.com/writers/manuscript_review.html EyeEdit Editorial Services https://bit.ly/eyeedit Jazzy Pen ...
July 25, 2017 Newsletter - Includes the Most Critically Acclaimed Books of the Last 40 Years
July 25, 2017 Newsletter - Includes the Most Critically Acclaimed Books of the Last 40 Years Troy Johnson Article May – June 2017 Bestselling Books Children’s books outsold all genres for the...
Top 50 Authors, Bestselling Books, and More
Top 50 Authors, Bestselling Books, and More Troy Johnson Article 50 Favorite African-American Authors of the 20th Century 1,826 readers cast votes, back in 2001, for their favorite African-Ameri...
Serious Problems With Facebook Promotion
Serious Problems With Facebook Promotion Troy Johnson Article Writers, if you are using Facebook to promote your work—especially paid promotion— invest 30 minutes of your time to watch these two vide...
Exercise Your Mind With a Good Book – July 29, 2014 eNewsletter
Exercise Your Mind With a Good Book – July 29, 2014 eNewsletter Troy Johnson Article You may receive this eNewsletter directly in your email-box by subscribing. It may also be read on your Kindle eb...
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...
AALBC.com to Offer Self Published and Small Press Books Direct to Consumers at Competitive Discounts
AALBC.com to Offer Self Published and Small Press Books Direct to Consumers at Competitive Discounts Troy Johnson Article The African American Literature Book Club (AALBC.com) to Offer Self Published...
Clinton as Vice President Would be a Disaster for Obama
Clinton as Vice President Would be a Disaster for Obama Gwen Richardson Article As Senator Barack Obama wrapped up the Democratic nomination on Tuesday, Senator Hillary Clinton and h...
Blockson Literary Collective
Blockson Literary Collective Loading Charles L. Blockson The Charles L. Blockson Literary Collective is dedicated to sponsoring programs and initiates designed to promote family literacy within commun...
Essence Atkins: The “Are We There Yet?” Interview
Essence Atkins: The “Are We There Yet?” Interview Kam Williams Article Essence Atkins was born in New York City on February 7, 1972. Between her innate sense of comedy and girl-next-door ch...
Blockson Literary Collective
Blockson Literary Collective Troy Johnson Article Charles L. Blockson The Charles L. Blockson Literary Collective is dedicated to sponsoring programs and initiates designed to promote ...
F.Y.O.S.
F.Y.O.S. Troy Johnson Article Founders independent publishing company, FYOS Entertainment, LLC Tonya Marie is a Dean's List graduate of Northwestern University (N...