AALBC Search
Betty DeRamus
Betty DeRamus NONE Betty DeRamus is an award-winning journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist known for her nonfiction books on slavery and post-slavery era. Her works, “Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories f...
Teresa Kemp
Teresa Kemp NONE Teresa R. Kemp, a 5th-generation quilter and military historian, is a passionate advocate for cultural preservation and anti-human trafficking. She's a graduate of WVSU and DeVry Uni...
Itah Sadu
Itah Sadu NONE Itah Sadu, an award-winning author and bookstore owner, is known for sharing diverse oral traditions and creating youth programs. She's a founder of several initiatives like the Emanci...
Susan Keeter
Susan Keeter NONE Susan Keeter has illustrated over a dozen titles, including picture books on Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman and 18th-century poet Phillis Wheatley. Susan Keeter has ...
Ellen Levine
Ellen Levine 0000000115622847 Author Ellen Levine is captivated by tales of justice and extraordinary feats by ordinary people, like Henry “Box” Brown's escape as depicted in The Underground Railroad...
Glennette Tilley Turner
Glennette Tilley Turner NONE Glennette Tilley Turner has also written collections of biographies of notable African Americans for adults and serves as an advisor to the National Park Service, where s...
Virginia Hamilton
Virginia Hamilton 0000000114915488 Growing up on a small farm near Yellow Springs, Ohio, in the 1940s, Virginia Hamilton was lovingly embraced by the sights, sounds and smells of rural...
Johan Kuelberg
Johan Kuelberg NONE Johan Kugelberg, born May 6, 1965, is a renowned editor, curator, and author of multiple publications such as The Velvet Underground: A New York Art and Punk: An Aesthetic. Joha...
The Black Dot
The Black Dot NONE The Black Dot is renowned for his insight into the metaphysical aspects of Hip Hop, contributing to various media outlets and authoring the game-changing book, “Hip Hop Decoded.” A...
James Ransome
James Ransome 0000000030399412 James E. Ransome is an award-winning illustrator known for his children's books. His accolades include the Coretta Scott King Award, IBBY Honor Award, and NAACP Image A...
Steven Todd Fisher
Steven Todd Fisher NONE Ayna Rayne is an award-nominated, genre-defying author who captivates readers with her experimental storytelling. She blends elements of romance, drama, mystery, philosophy, a...
Ciera Burch
Ciera Burch NONE Ciera Burch is a lifelong writer and ice cream aficionado. She has a BA from American University and an MFA from Emerson College. Her fiction has appeared in The American Literary M...
Ebony Glenn
Ebony Glenn NONE Ebony Glenn is an Atlanta-based illustrator known for whimsical art that brings joy and magic. She illustrated award-winning books like Mommy’s Khimar, Not Quite Snow White, Beacon t...
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...
Jamal Joseph
Jamal Joseph 0000000049459104 Jamal Joseph, once a fiery advocate for the Black Panther Party, transitioned from the streets of Harlem and prison stints to becoming the chair of Columbia University's...
Kuwasi Balagoon
Kuwasi Balagoon 0000000050075212 Kuwasi Balagoon (1946-1986) was a key figure in the Black Liberation struggle and a member of the Black Panther Party. Known for his unique blend of anarchism and Bla...
Wayne Anthony Still
Wayne Anthony Still NONE Wayne Anthony Still, an award-winning illustrator, painter, designer, and sculptor, holds a BFA from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia. Known for his figurines, stamps...
Clarence Cooper, Jr.
Clarence Cooper, Jr. MULTIPLE “…One of the most under-rated writers in America…” —John A. Williams Clarence L. Cooper Jr., born in 1934, was an author whose works, like...
LaShawn Harris
LaShawn Harris 0000000453921807 Dr. LaShawn D. Harris is an associate professor of history at Michigan State University, the former managing and book review editor for the Journal of African America...
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 ...
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...
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...
Torrey Maldonado
Torrey Maldonado NONE Torrey Maldonado, once a disinterested reader, became a passionate middle school teacher and author after discovering engaging, culturally responsive books. For 20 years, he's i...
Kekla Magoon
Kekla Magoon 0000000040185776 Kekla Magoon, an award-winning author of eight YA novels, including The Rock and the River and X: A Novel, also pens non-fiction on historical topics. She's won an NAACP...
Tracy Sherrod
Tracy Sherrod NONE Tracy Sherrod, editorial director of HarperCollins' Amistad, has worked with award-winning authors and published numerous bestsellers. She has held editorial positions at Simon and...
Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Suyi Davies Okungbowa 0000000509720941 Suyi Davies Okungbowa (born Osasuyi Okungbowa in 1989) is an award-winning author of various novels for adults, the latest of which are Lost Ark Dreaming (Igny...
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...
Margaree K. Mitchell
Margaree K. Mitchell NONE Margaree K. Mitchell is an award-winning author of children's, teen, and adult books. Known for titles like Uncle Jed’s Barbershop and Granddaddy’s Gift, she uses history to...
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...
Marcus Dewan Williams
Marcus Dewan Williams NONE Marcus Dewan Williams, more than just the owner of Nubian Books bookstore, is an active advocate for African and African-American culture and education. As a publisher and ...
Richard Wright
Richard Wright 0000000079803105 Richard Nathaniel Wright (1908-1960), born in poverty and racial discrimination in Mississippi, was a prolific writer aiming to unite Black and White worlds. Known ini...
ReShonda Tate
ReShonda Tate 0000000116441757 ReShonda Tate is a former reporter and national bestselling author of 21 titles including both adult and teen novels. She's also an executive producer for film adaptati...
Teri Woods
Teri Woods 0000000043564923 Teri Woods, a Philadelphia native and former legal secretary, turned author with her first novel, “True to the Game.” After initial rejections, she self-published and sold...
Cheryl Willis Hudson
Cheryl Willis Hudson 0000000037209335 Cheryl Willis Hudson, editorial director of Just Us Books, focuses on publishing Black interest books for children. Co-founder of the company in 1988, she's a re...
Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds 0000000050509463 Jason Reynolds is a 2024 MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius” Grant Winner Jason Reynolds, an acclaimed author and professor, aims to engage readers, espec...
Denene Millner
Denene Millner 0000000120359035 Why I Wrote the Novel One Blood Denene Millner is a New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-nominated TV host, and award-winning journalist. She has authored over 30 bo...
Charlotte Watson Sherman
Charlotte Watson Sherman 0000000067613072 Charlotte Watson Sherman, a Seattle-born author, is known for her novels, children's books, and short fiction collection. Formerly a librarian, her works inc...
Claudia Alexander
Claudia Alexander NONE Claudia Alexander, Ph.D., was a respected NASA scientist, studying planets and flying spacecraft. She contributed to missions to Jupiter, Saturn, and comets. An author, she wro...
Blanche Richardson
Blanche Richardson NONE Blanche Richardson, a seasoned book editor and manager of Marcus Books, one of the oldest African American owned bookstores in the US, has contributed significantly to literat...
Autumn Allen
Autumn Allen NONE Autumn Allen is a literature educator, senior editor at Barefoot Books, and author known for her contributions to children's literature. She teaches at Harvard Graduate School of Ed...
Maryam Khalifah
Maryam Khalifah NONE Maryam is a digital illustrator, specializing in children’s picture books and cover art for chapter books. Maryam has completed picture book illustrations for several clien...
Albert “Prodigy” Johnson
Albert “Prodigy” Johnson NONE Albert “Prodigy” Johnson was a globally recognized rapper, part of the duo Mobb Deep. Known for his reality-based music, he sold millions of albums worldwide. Prodigy al...
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...
Stanley G. Robertson
Stanley G. Robertson NONE Stanley G. Robertson is a professor of business and law at DeVry University in Chicago. He is the host and producer of the television show titled, The Ink Spot, on CA...
We Need Diverse Books
We Need Diverse Books NONE We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) began in April 2014 as the viral #WeNeedDiverseBooks hashtag, bringing together writers, illustrators, publishers, educators, and readers seek...
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 ...
Margo Sorenson
Margo Sorenson NONE Margo Sorenson, born in Washington DC, spent her early years in Europe before graduating from UCLA. After teaching and raising two daughters, she became a full-time author of over...
Roderick D. Talley
Roderick D. Talley NONE Roderick D. Talley created this company as a hub for positive-oriented books and artwork, while fostering a welcoming environment for all people. A firm believer in “practici...
Angela S. Medearis
Angela S. Medearis NONE Angela Shelf Medearis combines a general love for children‘s literature with a particular attention to the reading needs of young African Americans. “I write the kinds ...
Azarel
Azarel NONE Tressa “Azarel” Smallwood, former teacher and now CEO of Life Changing Books, is a successful author and publisher. With over 31 titles including the popular 'Teenage Bluez' series, her w...
Daniel Minter
Daniel Minter 0000000030276690 Daniel Minter is an acclaimed painter and illustrator, known for his work in children's books and exhibitions worldwide. He is the illustrator of 11 books and a Coretta...
Paige Turner
Paige Turner NONE Paige Turner, a lifelong book lover, has over 15 years of marketing experience in Fortune 75 companies. Passionate about sharing ideas from books, she's been writing a weekly book r...
Shannon Simpson
Shannon Simpson NONE Shannon Simpson, Founder of Reading Has Purpose, is a passionate reader who appreciates physical books. She believes in gaining knowledge through reading. Contact her at Shannon@...
Brian Pinkney
Brian Pinkney 0000000063549392 As a child, Brian Pinkney loved drawing pictures on every piece of paper he could find. He also loved watching his father, Jerry Pinkney, illustrate books for children...
Adrian Matejka
Adrian Matejka 0000000037525872 Adrian Matejka is a Germany-born, Indiana-based author and educator. A graduate of Indiana University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale, he has penned award-...
Dinah Johnson
Dinah Johnson NONE Dinah Johnson is a renowned author in children's literature, particularly in African American storytelling. Her books, which include titles like Hair Dance! and Sitting Pretty, cel...
Kimberla Lawson Roby
Kimberla Lawson Roby 0000000063897135 Kimberla’s Thoughts on Concluding Her Reverend Curtis Black Series, After 15 Books Kimberla Lawson Roby is a New York Times Bestselling Author of 24 novels,...
Howard Thurman
Howard Thurman 0000000083893625 “The Godfather of the Civil Rights Movement” Howard Thurman was a significant African American author, theologian, civil rights leader, and Dean of Chapel a...
RAWSISTAZ
RAWSISTAZ NONE The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers were a group of 13 women, including founder Tee C. Royal, who promoted books by and about African Americans. These avid readers, reviewers and members of the Re...
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...
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...
Rachel Moss
Rachel Moss 0000000053187316 Rachel Moss, a Jamaican-born graphic designer, studied animation in England. She's now based in Jamaica, illustrating vibrant, colorful children's books including 'Celebr...
Tameka Fryer Brown
Tameka Fryer Brown NONE Tameka Fryer Brown, a Charlotte-based author, is known for her award-winning children's books. Her debut, “Around Our Way on Neighbors’ Day,” sold over 100,000 copies. Her sec...
Joseph S. Spence
Joseph S. Spence NONE Dr. Joseph S. Spence Sr. is a globally recognized author, poet, educator, and military veteran. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles, ten poetry books, and co-founded...
Brenda Jones and Krishan Trotman
Brenda Jones and Krishan Trotman MULTIPLE Brenda Jones, renowned for her 15-year role as communications director for Rep. John Lewis and co-author of an NAACP award-winning book, has vast experience ...
Johnathan Isom
Johnathan Isom NONE Johnathan Isom, a Memphis-based anesthesiologist, turned novelist, was driven to write a book he'd enjoy. Tired of deceit-focused contemporary fiction, he sought to create a diffe...
Karen Lynn Williams
Karen Lynn Williams 0000000063701972 Karen Lynn Williams, born in 1952, is a renowned author of over a dozen children's books, including the acclaimed 'GALIMOTO'. She's also a former Peace Corps volu...
Kadir Nelson
Kadir Nelson 0000000038009108 Kadir Nelson is a renowned American artist and illustrator with a Bachelor's degree from Pratt Institute. Known for his work with major clients like Sports Illustrated, ...
Linda Villarosa
Linda Villarosa NONE Linda Villarosa, a University of Colorado graduate and Harvard journalism fellow, is the journalism program director at City College of New York and a former editor at the New Yo...
Timbaland and Veronica Chambers
Timbaland and Veronica Chambers MULTIPLE Timothy Z. Mosley, known as Timbaland, is a renowned music producer, part of hip-hop duo Timbaland & Magoo, and CEO of Mosley Music Group. Veronica Chambers, ...
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 ...
Crystal Hubbard
Crystal Hubbard NONE Crystal Hubbard is a versatile author, known for her picture books, contemporary and historical romance novels, and short stories. Her debut title is part of the Who HQ series. C...
Kelly J. Baptist
Kelly J. Baptist NONE Kelly J. Baptist's work resonates deeply with readers because she crafts authentic, relatable characters who navigate difficult circumstances with heart and hope. Her storytelli...
Pat Cummings
Pat Cummings 0000000067231736 Pat Cummings is an award-winning author and illustrator, known for creating over 30 children's books. She's worked on TV shows like Gullah Gullah Island and Cover to Cov...
Quraysh Ali Lansana
Quraysh Ali Lansana NONE Quraysh Ali Lansana is a prolific author, educator, and radio producer based in Tulsa. He has written 23 books spanning poetry, nonfiction, and children's literature. Lansana...
Roberto Carlos Garcia
Roberto Carlos Garcia NONE Roberto Carlos Garcia is associate professor of English at Union College of Union County NJ. He writes poetry and prose about the Afro-Latinx and Afro-Diasporic experience...
Sharon M. Draper
Sharon M. Draper 0000000374578086 Sharon M. Draper, acclaimed author of the Sassy series and numerous teen novels, is a New York Times bestseller and multiple Coretta Scott King Award winner. A forme...
Tony Medina
Tony Medina 0000000111019127 Tony Medina (Photo: WideVision Photography) was born in the South Bronx, raised in the Throgs Neck Housing Projects, and currently lives in the Washington, D...
Tonya Bolden
Tonya Bolden 0000000116508683 Tonya Bolden, a Princeton and Columbia University graduate, is an award-winning author/editor of over 40 books, including children's nonfiction and historical novels. He...
George Ford
George Ford 0000000100607572 George Ford, a prolific children's book illustrator, has contributed to over 30 books. He is a Coretta Scott King Award recipient for his work on 'Ray Charles' and 'The S...
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey 0000000114891842 Oprah Winfrey, a multi-billionaire and influential media owner, is best known for her highest-rated TV show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. She also runs the renowned Oprah Bo...
Walter Dean Myers
Walter Dean Myers 0000000108718912 Walter Dean Myers, born August 12, 1937, was an award-winning author from Harlem, known for his dedication to children and young adult literature. He received numer...
Yusef Komunyakaa
Yusef Komunyakaa 000000011440862X Yusef Komunyakaa the first African American male to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry Yusef Komunyakaa, born on April 29, 1947, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet recog...
William H. Armstrong
William H. Armstrong 0000000121219974 William H. Armstrong, a celebrated author and educator, taught at the Kent School for over 50 years. Known for his award-winning children's book “Sounder”, he ha...
Andrea Davis Pinkney
Andrea Davis Pinkney 0000000083413599 Andrea Davis Pinkney is a bestselling author of children and young adult books, awarded multiple honors such as Coretta Scott King Awards and NAACP Image Award n...
Patricia C. Mckissack
Patricia C. Mckissack 0000000108593937 Patricia L'Ann Carwell McKissack (1944-2017) was a renowned children's author who wrote over 100 books highlighting African American history and Southern folklo...
Angela Flournoy
Angela Flournoy 0000000436914613 Angela Flournoy, author of The Turner House, a National Book Award finalist, has been recognized with numerous awards including the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize. A Nat...
Trice Hickman
Trice Hickman NONE Trice Hickman, a North Carolina native and avid reader, nurtured a lifelong love for books and writing. After years in higher education and various management positions, a lay-off ...
Doreen Rappaport
Doreen Rappaport 0000000073677013 Doreen Rappaport, an award-winning author of 48 children's books, is celebrated for her unique storytelling style that combines historical facts with intimate narrat...
Alan Schroeder
Alan Schroeder 0000000439819531 Alan Schroeder, born 1961, is an acclaimed author of picture books depicting the early lives of notable African Americans. His work, recognized with ALA Notables and T...
Subi Bosa
Subi Bosa NONE Subi Bosa is a South African children's book illustrator. With over 15 independently published books to his credit, he is passionate about creating impactful and positive content for c...
Carolyn Marie Rodgers
Carolyn Marie Rodgers 0000000066509791 Carolyn Marie Rodgers (1940-2010), a key figure in the Black Arts Movement and co-founder of Third World Press, was born and raised in Chicago. Known for her po...
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...
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...
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...
Tom Feelings
Tom Feelings 0000000063291627 Tom Feelings was a Brooklyn-born author, illustrator, and activist who portrayed the African-American experience through his work. He had a distinguished career, winning...
Alvin Romer
Alvin Romer NONE Alvin C. Romer is a Miami-based educator, freelance writer, and journalist. He founded The Romer Review, a platform for book reviews and author showcases. Trained as a journalist, Ro...
Michele Wood
Michele Wood 0000000384420661 Michele Wood is a minister and award-winning author known for her vivid illustrations and use of Christian symbolism. Her accolades include the American Book Award, the ...
Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Jan Spivey Gilchrist 0000000067483263 Jan Spivey Gilchrist, a Ph.D. holder in English, has illustrated over 60 children's books since 1988, with numerous prestigious awards to her name. She's also an...
DK
DK NONE DK is an author who creates books to inspire curiosity and discovery about our world. Covering topics from first words to the Big Bang and city adventures, their books offer expert knowledge ...