AALBC Search
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...
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor 0000000049060048 Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor is a renowned Kenyan writer, recognized for her contribution to literature and arts in Kenya. She won the 2003 Caine Prize for her story “...
Frantz Fanon
Frantz Fanon 0000000120981385 A critically acclaimed biography of Fanon was published in 2024: The Rebel’s Clinic Born in 1925, Frantz Fanon was a pivotal figure in the African independence stru...
Barbara Summers
Barbara Summers 0000000083029183 Barbara Summers was an American author, educator, and former Ford model. She authored 'Skin Deep' (1998), a definitive work on black women in the modeling industry, b...
Cayla Bellanger DeGroat
Cayla Bellanger DeGroat NONE Cayla Bellanger DeGroat, a White Earth Band of Ojibwe member from Minnesota, is an expert in Indigenous history and federal Indian policy. She has a BA in American Indian...
Nonku Kunene Adumetey
Nonku Kunene Adumetey NONE Nonkululeko “Nonku” Kunene Adumetey is a devoted wife, mother, and children's author. Born in eSwatini, educated in Canada and the US, she's passionate about inspiring chil...
Natasha Bowen
Natasha Bowen NONE Natasha Bowen, a New York Times bestselling author, teacher, and mother, is of Nigerian and Welsh descent. She studied English and creative writing at Bath Spa University and has a...
Toyomi Igus
Toyomi Igus NONE Toyomi Igus, a celebrated author and communications strategist, has had a varied career in publishing, corporate, and marketing communications. Known for her work in academic book pu...
Reni K. Amayo
Reni K. Amayo NONE Reni K. Amayo, a London-born author of Nigerian descent, channels her vivid imagination into reimagining Nigeria's deeply magical, pre-colonial past. Her debut book, “Daughters of ...
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...
Michaela Coel
Michaela Coel 0000000434604582 Michaela Coel, a Ghanaian-British actress, screenwriter, director, and producer, is renowned for her BAFTA-winning roles in “Chewing Gum” and “I May Destroy You.” She m...
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...
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...
Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert
Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert NONE Dr. Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert is a Texas-based educator, literacy consultant, and author of over 20 children's books, many of which celebrate African American culture and h...
Kitt Thomas
Kitt Thomas NONE Katelan “Kitt” Thomas is a Lucian-American author-illustrator and graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design. She uses her art to celebrate Black culture and promote inclusion. K...
Akiba Solomon
Akiba Solomon NONE Akiba Solomon, NABJ Award-winning journalist and senior editorial director of Colorlines, is known for her work on culture, race, and gender. Kenrya Rankin, an award-winning author...
Toni Ann Johnson
Toni Ann Johnson NONE Toni Ann Johnson is an award-winning author recognized for her linked story collection 'Light Skin Gone to Waste', which won the 2021 Flannery O'Connor Award and was nominated f...
Walter White
Walter White 0000000081462565 “I am a Negro. My skin is white, my eyes are blue, my hair is blond. The traits of my race are nowhere visible upon me.” Explore A.J. Baime's 2022 autobiograp...
Caroline Randall Williams
Caroline Randall Williams 0000000371378337 Caroline Randall Williams, born in 1987, is a multi-genre writer and educator based in Nashville, Tennessee. She's well-recognized for her award-winning wor...
Zin E. Rocklyn
Zin E. Rocklyn NONE Zin E. Rocklyn is a celebrated author, contributing to award-winning anthologies and zines. They've received notable recognition for their horror story, “Summer Skin”, and contrib...
Melissa Koby
Melissa Koby NONE Melissa Koby, a Jamaican-born illustrator based in Tampa, uses art as a form of self-healing. Her faceless figures encourage viewers to see themselves in her work, focusing on emoti...
George Lamming
George Lamming 0000000114972132 George William Lamming (1927-2022) was a renowned Barbadian novelist and critic, celebrated for his exploration of colonialism and identity in the 20th century Caribbe...
N.A. Cash
N.A. Cash NONE N.A. Cash, a Bahamian author and Miss Earth Bahamas 2005, is a psychologist who combines her vivid imagination with her professional insights to create suspenseful, supernatural fictio...
Terry J. Stokes
Terry J. Stokes NONE Terry J. Stokes is an associate pastor and author with degrees from Yale and Princeton Seminary. He writes on prayer practices, contributes to Episcopal publications, and is an e...
Ruth Wilson Gilmore
Ruth Wilson Gilmore 0000000035850196 Ruth Wilson Gilmore is a Professor at the City University of New York with expertise in Earth & Environmental Sciences and American Studies. She's also the Direct...
V.S. Chochezi
V.S. Chochezi NONE Dr. V.S. Chochezi is a multi-talented author, poet, artist, and professor, known for her work with Straight Out Scribes, a mother/daughter spoken word duo. She has published numero...
Mother Love and Tonya Bolden
Mother Love and Tonya Bolden MULTIPLE Mother Love and Tonya Bolden are renowned authors, known for their engaging and insightful works. Mother Love, a popular TV personality, combined her wit and wis...
Kenji Jasper
Kenji Jasper 0000000002779450 “My name is Kenji Nathaniel Jasper and I am author. But I know that in this day and age ‘authors’ come a dime a dozen. It is no longer an event when one of ou...
Treasure Blue
Treasure Blue NONE Treasure Blue is an Essence Magazine best selling author. A former fire inspector with the New York City Fire Department, he is also winner of the Black Issue Book Reviews Urba...
Toni Tipton-Martin
Toni Tipton-Martin 0000000035718195 Toni Tipton-Martin is an award-winning food journalist and community activist, recognized for her efforts to promote healthier communities. She's a recipient of th...
Patrice Gaines
Patrice Gaines 0000000031432130 Patrice Gaines, despite a stable upbringing, found herself in jail at 21, charged with drug-related felonies. As a convicted felon and single mother, she faced job str...
Adrienne Thompson
Adrienne Thompson NONE Adrienne Thompson, a mother and divorcee by 24, overcame adversity to complete her college degree and earn her nursing license. Now a successful author, she draws from her life...
Wendy Jones
Wendy Jones NONE “I come from a family of storytellers. My mother and my grandmother were my first teachers.” The author, raised in a family of storytellers, learned the art of dialogue an...
Nicole Garrett
Nicole Garrett NONE Nicole FáLon Garrett was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s in English from the University of Iowa and Chicago State University res...
Bernice L. McFadden
Bernice L. McFadden 0000000079269539 Bernice L. McFadden is an author who also writes under the pseudonym, Geneva Holliday. Here you will find a list of published books, videos, and more. Bernice L....
Blacc Topp
Blacc Topp NONE Blacc Topp, an award-winning author born in Benton Harbor, MI, and raised in South Dallas, used his love for writing to navigate personal loss and a challenging upbringing. From journ...
Very Puzzled
Very Puzzled NONE Very Puzzled creates educational jigsaw puzzles that celebrate diversity and promote understanding of different cultures. Their mission is to provide children with a fun way to expl...
Bernadette Baillie
Bernadette Baillie NONE Bernadette Baillie, a Filipina American writer and speaker, grew up in a sports-loving family, selling signature athlete shoes. A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked...
Kathryn M. Johnson
Kathryn M. Johnson NONE Compiler of “The Two Foot Shelf of Negro Literature” Kathryn Magnolia Johnson, born in the Jim Crow Era, was a champion for literacy, education, and social justice....
Elizabeth Atkins
Elizabeth Atkins NONE Elizabeth Ann Atkins, best-selling author, actress, TV host, and award-winning journalist, uses her multimedia platform to inspire others to reach their potential. An advocate f...
Trina Sotira
Trina Sotira NONE Trina Sotira is an Associate Professor of English/Creative Writing and former TV news producer. She's a published author, recognized for her young adult novel, and an active educato...
Reggie Tuggle
Reggie Tuggle NONE Rev. Reggie Tuggle, a scholar, pastor, civil rights leader, and former corporate executive, has dedicated his life to overcoming adversity and sharing his blessings. Raised in Denv...
Tamara Nicole Pizzoli
Tamara Nicole Pizzoli NONE Dr. Tamara Pizzoli, originally from Killeen, Texas, is a devoted mother and prolific author who divides her time between Italy, America, and her creative mind, writing hear...
Mikki Arlene Ealey
Mikki Arlene Ealey NONE Mikki Arlene Ealey is a mother, author, CEO, and senior court office assistant. She is dedicated to healing the world and helping others reach their potential through her writ...
Deloris Jordan
Deloris Jordan NONE Deloris Jordan, mother of NBA star Michael Jordan, is a bestselling children's book author and advocate for families. Known for works like “Salt in His Shoes,” she also contribute...
Sindiwe Magona
Sindiwe Magona 0000000122787607 Sindiwe Magona is a South African author who grew up in a Cape Town township, worked for the UN, and earned degrees from the University of South Africa and Columbia Un...
Brianna-Christine Alicea
Brianna-Christine Alicea NONE Brianna-Christine Alicea, raised in South Bronx, is the first-generation college student on her mother's side, currently studying at Medgar Evers College after overcomin...
Dennis A. Williams
Dennis A. Williams NONE Dennis A. Williams is a Syracuse-born author and educator. Raised in a multicultural neighborhood, his experiences shaped his writing, including his 1973 novella “Them That’s ...
Eleanora E. Tate
Eleanora E. Tate 0000000067159869 Eleanora E. Tate is an acclaimed author and educator known for her stories celebrating community life. Her first novel, Just an Overnight Guest, was adapted into a T...
Darnell Lamont Walker
Darnell Lamont Walker NONE Darnell Lamont Walker is a celebrated death doula, Emmy-nominated writer, and storyteller redefining how we talk about life, loss, and everything in between. He guides ind...
J.M. Benjamin
J.M. Benjamin NONE Allow me to introduce you to one of the hardest working hustlers in urban lit: J.M. Benjamin J.M. Benjamin is a successful, powerful and impacting ...
C. Lynn Williams
C. Lynn Williams NONE C. Lynn Williams is a coach, author, and founder of Finding Superwoman, a curriculum for balancing professional and personal roles. She has written the Staying Sane book series ...
Gayl Jones
Gayl Jones 0000000109336115 “Gayl Jones is an exceptionally talented writer.” —Robert Fleming Gayl Jones was born on November 23, 1949, in Lexington, Kentucky. Her father Franklin J...
Khalid el-Hakim
Khalid el-Hakim NONE Khalid Hussein El-Hakim is the founder of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum. His mission is to elevate human consciousness by sharing African American history and achievements ...
Leyda Aileen
Leyda Aileen NONE Leyda Aileen is a writer, interviewer, and communications professional dedicated to celebrating Black authors, books, and the communities that support them. Passionate about the po...
Nekesa Namosuge J. Smith
Nekesa Namosuge J. Smith NONE With more than 25 years of experience, Nekesa Namosunge J. Smith is a licensed cosmetologist, international educator, and oral historian dedicated to advancing textured...
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...
Krystal Quiles
Krystal Quiles NONE Krystal Quiles, a rising artist from Bronx, NY, graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Communication Design. Now a Brooklyn-based Freelance Illustrator, her lively, dimensio...
Alain Locke
Alain Locke 0000000108789294 Celebrate the Centennial of Survey Graphic on March 23, 2025, at 6 PM ET. Register Here Born in 1886, Alain LeRoy Locke was an influential educator, writer, and phil...
Troy Johnson
Troy Johnson 0000000530602616 “I lead the world's oldest and largest online platform dedicated to books by and about people of African descent.” Troy Demetrius Johnson, founder and President of AALBC....
V. M. Burns
V. M. Burns NONE V. M. Burns is an American mystery writer best known for her cozy series including the Mystery Bookshop Mysteries, Dog Club Mysteries, and RJ Franklin Mysteries. Born in northwester...
Sharon Bell Mathis
Sharon Bell Mathis 0000000063330251 Sharon Bell Mathis, initially a teacher, became an acclaimed author known for her middle-grade novels and picture books. Her works such as 'Sidewalk Story', 'Tea C...
Jessie Redmon Fauset
Jessie Redmon Fauset 0000000121319502 Jessie Redmon Fauset was a prominent literary editor for Crisis magazine (1919-1926) and The Brownie's Book (1920-1921). Her first novel, 'There is Confusion', w...
Sarah J. Heidelberg
Sarah J. Heidelberg NONE Kansas-born Sarah Jane Heidelberg, an artistic, music-loving author and tutor, runs her own publishing company, Ophelia Brown Publishing. Inspired by a childhood German tale,...
Ida Green
Ida Green NONE Dr. Ida Greene, Ph.D., is a renowned author and inspirational speaker. She founded People Skills International and Our Place to promote self-esteem and empowerment. The organizations o...
Max Rodriguez
Max Rodriguez NONE Max Rodriguez is the founder and publisher of QBR/The Black Book Review, one of the nation’s premier publications dedicated to books by and about people of African descent. ...
Janet Dewart Bell
Janet Dewart Bell NONE Janet Dewart Bell is a social justice activist and Emmy winner, recognized for her work with CBS-TV and National Public Radio. She has held key communication roles with Distric...
Candice Carty-Williams
Candice Carty-Williams 0000000501732761 Candice Carty-Williams, born in 1989, is a successful senior marketing executive at Vintage and creator of the Guardian and 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize. ...
Alice Dunbar-Nelson
Alice Dunbar-Nelson 0000000081179540 Check out Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson (1875-1935) was an acclaimed American journalist, political act...
Rebel Girls
Rebel Girls NONE Rebel Girls is an empowerment brand that inspires girls globally with stories of extraordinary women. Originated from a best-selling children's book, it reaches nearly 20 million gir...
Linda Addison
Linda Addison 000000003555029X “Addison has enough invention for two writers, and enough heart for three.” —Terry Bisson, Nebula Award winning author Linda D. Addison, first African...
Jessica Wilson
Jessica Wilson NONE Jessica Wilson is a dietitian, storyteller, and community organizer. Known for her work in dietetics and eating disorder fields as a Black, queer woman, she co-created Amplify Mel...
Erika Lynne Jones
Erika Lynne Jones NONE Erika Lynne Jones, a children's book author and illustrator, uses her work to celebrate culture and affirm children's worth. Known for “The Loud Librarian” and based in Dallas,...
Maulana Karenga
Maulana Karenga 0000000116973657 Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies and influential figure in the Black Power movement, created the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa. A graduate of UC...
Fulterius King
Fulterius King NONE Fulterius King is an Author, Poet, and Licensed Mental Health Therapist dedicated to empowering Black men and boys through the transformative power of poetry. Fulterius King is a...
Mel Pennant
Mel Pennant NONE Mel Pennant is an award-winning playwright whose work has appeared in the National Archives, as well as on stage. Born in London, she was raised by an extraordinary village, which ...
Anela Malik
Anela Malik NONE Anela Malik is an author, creator, and host whose storytelling feeds both minds and hearts. She writes, films, and speaks about food, travel, culture, and identity through an unflin...
Jaha Nailah Avery
Jaha Nailah Avery NONE Jaha Nailah Avery is an African American woman and proud Southerner. Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, she received her law degree from The University of North Carolina ...
Celeste Beatty
Celeste Beatty NONE Celeste Beatty is the first Black woman to own a brewery in the United States. Celeste Beatty (born 1964), entrepreneur and beer pioneer, founded the Harlem Brewing Company in 200...
Tracie Morris
Tracie Morris 0000000031997991 Born in Brooklyn, interdisciplinary poet and sound artist Tracie Morris earned an MFA at Hunter College and a PhD at New York University. She studied acting at the Roy...
Karmetria Burton
Karmetria Burton NONE Karmetria Dunham Burton PhD is senior director of Global Supplier Diversity and Inclusion for McDonald’s. Dr. Karmetria Burton is a corporate executive, speaker, author, and fou...
Tonya Abari
Tonya Abari NONE Tonya Abari is a multigenre storyteller. She is the author of many celebrated books for children, including Locs, Not Dreads; Let’s Celebrate Juneteenth; and My Hair, My Crown. T...
Stanley Crouch
Stanley Crouch 000000011474616X Stanley Crouch (December 14, 1945 – September 16, 2020) was born in Los Angeles. He was an American music and cultural critic, syndicated columnist, and novelis...
Toi Derricotte
Toi Derricotte 0000000083980729 “My skin causes certain problems continuously, problems that open the issue of racism over and over like a wound.” Toi Derricotte is an award-winning poet a...
Tlotlo Tsamaase
Tlotlo Tsamaase NONE Tlotlo Tsamaase is a Motswana author of Womb City and The Silence of the Wilting Skin. Her second novel, House of Margins, is forthcoming in Spring 2026, as well as her debut YA...
Winnie Harlow
Winnie Harlow NONE Winnie Harlow (born Chantelle Whitney Brown-Young in July 27, 1994) is a Canadian fashion model, actress, entrepreneur, and advocate best known for challenging conventional beauty...
Ishi Robinson
Ishi Robinson NONE Ishi Robinson was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. A Canadian citizen, she has lived in Bern, Toronto, Rome, London and now lives in Berlin with her Czech husband. Her first ...
Donna Oriowo
Donna Oriowo NONE Dr. Donna Oriowo (pronounced “oreo-whoa!”), LICSW, CST, is an award-winning DEI advocate, international speaker, and certified sex and relationship therapist based in the Washingto...
Asali Solomon
Asali Solomon NONE Asali Solomon, a West Philadelphia native, is a celebrated author and academic with a PhD in English and an MFA in Fiction. Known for her book, “Get Down”, her work has been featur...
Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts NONE Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts is a renowned author of 15 books and podcast host of HeARTtalk. Her distinguished writings have been featured in The Washington Post...
Princess Joy L. Perry
Princess Joy L. Perry NONE Princess Joy L. Perry is the recipient of a Virginia Commission for the Arts Fellowship and a winner of the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award. Her short stories have...
Nataisha T. Hill
Nataisha T. Hill NONE Nataisha T. Hill, certified model and Mass Communication graduate from Middle Tennessee State University, transitioned from modeling to writing, publishing her first novel in 20...
Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm
Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm NONE Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm is a celebrated writer, playwright, and founder of Candace Magazine. She's received awards including the National Black Women Achievement Awards a...
Jesus Colon
Jesus Colon 0000000022976005 Jesus Colon, widely recognized as the Father of the Nuyorican, was a distinguished Puerto Rican author and political activist. Born in 1901, he developed a passion for st...
Patricia A. Bridewell
Patricia A. Bridewell NONE Patricia A. Bridewell is an award-winning author, nurse practitioner, and educator who began her writing career in 2005. She has published four novels and contributed to se...
Shaun Sinclair
Shaun Sinclair NONE Shaun Sinclair, a South Carolina native and Army veteran, is a renowned author known for blending crime and erotica in his novels. Leveraging his experience as a law clerk, his wo...
Sandra Pinkney
Sandra Pinkney NONE Sandra L. Pinkney, an award-winning author and early childhood development expert, collaborates with her husband Myles to create multicultural children's books. Known for titles l...
J.D. Mason
J.D. Mason NONE J.D. Mason is a distinguished author with over a decade of professional writing. She self-published her debut novel twice before signing with a NYC publisher. Her work, featuring a po...
Derilene Marco, Tiffany Willoughby-Herard, and Abebe Zegeye
Derilene Marco, Tiffany Willoughby-Herard, and Abebe Zegeye MULTIPLE Dee Marco is a Media Studies lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, researching cinema, visual culture, and feminist nar...
Theodore W. Allen
Theodore W. Allen 000000003475678X Theodore W. Allen (1919-2005) was an activist and intellectual who pioneered work on white privilege. He co-authored 'White Blindspot', authored 'Can White Workers ...