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Dick Gregory’s Political Primer by Dick Gregory is an essential guide to American political history unlike any other. Full of clear, concise, and amusing lessons on the nature of our political process to educate and empower every citizen, from cultural icon Dick Gregory. AALBC Bestselling Books July/August 2020 Fiction: Novelist d. E. Rogers earned the #1 spot on our fiction bestsellers with with his debut novel, Black States of America: Real Black Power. Perennial AALBC favorite author Octavia Butler, makes our bestsellers list for the 3rd time with Parable of the Sower. Nonfiction: Nonfiction sales have been strong all summer, outselling all other bestseller categories combined. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo was the overall bestselling book. First-time nonfiction bestsellers include, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson and Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla Saad. Children’s Books: A Black Woman Did That by Malaika Adero leads in the sales of all children’s books, while Whose Knees Are These? by Jabari Asim continues to be the bestselling board book on AALBC. Poetry: The Collected Poems Of Lucille Clifton 1965-2010, the 2013 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award Winning Book for Poetry, is the only bestselling book of poetry this period. Voices of the Harlem Renaissance: Originally Published as The New Negro an Interpretation Featuring a New Introduction by Troy Johnson The New Negro: Voices of The Harlem Renaissance was originally published in 1925 by the Albert and Charles Boni Publishing Company. Dr. Alain LeRoy Locke edited this groundbreaking anthology, which he described as “…embodying these ripening forces as culled from the first fruits of the Negro Renaissance.” This preeminent collection introduced the artistic and cultural expression of African American writers, poets, and artists to a wider audience. Almost 100 years later, this treasure trove of innovative work by our foremost thinkers, creatives, and storytellers, continues to inspire and inform a new generation of writers, thought leaders, intellectuals, and activists inciting change today, on a global scale. Buy a limited edition, hardcover copy, autographed by Troy Johnson for only $14.99. Readers will receive a copy of Black Voices. How to Support a Black-Owned Book Store Authors: Link to Our Web Sites Robin DiAngelo, author of the #1 AALBC bestseller, White Fragility, links to three Black-owned bookstores! Read why DiAngelo’s action is so important why authors and publishers must follow her lead ▶ If you want to support a Black-owned bookstore it is easy; send readers to our stores too! Your actions speak MUCH more loudly than your words and the discrepancy is felt by the Black-owned bookstores you say you support. Dear Reader, As always, thanks so much for your business and support. Reader who are why we have been able to celebrate Black books, and culture, for almost a quarter of a century. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Amistad Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – September 8, 2020 - Issue #301

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2020 by Ms. Magazine, USA Today, Book Riot, The Rumpus, Library Journal, PureWow, The Every Girl, Parade and more, Saving Ruby King is an epic, enthralling story set in the South Side of Chicago of a young woman determined to protect her best friend and a deadly secret that threatens to undermine both of their families. For a limited time, save 11% at AALBC. Interview with Critically Acclaimed Children’s Book Author Kelly Starling Lyons “I’ve always been a storyteller at heart. When I wrote for Ebony magazine and newspapers, my focus was feature articles. I wanted to bring stories of real people to life so that you could see, hear and feel their worlds. My calling to write for kids began when I saw Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth. That was my first time seeing a Black girl on the cover of a picture book. Looking at her face full of wonder and hair in ballies and barrettes made me think of my nieces, cousins and myself at that age. Immediately, I felt a connection.” Kelly’s latest, Ty’s Travels has made history by being the first “I Can Read” Series starring a Black family (HarperCollins, September 1, 2020). Read More ▶ Uncle Tom: A Oral History of the American Black Conservative Film Review The film’s strength is derived from tapping into the humanity of the Black people showcased. All Black conservatives are not the self-hating negroes that many on the political left sometimes make them out to be. They are people who trust in the American system. They believe the Democrat’s focus on racism is a unworthy distraction which is preventing Black people from being successful in this country… The film does have several important weaknesses; there is an strong bias in how liberals are portrayed relative to how conservatives are portrayed; the film reinforces the false narrative that the Democratic party is still the party of the Klan, and the Republican party is still the party of Abraham Lincoln… Read More ▶ Resources for Authors: What’s a BISAC Code? A book’s BISAC Subject Codes helps me categorize books on AALBC, which makes it easier for readers to find the books they will enjoy. When requesting a book’s BISAC codes, too often, I’m asked; “What’s a BISAC Code?” This short video answers that question. How to Support Black-Owned Bookstores Recently Oprah Magazine published an article “12 Authors Share Their Favorite Black-Owned Bookstores.” This is was an really cool thing to do, as it highlighted several Black-owned bookstores and showcased the work of a dozen important writers. One of the 12 authors, Mitchell Jackson, cited AALBC.com as his favorite bookstore! But here’s is the thing, and it is a big deal, when mentioning the author’s books, Oprah Magazine did not send readers AALBC or any of the Black-owned bookstores mentioned as favorites. Instead, they linked to a white-owned business (bookshop.org) — missing a tremendous opportunity to direct those books sales to the Black-owned bookstores they were trying to support! Read More ▶ Gwyn Ridenhour, the founder of Matchbook, pulled together the resources to create a catalog designed to celebrate contemporary Black author’s books, Black Voices. Everyone involved provided their services free of charge and shipped the catalog to booksellers for just the cost of shipping. One bookstore even offered to subsidize the cost of shipping for booksellers who needed the assistance. AALBC was one of the sources referenced to select the books in the publication and is shipping the catalog with select orders. Read more ► Dear Reader, This is AALBC’s 300th Newsletter! Most people are surprised to learn that I created and maintain the entire AALBC website — single-handedly. This not only means writing HTML, CSS, Javascript, SQL, and PHP code; it also means writing this newsletter, articles, and reviews; processing book orders; attending events; shooting and editing video; moderating discussion forums; managing writers, editors, interns, and more. I’m sharing this insight not to boast, but to explain how much your support means. Reader, you make AALBC go! I can’t do this without your, kind words, sharing of AALBC’s content, visits to the website, newsletter subscriptions, and business. Moving forward, with your support, I will publish a newsletter 3 to 4 times a month. My goal is to make them tight, topical, and timely. Again, thanks so much for all your help. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Park Row Books Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – September 1, 2020 - Issue #300

An enthralling literary tour-de-force that pays tribute to Detroit’s legendary neighborhood, a mecca for jazz, sports, and politics, Black Bottom Saints is a powerful blend of fact and imagination reminiscent of E.L. Doctorow’s classic novel Ragtime and Marlon James’ Man Booker Award-winning masterpiece, A Brief History of Seven Killings. Pushing for Change in Children’s Book Publishing Building Community (Part III of Black Voices: Pushing for Change in Children’s Book Publishing) August 25, 2020, 1:00 p.m. ET The third part of the series, Black Voices: Pushing for Change in Children’s Book Publishing, focuses on how creators, the publishing industry and book loving-community can disrupt racism and make a difference. We received more than a hundred questions over the past two webinars. We devote this session to answering as many as we can and continuing the conversation: How can we center Black creators and create change that endures? Panelists include, Kwame Alexander, Judy Allen Dodson, Troy Johnson, Torrey Maldonado, Dr. Kimberly N. Parker, and Kelly Starling Lyons. The conversation will be moderated by Cheryl Davis. Register here. Blacktop Wasteland, A Conversation with S. A, Cosby and Paul Coates Join Paul Coates on Aug 30th at 6 p.m., EST on Zoom for a conversation with S. A. Cosby. Look forward to a thunderous discussion of Blacktop Wasteland. and Cosby’s larger work as a craftsman and writer. Register here. “S. A. Cosby has written a winning book that resonates deeply with me. His is an exploration of Black men and their relationship with family, community and the white world connecting them. It takes place in a different world than the one where I grew up. It’s rural Black America and rural white America too. A place where trailer homes are for the fortunate, and Beauregard “Bug” Montage wonders if he owns his because he dreamed too big, or because he dreamed too small. Cosby knows this world, and he makes it all come alive in the fast-reading pages of his critically acclaimed, Blacktop Wasteland.” More ► Books Formerly Published by The Majority Press are Back in Print Black Classic Press announced the republication of selected titles authored by Tony Martin (1942-2013) and formerly published The Majority Press. At the time of his death, Martin was a preeminent authority on Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). The UNIA, founded by Garvey, was the largest Black mass organization ever, with global membership estimated in the millions. A native of Trinidad, Martin introduced a generation of students and others to Marcus Garvey. His meticulous work solidified Garvey’s importance to Pan-African history, the Civil Rights Movement, Black Power and African liberation movements around the world. Martin was one of the earliest scholars to view Garvey’s legacy as a lasting testimony in the struggles of Black diasporic people. More ► The 15th National Black Writers Conference The 15th National Black Writers Conference, November 11 – 14, 2020 Presented by the Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, CUNY, the theme of this year’s Conference is “Activism, Identity, and Race: Playwrights and Screenwriters at the Crossroads.” The Conference is a public gathering of writers, scholars, literary professionals, theater and film luminaries, students, and the public. Panelists and special guests will examine the ways race, identity, politics, and popular culture shape the production of plays, films, and television shows. The four-day event features a Summit Keynote, roundtable conversations, panel discussions, a town hall, film screenings, author readings, writing workshops, local vendors, and much more. More than 60 playwrights, screenwriters, poets, and scholars will participate. The Conference will honor playwrights, screenwriters, documentarians and filmmakers: Carl Clay, Dominique Morisseau, Stanley Nelson, Voza Rivers, and Richard Wesley. The Center for Black Literature will also host a series of Pre-Conference activities related to the Conference theme in October and November 2020. Registration is Now Open! For more information, the program schedule, and registration information, please visit The Center for Black Literature. Say It Loud! Readers and Writers Virtual Series He Got Game, Stories and Visions for the Future Thursday, August 20, 2020 3 p.m. on Facebook Live Our special guest will be Troy Johnson, President, founder and webmaster of AALBC.com (The African American Literature Book Club). The discussion will be moderated by Wesley Peters, co-founder of Conducting Creativity, a non-profit centered around literacy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Please join the discussion and spread the word. Learn more about Say It Loud! Black Authors Matter TV – Tuesdays, 7 p.m. CST Tune in August 25, 2020 at 7 p.m. CST on Facebook Live. for a conversation with Ricky Boone (7 p.m.), Troy Johnson (7:30 p.m.), Dwayne J. Torres (8 p.m.), and Curtis Jordan (8:30 p.m.). The conversations will be hosted by Gwen Richardson, author and co-founder of the National Black Book Festival. The Top 50 Black-Owned Websites Newly Updated Algorithm! Our ranking system considers a wide variety of information including the age of the website; strength of the site’s SEO; estimation of the site’s traffic; number of back links; and more. We are unaware of a more objective or fairer approach to ranking websites. Our mission includes uplifting and supporting websites created for, and by, people of African descent. Our belief is that as the World Wide Web becomes increasingly controlled by a handful of extremely powerful corporations, content related to Black culture, and how we are depicted, suffers. All of us, regardless of background, are adversely impacted as a result. Dear Reader, Historically, the U.S. Postal service has provided excellent and affordable service. Unfortunately, in light of recent events this service has suffered. As a result, AALBC will ship most orders via United Parcel Service’s 3 Day Select®. We will absorb the increased cost and continue to ship orders over $75 for free! Learn more. As always, thanks so much for your business and support. Reader who are why we have been able to celebrate Black books, and culture, for almost a quarter of a century. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Amistad Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – August 18, 2020 - Issue #299

Set in a modern-day alternative universe, Black States of America - Real Black Power, follows an alternate timeline where President Lincoln lived. In this new universe, Black people have achieved success, wealth, and unity among themselves, but as others discover the prosperity of this new world, many want to take and destroy it as the heir to the throne returns to a world he never thought existed. More ▶ New Books Worth Checking Out Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker, Illustrated by April Harrison It is Grandparents Day at Zura’s elementary school, and the students are excited to introduce their grandparents and share what makes them special. Aleja’s grandfather is a fisherman. Bisou’s grandmother is a dentist. But Zura’s Nana, who is her favorite person in the world, looks a little different from other grandmas. Nana Akua was raised in Ghana, and, following an old West African tradition, has tribal markings on her face. Worried that her classmates will be scared of Nana—or worse, make fun of her—Zura is hesitant to bring her to school. Dispatches from the Vanguard: The Global International African Arts Movement Versus Donald J. Trump by Patrick A. Howell Partnering with dozens of Pulitzer Prize Winners, New York Times Best Sellers, poet laureates, TED speakers, and influencers within the Global International African Arts Movement, including Ishmael Reed, Tyehimba Jess, Rich Fresh, Nikki Giovanni, Nnedi Okorafor, Chester Higgins, Tori Reid and Jaki Shelton Green, Dispatches offers a poignant, high-frequency rebuke of Donald J. Trump (actual man, strawman and metaphor for white privilege and capitalist despotism) and his ruthless amoral presidency. As we approach a key moment in the recent history of American politics, Dispatches from the Vanguard is a timely intervention, showing us how we can challenge the impact and influence of politics when it is solely a means of authoritarian control. The Darkest Hearts by Nelson George “Once again, my brother Nelson George comes through in the clutch like he’s batting clean-up. I’ve known Nelson over thirty years and he has been our cultural storyteller for that length of time. Keep telling. Keep writing our stories. I know I will keep reading them too.” —Spike Lee, filmmaker The Darkest Hearts reflects the challenges of being a black businessperson in an era when the rules of entrepreneurship are constantly shifting beneath an increasingly polarized political environment. Zoom In On A F.R.E.S.H. Conversation With Mr. Troy Johnson Monday, August 10, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. (EST) Zoom In On A F.R.E.S.H. Conversation presents and evening with Mr. Troy Johnson, President of AALBC.com, LLC. He started AALBC.com (The African American Literature Book Club), in October of 1997, and today it is the oldest, largest, and most frequently visited website dedicated to books written by or about people of African descent. Join us as we discuss literature, literacy, marketing and strategies for succeeding during this time of COVID 19. Email afreshconversation@gmail.com if you need additional information. Join the Zoom Meeting: https://bit.ly/troyfresh 100 New Audio Books You’ll Love ♥ AALBC sells over 1,500 audiobooks, in partnership with Libro.fm. Here are 100 of the most recently published. Your first audiobook is free. Membership is only $14.99 per month after your one month trail period. Choose one audiobook every month. Cancel anytime and keep your audiobooks forever. One audiobook I will not sell is Born a Crime by Trevor Noah; read why ▶ Book Excerpts “Alexander Smalls – The Cecil” from Food and the City by Ina Yalof The dawning of Sunday was ritualistic in my home. We woke up early and dressed for church, and my mother would start her preparation for Sunday dinner, the absolute best eating ever. It didn’t matter what you had during the week. Come Sunday, you could always expect a feast. If it was summertime, we ate on the side porch, under the shade of big oak trees. My mother made a panful of hot buttermilk biscuits with fresh butter and sorghum. Potato and macaroni salads, fresh creamed corn, fried okra, and some kind of roast followed that. If we were lucky, we could get some dumplings out of the deal as well. Of course no one used the expression then, but ours was definitely a farm-to-table home. Read the Entire Chapter ▶ Buy a Classic, Bestselling, Book and Get a Free Gift The next three books are classics, part of our literary cannon. Each order will ship with a small token of our appreciation. If you buy all three books you’ll save 10%, get free shipping, and pay no sales tax (unless order is shipping to Florida). Enjoy! Captain Blackman by John A. Williams “John A. Williams, journalist and educator, did exceptional work in fiction and nonfiction during the 1960s and 1970s, propelling his name to the forefront of American letters. Of the more than 20 books he produced, none attracted more controversy than his 1972 Captain Blackman, a fictional survey of race, segregation, war and American democracy. As Captain Abraham Blackman lies critically wounded in the Vietnam War, he re-imagines the role of the Black man during every significant conflict in U.S. military history. Writer George Davis said in a May 21, 1972 New York Times review: ‘It may turn out to be among the important works of fiction of the decade. It is Williams’s most ambitious work.’ It totally deserves your attention.” —Bestselling Author, Robert Fleming The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois When The Souls of Black Folk was first published in 1903 (A. C. McClurg & Company), it had a galvanizing effect on the conversation about race in America—and it remains both a touchstone in the literature of African America and a beacon in the fight for civil rights. Believing that one can know the “soul” of a race by knowing the souls of individuals, W. E. B. Du Bois combines history and stirring autobiography to reflect on the magnitude of American racism and to chart a path forward against oppression, and introduces the now-famous concepts of the color line, the veil, and double-consciousness. This edition of Du Bois’s visionary masterpiece includes two additional essays that have become essential reading: “The Souls of White Folk,” from his 1920 book Darkwater, and “The Talented Tenth.” The Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson Originally published in 1933, Mis-Education of the Negro is considered Woodson’s seminal work. This text explores his thesis that African Americans were being culturally indoctrinated, rather than taught, in American schools. He asserts that this conditioning caused African-Americans to become dependent and to seek out inferior places in the greater society of which they were a part. Woodson skillfully exposes the weaknesses of Euro-centric based curriculums that failed to include African American history and culture. Black-Owned Bookstores Worth Checking Out Willa’s Books & Vinyl – Kansas City, MO Willa’s Books & Vinyl was conceived in the heart of Willa Robinson, who developed a love for books and reading at a very early age. In 1994 she started selling her books on 18th and Vine, in Kansas City, Missouri, as a street vendor. The store specializes in used and rare African-American books, first editions, as well as the works of a wide variety of main-stream authors. They also maintain a large collection of African -American History, literature, vintage jazz and blues LPs, 45 soul, and rare selections of vintage magazines. There is something for everyone in Willa’s Books & Vinyl New Bookstore Policies and Procedures On the heels of the murder of George Floyd there was a huge increase in demand for books dealing with racism, and readers wanted to buy these books from Black-owned book stores. Many booksellers, including AALBC, enjoyed record levels of book sales. This was a surprising turn of events, for many Black booksellers, were facing the prospect of going out business, due to the global pandemic. In order to scale to meet this increased demand and to improve your book buying experience, we’ve modified our store’s policies and procedures. Dear Reader, As always, if you discover something in this newsletter, or on our website, please share it in the manner that makes the most sense to you. If there is a way for us to improve let me know (troy@aalbc.com). Please consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers, publishers, and booksellers whose work you help support and celebrate. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by d. E. Rogers Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – August 5, 2020 - Issue #298

The dangerous magic of The Night Circus meets the powerful historical exploration of The Underground Railroad in Alaya Dawn Johnson’s timely and unsettling novel, set against the darkly glamorous backdrop of New York City, where an assassin falls in love and tries to fight her fate at the dawn of World War II. Read More about Trouble the Saints ▶ Recently Reviewed Books A Night In Babylon by Michael West This “Woke” novel, A Night In Babylon, seems ripped from the current headlines. It opens with pow-pow-pow action worthy of any TV cop show, with a pair of officers pursuing a suspect through a rainstorm. West, the mysterious book’s author, knows the language of rage, revenge, and retaliation as the reader is dropped into a red-hot chase after police receive anonymous tip of an armed man connected to the a terrorist group, Stay Ready Soldiers (SRS). In the City of Angels, there are only good guys and bad guys. The cops, from the opening scene, could come from Central Casting: Higgins the rookie and Cooper the veteran, who joined the force to make the difference but “now at war with the people they swore to protect.” Despite their original intentions, they were defending a system which safeguard the needs and wants of the rich and powerful over the folks at the margins. More ▶ Books Worth Checking Out Preaching to the Chickens by Jabari Asim, Illustrated by E. B. Lewis Critically acclaimed author Jabari Asim and Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator E. B. Lewis give readers a fascinating glimpse into the boyhood of Civil Rights leader John Lewis. John wants to be a preacher when he grows up a leader whose words stir hearts to change, minds to think, and bodies to take action. But why wait? When John is put in charge of the family farm’s flock of chickens, he discovers that they make a wonderful congregation! So he preaches to his flock, and they listen, content under his watchful care, riveted by the rhythm of his voice. Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby Beauregard "Bug" Montage is an honest mechanic, a loving husband, and a hard-working dad. Bug knows there’s no future in the man he used to be: known from the hills of North Carolina to the beaches of Florida as the best wheelman on the East Coast. He thought he’d left all that behind him, but as his carefully built new life begins to crumble, he finds himself drawn inexorably back into a world of blood and bullets. When a smooth-talking former associate comes calling with a can’t-miss jewelry store heist, Bug feels he has no choice but to get back in the driver’s seat. And Bug is at his best where the scent of gasoline mixes with the smell of fear. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings. Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their out-cast of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity. Geese Are Never Swans by Eva Clark and Created by Kobe Bryant Gus’s life is about one thing—swimming. He is determined to make it to the Olympics and he knows that the only coach in town who can get him there is Coach Marks. So it seems like a simple plan: convince Coach Marks to train him. Everything from there on in is just hard work and Gus has never been afraid of hard work. But there are a few complications. For one thing, Coach Marks was Danny’s coach. Danny, Gus’s older brother, committed suicide after failing to make the national swimming team, a big step on the way to the Olympics. And for another thing, Gus and Danny didn’t exactly get along when Danny was alive. Gus never liked living in Danny’s shadow, and that shadow has grown even longer since Danny’s death. What Are You Reading Now? Learn which books AALBC visitors are reading now, and share the ones you are reading. They say word of mouth is the best way to discover a good book. Spread the joy and share the books you’re enjoying today with us today. Dear Reader, On July 17th we lost two civil rights icons, C.T. Vivian and Rep. John Lewis. AALBC mourns their loss, for they both represented the best of us. They were men of principle who fought tirelessly to improve our country. Please consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers (and booksellers) whose work you are helping to support and celebrate. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Tor Books Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – July 21, 2020 - Issue #297

“I clutched my pearls through this page-turning read that’s laugh-out-loud funny—she’s a ki-ki, darling! It’s equally heartbreaking, suspenseful, and always fast-paced. The category is: legendary.” —Billy Porter “Jay has a singular voice which manages to be indulgent and gossipy, while still incredibly smart and sharp.” —Vanessa Williams Learn more Jay Manuel’s Site (Published by Wordeee) 50 New Audio Books You’ll Love ♥ AALBC Sells a Curated List of 1,000’s of Audiobooks. Your first audiobook is free. Here are 50 of the most recently published. Audiobooks on AALBC are sold in partnership with Libro.fm. Membership is only $14.99/month after your free one month trail period. Choose one audiobook every month. Cancel anytime and keep your audiobooks forever. Switch from Audible to Libro.fm, you’ll support AALBC and get two audiobooks for the price of one when you start your membership. That’s two audiobooks for $14.99 when you use the code SWITCH. Pick a Book Category — Any Category! AALBC has books organized in over 1,500 different categories. If you’d like to find a book similar to one you’ve previously enjoyed, looking up books in the same or a related category is a great way to do it. Use our, Page to Find Books by Category, to find book in categories ranging from African American Art to Zombies. Dear Reader, In recent weeks, a list of Black-owned bookstores, that has been maintained on AALBC for more than 20 years, has been referenced, copied, remixed, and circulated all over the world wide web. What AALBC maintains is really much more than a mere listing, as I’ve personally visited many of the stores, recorded video, and created detailed pages describing each store. My hometown store Sister’s Uptown Bookstore in New York City and Underground Books, on the other side of the country, are just two examples. People often ask; “Why do you promote your competitors?” The reason is readers, writers, publishers, indeed booksellers, all benefit when there are many platforms sharing our stories. Every bookseller is different and that difference is good. When a single bookseller dominates we are not well served at all. If you agree, please consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers (and booksellers) whose work you are helping to support and celebrate. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Wordeee Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – July 14, 2020 - Issue #296

A breakout media and political analyst delivers a sweeping snapshot of American Democracy and the role that African Americans have played in its shaping. Cross offers concrete information to help harness the electoral power of the country’s rising majority and exposing political forces aligned to subvert and suppress Black voters. More ▶ AALBC Bestsellers May/June 2020 During the month of June AALBC, like many other independent Black-owned bookstores, enjoyed a record level of sales. AALBC sold more books in the past 6 weeks than we did in all of 2019. This bestsellers lists reflects those sales. Sales were, as you might expect, dominated by nonfiction titles that addressed issues of racism. Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist was the overall bestselling book for this period. In fact, it is the bestselling book for any period, in our almost 23-year history of publishing bestsellers lists! Recently Reviewed Books Corridors of Genius: Excavating the Consciousness, Creative Process & Artistry of Michael Jackson by Glenda R. Taylor At the heart of Dr. Taylor’s book there is a careful examination of the singer’s creative drives and influences. She researched everything she could find on Michael Jackson and his family to give insight on the singer, who used his various art forms, his soulful voice, and lively performances to advance social change. “I see a conflicted soul battling with illusion and reality, the cave and the light, truth and deception; a gift and what could be considered a curse,” she writes. In 1970, Taylor’s sister introduced her to Motown’s key export, the Jackson 5. Years later, sparked by Jackson’s unexpected death and the resulting flood of contentious publicity, Taylor began laying the groundwork for this work while studying in a college visual culture course in 2012. More ▶ Destini the Chocolate Princess by Joan Wright Lewis Joan Wright Lewis’ novel, Destini the Chocolate Princess, reveals a terrible affliction in our community; the degree of self-loathing based on skin color. At a time when dark skin is still held in low-esteem—in both White and Black America—her plot effectively tackles this theme in the midst of the racial turmoil caused by the tragic death of Minnesota native George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer. After the incident a White person was overheard saying, “Probably he was killed because he was so big, so dark, and ugly.” More ▶ Recommended New Books We maintain a curated list of recently published and soon to be published books. Here are a few we think you’ll enjoy ♥ All the Songs We Sing: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Carolina African American Writers’ Collective Edited by Lenard D. Moore The Carolina African American Writers’ Collective celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary with All the Songs We Sing, an anthology of works by members of the Collective, edited by its founder, Lenard D. Moore. North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green introduces the anthology, which includes works by Lenard D. Moore, Bridgette A. Lacy, Crystal Simone Smith, Evie Shockley, Camille T. Dungy, Carole Boston Weatherford, and many others. These writers have shaped the modern literary landscape of the Carolinas for the last twenty-five years and will continue to influence and inspire African-American writers for generations to come. Surrender, White People! Our Unconditional Terms for Peace by D.L. Hughley On the eve of America becoming a majority-minority nation, Hughley warns, the only way for America to move forward peacefully is if Whites face their history, put aside all their visions of superiority, and open up their institutions so they benefit everyone in this nation. But we can still have fun with this right? Surrender, White People! hilariously holds America account for its wrongs and offers his satirical terms for reparations and reconciliation. Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles by Michelle Meadows, Illustrated by Ebony Glenn Before she was a record-breaking gymnast competing on the world stage, Simone Biles spent time in foster care as a young child. When she was six years old, Simone’s family took shape in a different way. Her grandparents Ron and Nellie Biles adopted Simone and her sister Adria. Ron and Nellie became their parents. Simone was also introduced to gymnastics that same year, launching a lifelong passion fueled by remarkable talent, sacrifice, and the undying support of her family. Queens of the Resistance: Maxine Waters by Brenda Jones and Krishan Trotman Part of the four-book Queens of the Resistance series, saluting some of the most beloved boss ladies in Congress: a celebration of Representative Maxine Waters, who reclaimed her time and led the first calls for impeachment. ACH book of the Queens of the Resistance series will be a celebration of the rebellion against the oppression of women and an embracement of the new in the United States government. The series is adorned with sass, discernment, and the badassery of the present and future leadership. The Stolen Daughter by ReShonda Tate Billingsley Raised by a widowed mother, Jill Reed has come a long way from her difficult youth. But while she may not have had money, Jill never doubted she was rich in love. Her mother, Connie, made Jill the center of her world. Now, even though she has a young family of her own, it’s Jill’s turn to care for her ailing mother. When early dementia begins to set in, Connie starts talking about Jill’s "other life." Jill assumes it’s just rambling confusion. Still, Connie’s stories about Jill’s childhood, and her father’s early death, never quite added up. And when a strange man shows up to Jill’s job bearing news that turns Jill’s life upside down, there’s no denying Connie’s devastating secret. Dear Reader, As mentioned previously in this newsletter, June book sales were at an all-time high for AALBC. Thanks to you we were able to easily scale to meet the increased demand without missing a beat. Our only real challenge has been our inability to secure some books as quickly as we could pre-pandemic. In fact, some smaller publisher have completely shut down making it impossible to sell their titles. Everyday I encounter a situation which provides a stark reminder that things are simply far from normal right now. Fortunately, we have books to help up escape, learn, and foster empathy for each other during this challenging period. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Amistad Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – July 7, 2020 - Issue #295

Join #TheBookAwardCelebration! on June 28, 2020 The American Library Association (ALA) is offering an exciting new free all-day virtual event celebrating the winners of several of its major book awards, including the esteemed Newbery and Caldecott medals, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, the Printz Award, and the Stonewall youth and adult Book Awards. Learn More ▶ The 14th annual Austin African American Book Festival celebrates the Black literary experience with a virtual event, Saturday, June 27. New York Times bestselling authors Isabel Wilkerson and Dr. Damon Tweedy will head up the Fourteenth Annual Austin African American Book Festival. The event will be held on June 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and for the first time will be a virtual event. The Festival remains free and open to the public, but attendees must register on Eventbrite. Recommended New Books We maintain a list of recently published and soon to be published books. Here are a few we think you’ll enjoy ♥ African: A Children’s Picture Book by Peter Tosh, Illustrated by Rachel Moss So don’t care where you come from As long as you’re a black man, you’re an African No mind your nationality You have got the identity of an African A beautiful children’s picture book featuring the lyrics of Peter Tosh’s global classic celebrating children of African descent. Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America by Stacey Abrams “This is a narrative that describes the urgency that compels me and millions more to push for a different American story than the one being told today. It’s a story that is one part danger, one part action, and all true. It’s a story about how and why we fight for our democracy and win.” —Stacey Abrams Abrams chronicles a chilling account of how the right to vote and the principle of democracy have been and continue to be under attack. Abrams would have been the first African American woman governor, but experienced these effects firsthand, despite running the most innovative race in modern politics as the Democratic nominee in Georgia. Abrams didn’t win, but she has not conceded. The book compellingly argues for the importance of robust voter protections, an elevation of identity politics, engagement in the census, and a return to moral international leadership. The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon Samiah Brooks never thought she would be “that” girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she’s been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah—along with his two other “girlfriends,” London and Taylor—have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men and no dating. For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she’s always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true? Libro.fm Supports Black-Owned Bookstores AALBC sells audio books through Libro.fm. AALBC has worked with many corporations as an affiliate. Libro.fm is unique in that they activity support their affiliate partners. Libro.fm committed to sharing 100% of fees earned on Juneteenth with all of their Black-owned partner bookstores! As a result, $67,462 will be shared between 42 Black-owned Libro.fm partner bookstores. Libro stands in stark contrast to am*zon, who actively undermines their partners. am*zon won’t even link to a partner website, let alone share 100% of a day’s sales. Libro.fm recognizes that killing your competition does not serve the reader — which is the only thing a true bookseller seeks to do. Dear Reader, “If you’ve recently made purchases for print books from your local bookstore, we salute you! It’s also important to recognize that amidst a pandemic which has affected staffing, shipping, and distribution centers–and also, everything else–independent bookstores and booksellers are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances to get books to you in a timely fashion. Some anti-racist titles are in such high demand that they’re backordered and are being reprinted by publishers. Be kind. If you must email, do so gently!” —Kelsey Norris, Libro.fm All of the booksellers I’ve spoken with are experiencing record levels of sales, and that has been an incredible blessing, considering many of us were facing closure. However, in the throes of a global pandemic, the book industry is simply not functioning normally, and getting your book orders out has been particularly challenging. Thankfully, all of our customers have been very patient, understanding, and SUPER supportive. Reader, if you’ve purchased a book from AALBC recently, thank you so very much! Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – June 25, 2020 - Issue #294

After a yoga class, three women realize they share a devastating experience: all three of their mothers have recently passed away, leaving behind a lifetime of items that neither woman can bear to handle alone. Making a pact to help each other sort through their mothers’ belongings, the women dig deep into their mothers’ pasts, building a better understanding of both their mothers and themselves. A story about the power of female friendship, family dynamics, and the importance of the bond that is, or isn’t, shared with a mother. Learn More. Go On Girl! Book Club Reading List Every six months we look forward to sharing Go On Girl! Book Club's reading list, because we know their rigorous selection process, involving scores of chapters across the country, always results in excellent reads. The books they select, semi-annually, fall into one of six categories, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror/Speculative, Fiction, Novel, New Author, Classic, Autobiography/Biography/Memoir, and Anthology. There is something for everyone to enjoy. If you purchase all 6 books from the July – December 2020 list you will get free shipping and no charge for sales tax (unless you ship to the state of Florida). Plus, half of the profit from the sales of all books on the Go On Girl! reading list will be donated to the Go On Girl! Book Club’s Scholarship Fund. Recently Reviewed Books The Other Sister by Donna Hill In The Other Sister, Hill explores colorism and its dominant role in the definition of self. Kimberly and Zoie are first described without any racial details or descriptors, contributing to the idea that they are individuals before they are assigned to a race. Hill delves into each sister’s life, describing their hopes and fears before bringing them together. In doing so, the author highlights important themes, such as the concept of “the other.” After discovering that she is Black, Kimberly views herself as “the other.” “Now she was in a kind of limbo, a purgatory of otherness, not belonging to either world.” The duality associated with being mixed-race surfaces as Kimberly struggles with self-identity. Different and the Same by Adijah and Atiya Brabham In an age where there is a proliferation of emotional and physical Black trauma, that is videotaped and viewed widely online, we should strive to be focused and intentional about empowering our children by sharing an abundance of Black joy. Although the harsh realities of life may be, at times, unavoidable, to protect their mental and emotional health, it’s vital to make sure our kids fully understand that trauma is not all Black life has, or has to offer. To counter the almost daily images of subjugation, we must affirm them with joyful experiences and uplifting examples that confirm their absolute right to a happy and carefree young life. As caretakers and advocates, we should explore, through every medium at our disposal, the ways we can do this. Different and the Same by twin sisters Adijah and Atiya Brabham is a wonderful tool to help us do just that. Recommended New Books We maintain a list of recently published and soon to be published books. Here are a few we think you’ll enjoy ♥ She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm by Katheryn Russell-Brown, Illustrated by Eric Velasquez A picture biography of educator and politician Shirley Chisholm, who in 1968 was the first Black woman elected to Congress and in 1972 was the first Black candidate from a major political party (the Democratic party) to run for the United States presidency. An afterword with additional information, photographs, and source lists are included. The Secret Women by Sheila Williams Her debut novel, Dancing on the Edge of the Roof, was adapted into a Netflix film starring Alfre Woodard, and now Sheila Williams is back with a page-turning story of three women who meet as strangers and quickly build a bond after each discovers their mother harbored dark secrets. Sheila J. Williams’ The Secret Women is a riveting, entertaining, and refreshing take on the mother-daughter dyad and its ensuing complexities. In this deftly written contemporary novel, readers are introduced to Elise Armstrong, Carmen Bradshaw, and DeeDee Davis, three thoroughly modern women of a certain age who have a coincidental and fateful meeting in a yoga class. The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir by Wayétu Moore When Wayétu Moore turns five years old, her father and grandmother throw her a big birthday party at their home in Monrovia, Liberia, but all she can think about is how much she misses her mother, who is working and studying in faraway New York. Before she gets the reunion her father promised her, war breaks out in Liberia. The family is forced to flee their home on foot, walking and hiding for three weeks until they arrive in the village of Lai. Finally, a rebel soldier smuggles them across the border to Sierra Leone, reuniting the family and setting them off on yet another journey, this time to the United States. Spanning this harrowing journey in Moore’s early childhood, her years adjusting to life in Texas as a black woman and an immigrant, and her eventual return to Liberia, The Dragons, the Giant, the Women is a deeply moving story of the search for home in the midst of upheaval Seeing the Body: Poems by Rachel Eliza Griffiths Poems and photographs collide in this intimate collection, challenging the invisible, indefinable ways mourning takes up residence in a body, both before and after life-altering loss. In radiant poems—set against the evocative and desperate backdrop of contemporary events, pop culture, and politics—Rachel Eliza Griffiths reckons with her mother’s death, aging, authority, art, black womanhood, memory, and the American imagination. The poems take shape in the space where public and private mourning converge, finding there magic and music alongside brutality and trauma. Griffiths braids a moving narrative of identity and its possibilities for rebirth through image and through loss. Financial Advice During the Covid-19 Pandemic by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox “…it's vitally important that Blacks know how to qualify for, access, and receive every level of financial support available to them during the coronavirus pandemic,” says Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach, who is the CEO and co-founder with her husband, Earl Cox, of the free financial advice site, AskTheMoneyCoach.com, and the video-based financial coaching site, MoneyCoachUniversity.com. Lynnette has read the entire 880-page CARES Act, and has broken it down to explain how you can tap into this $2 trillion stimulus measure and get the resources you need to survive during COVID-19. From her articles on unemployment benefits and forgivable SBA loans to her videos on getting cash payments for sick leave, family medical leave, food benefits, and more, Lynnette offers expert advice and insights to economically empower AALBC’s audience. am*zon Engages in Predatory Pricing During a Pandemic A bit more than a week ago I noticed a surge in sales of Ibram X. Kendi's How to Be an Antiracist. Ibram is a critically acclaimed author who won a National Book Award in 2016 (I videoed Ibram's acceptance speech). Despite posting video and publishing a review of his latest work I had not sold many copies. The increased demand for Antiracist came before I realized there was a national outpouring of support for Black-owned indie booksellers, so with my interest piqued I decided to check am*zon to see how they were handling the title. I was shock to discover am*zon was charging $44 — minimum price — for used copies of the relatively new book that is still in print!. Then, as soon as am*zon discovered the nature of the increase in demand, they immediately priced the book below my wholesale discount. In two days, am*zon went from price gouging to predatory pricing — during a global pandemic! Even worse, am*zon, claiming “solidarity with the Black community” has the gall to flag the Black Liberation flag in one of their corporate offices! am*zon represents the antithesis of Black liberation. Dear Reader, AALBC has sold more books in the past week than we have in the prior three months! A surge is sales is a great problem to have, but during a pandemic, it is also very challenging. Customers have been amazingly supportive during this period. The message below is typical of many messages I've received over the past week: Good afternoon Sir, “I am in full support of AALBC as my choice for book purchases. There was a time when I'd quickly go to am*zon and use my prime membership to order books for speedy delivery. In recent weeks, I've intentionally ordered my books from AALBC or MahoganyBooks. I've cancelled my am*zon prime membership as I choose to spend my dollars with BOB (Black Owned Businesses) as my first choice. I'm sharing this with you not to toot my own horn, but to just show you that I'm behind BOB and Black People. So if it takes a minute for my order to be delivered, so be it. I'm an avid reader so trust me, I have a ton of books at home waiting their turn for me to read! God bless and increase AALBC in ways that will blow your mind. ❤” —Alice Johnson, Rocky Mount, NC. Readers like Alice, and you, have always been the reason AALBC has lasted almost a quarter of a century. Your support is the only way we will be able to celebrate Black literature and culture for the next 25 years. Every website visit, every book order, every one share our site with helps. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Amistad Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – June 9, 2020 - Issue #293

Book Order Processing Will be Delayed AALBC, like many other independent booksellers are in the midst of an unprecedented level of book sales. As a result, processing your order will take a bit longer. I’ve already contacted many of you, and you have been universally understanding. Unfortunately, individual emails are no longer practical, hence this mass email. The global pandemic has already made the book procurement process slower; delivery services, distributors, printers, publishers, and bookstores have shut down or reduced staff and hours. The recent surge in orders has slowed things even more. Of course the pandemic has made it more difficult to scale to meet increased demand for books. First, your orders will be processed. When your order has been changed from "Awaiting Fulfillment" to "Awaiting Shipment," that means we are in the process of securing and mailing the books you've ordered. Changes to orders at this point are difficult to make. We normally provide tracking numbers as soon as orders ship, but given our resources we are temporarily suspending the provisioning of tracking numbers, until we can catch up on orders. However, if you request tracking information on your order we will provide it, but please wait at least two weeks, after your order has entered the Awaiting Shipment phase before emailing us a request for status. Be sure to include your order number in any correspondence. The email to use is troy@aalbc.com. Most orders of books, in stock will be received in this two week window. These Popular Titles Will Ship no Earlier than the Date Shown ▪ How to Be an Antiracist (Available June 10) ▪ The Fire Next Time (Available June 17) ▪ The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (On order, delivery date undetermined) ▪ So You Want to Talk About Race (On order, delivery date undetermined) ▪ Between The World And Me (Available June 16) ▪ My Vanishing Country (On order, delivery date undetermined, attempting to source copies directly from publisher) ▪ Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (Available June 19) ▪ Whose Knees Are These? (Available July 3) ▪ A is for Activist (Available June 16) ▪ Sister Outsider: Essays And Speeches (Available June 16) ▪ Antiracist Baby (Publishes June 16) ▪ Chocolate Me! (On order, delivery date undetermined) ▪ The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations (Available June 16 limited) ▪ Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot (Available June 16) Book availability is subject to change constantly. Of course preorders will ship on their publication date. Currently, our process is to ship books as they come in. We do not hold books until the entire order is ready. In some rare instances these means the higher shipping costs due to multiple shipments may require an order to be refunded. If it becomes clear that a title will not become available for more than 30 days. I will ask if you would like a refund. You are of course entitled to a refund at anytime. However, after a book has shipped a refund will require the book to be mailed back to us. You’ve Been Added to AALBC's Mailing List I took the liberty of adding you to our mailing list. We never share subscriber information with anyone. I normally send between 2 and 4 emails a month (usually 2 and rarely 4). If you do not want to receive emails from AALBC, simply click this unsubscribe link. You will be added to our suppression list and will no longer receive our emails. Dear Reader, I know this increase sales is in reaction to a desire for people to understand more, and do something about, the racial strife we are experiencing in our country. More important is your understanding the importance of making your purchases from independent booksellers. This consciousness is awe inspiring! This also tells me, despite the negative news, which dominates the media’s attention, the real story is that Americans are willing to take action to ensure that no group of people are systematically abused. We are all striving to make America great, and I think we will. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com – June 4, 2020

From CNN analyst and one of the youngest state representatives in South Carolina history, My Vanishing Country by Bakari Sellers, an important book new memoir that illuminates the lives of America’s forgotten black working-class men and women. Recently Reviewed Books Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams Genesis Begins Again is a powerful, poignant, and ultimately empowering middle-grade novel that highlights issues sure to interest diverse young readers. What does “good hair” look like? What does “good skin” look like, and do they define beauty? Thirteen-year-old “new girl” in school, Genesis struggles to answer these questions even as she tries to find her place, accept the beauty of her dark complexion, and navigate her complicated family life. Read the full review ▶ Get Your Copy of The Killens Review of Arts & Letters The Killens Review of Arts & Letters (Killens Review) is published up to twice a year by the Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, CUNY. The publication is a peer-reviewed journal that seeks book reviews, essays, short stories, creative nonfiction, poetry, visual art, photographs, letters, and interviews related to the various cultural, sociopolitical, and historical experiences of writers and artists from the African Diaspora. The aim is to provide well-known and lesser-known authors as well as educators and students opportunities to create and expand the canon of literature produced by people of color. We welcome the works of poets, novelists, short story writers, playwrights, journalists, essayists, scholars, and yet-to-be-discovered writers of the African Diaspora. The current issue of _Killens Review_is available for purchase from AALBC through our partnership with the Center for Black Literature. You won't find this collection of great art and literature anywhere else. Get your issue now! Recommended New Books We maintain a list of recently published and soon to be published books. Here are a few we think you’ll enjoy ♥ Telephone by Percival Everett An astonishing new novel of loss and grief from “one of our culture’s preeminent novelists” —Los Angeles Times Zach Wells is a perpetually dissatisfied geologist-slash-paleobiologist. Expert in a very narrow area—the geological history of a cave forty-four meters above the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon—he is a laconic man who plays chess with his daughter, trades puns with his wife while she does yoga, and dodges committee work at the college where he teaches. After a field trip to the desert yields nothing more than a colleague with a tenure problem and a student with an unwelcome crush on him, Wells returns home to find his world crumbling … Powerless in the face of his daughter’s slow deterioration, he finds a mysterious note asking for help tucked into the pocket of a jacket he’s ordered off eBay. Desperate for someone to save, he sets off to New Mexico in secret on a quixotic rescue mission. Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture by Emma Dabiri Despite increasingly liberal world views, black hair continues to be erased, appropriated, and stigmatized to the point of taboo. Through her personal and historical journey, Dabiri gleans insights into the way racism is coded in society’s perception of black hair—and how it is often used as an avenue for discrimination. Dabiri takes us from pre-colonial Africa, through the Harlem Renaissance, and into today’s Natural Hair Movement, exploring everything from women’s solidarity and friendship, to the criminalization of dreadlocks, to the dubious provenance of Kim Kardashian’s braids. Deeply researched and powerfully resonant, Twisted proves that far from being only hair, black hairstyling culture can be understood as an allegory for black oppression and, ultimately, liberation. Welcome to the Party by Gabrielle Union, Illustrated by Ashley Evans Welcome to the Party was inspired by the birth of, Kaavia James Union Wade, the daughter of award-winning actress Gabrielle Union and NBA superstar Dwyane Wade. The picture book is a festive and universal love letter from parents to little ones, perfect for welcoming a baby to the party of life! It is an upbeat celebration of new life that you’ll want to enjoy with your tiny guest of honor over and over again. A great gift for all occasions, especially Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, baby showers, and birthdays. Careful What You Click for by Mary B. Morrison In her most riveting novel yet, AALBC and New York Times bestselling author Mary B. Morrison delivers an emotional rollercoaster of a tale of four very different friends chasing after their heart’s desires, no matter the cost. For Jordan, Victoria, Kingston, and Chancelor, exciting, fast-paced Atlanta offers everything their hometowns couldn’t. But career success is easy compared to the city’s dating scene of users, losers, and gold diggers. So they decide online dating might just be the answer—as long as they take precautions, work their perfect odds-beating plan, and have each other’s backs. With luck, and prayers, they’ll fulfill their fantasies and find real love at the same time. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna “Namina Forna could be the Toni Morrison Of YA Fantasy.” —Refinery 29 The start of a bold and immersive West African-inspired, feminist fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther. In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice. Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs. Curator’s Coffee Chat – Langston Hughes’ Library The Struggle of Black Business w/ Troy Johnson Thursday, May 21 | 4:00pm We will discuss how Black businesses and many independent businesses struggle in a world dominated by a handful of ultra-powerful corporations. The focus will be on web based businesses and how they are adversely impacted by the near monopolies of Facebook, am*zon, and Google and why we all should care. Click here to register. All About Carter G. Woodson w/ Troy Johnson Thursday, May 28 | 4:00pm We will discuss the impact of Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month, and his seminal work, originally published in 1933, The Mis-education of the Negro. In Mis-education Woodson provided a critique of our educational system explaining why it has resulted in poor outcomes for Black people. His critique was unflinching and harsh. Would his words still resonate almost 90 years later? Click here to register. Download the Flyer Dear Reader, In addition to running AALBC, I teach a couple of college courses that have moved to fully online this semester. I was immediately reminded that the digital divide is still “a thing,” once courses went online. Many students simply do not have WiFi access and a laptop at home. Internet access, for them, is often just a smartphone. Visitors to AALBC hit record levels in 2019, and 2020 is exceeding 2019. However, AALBC’s traffic has been impacted by the pandemic, as office, library, and school computer resources are less available to our visitors. Visitors to our website, via desktop or laptop computers, has dropped almost 30% from pre-pandemic levels. For the first time ever, smartphone visitors to the website exceeded desktop visitors in April reaching 56%. AALBC is optimized for mobile devices, but it is your support and patronage that has made AALBC less impacted by the pandemic — in fact, books sales continue to increase each month. Sure there are slow downs in the book distribution and delivery chain, but customers have been completely understanding and patient during this period. With all the loss and pain this pandemic has caused so many, I think if anything good comes out of it, it will be a keener understanding of who and what is most important to us. Again, I recognize and thank you for your business! Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Amistad Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – May 19, 2020 - Issue #292

AALBC Bestselling Books March/April 2020 Fiction: Both Evil Never Sleeps and The Nickel Boys made our list for the 4th time. Most of the other fiction titles made our list for the first time this period. Nonfiction: Wealth Happens One Day at a Time: 365 Days to a Brighter Financial Future was originally published over 20 years ago and has never been out of print. It make our list for the first time. Children’s Books: Children’s Books continue to dominate sales of all genres this year. Chocolate Me! by Taye Diggs and Illustrated by Shane W. Evans outsold all other books this period. Poetry: The 100 Best African American Poems edited by Nikki Giovanni leads poetry sales and is an excellent sampling of the best work from classic and contemporary Black poets. The 2020 Pulitzer Prize Winners Announced May 4th Several books written by, or about, African Americans won awards in the books and drama categories this year. Winners included; Colson Whitehead, who won his 2nd Pulitzer, for The Nickel Boys; and Jericho Brown, who earned the honor for his book of poetry, The Tradition. W. Caleb McDaniel’s Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America, which won in the history category, tells the amazing story of Henrietta Wood. Wood was freed from enslavement, but later kidnapped, and sold back into slavery! She ultimately won a federal lawsuit and was paid $2,500. Our 4,000th Author Profiled This Week An AALBC Author Profile is a typically a photograph, biography, and includes pages for all of an author’s books. If it is a contemporary author, it is not uncommon for AALBC to have photographed, videoed, interviewed, or reviewed the author’s work. Many of the authors profiled on AALBC may be obscure and their books long out of print, but their work is captured here because it is important. Today we have 4,004 authors profiled on AALBC. The critically acclaimed, debut novelist, Francesca Momplaisir was our 4,000th author profiled. Her book My Mother’s House was published today (May 12th, 2020). Making Our Own Market: Troy Johnson On Partnerships & Indie Booksellers by Kelly Starling Lyons The article includes my “Three Tips for Children’s Book Creators and Lovers to Make a Difference:” Tip #1: Authors, When Telling Readers Where They Can Buy Your Book, Recommend an Independent Bookstore Everyone knows you can buy a book from am*zon, but am*zon is not your best cheerleader. Indie bookstores are your most loyal supporters, and we love authors who recognize this and return the love. Now if you are afraid of playing favorites, you’ll never go wrong by saying, “Buy at your favorite independent bookstore,” or “Buy wherever books are sold.” Now if your book is only available via am*zon, understand that you have effectively cut ties with your most ardent supporters. Read the Entire Article ▶ Inside Historic Black Bookstores’ Fight for Survival Against the COVID-19 Pandemic by Jessica Guynn USA TODAY When Johnson, who runs AALBC, or the African American Literature Book Club, talks to groups, he asks for a show of hands of how many live within driving distance of a black-owned bookstore. “In the majority of circumstances, people don’t,” he says. Read the Entire Article ▶ AALBC Mourns the Passing of Llaila Afrika Llaila Afrika the the three-time bestselling author of African Holistic Health. “Dr. Llaila Olela Afrika had made his transition to rebirth. It is his request that we all carry out his legacy. He has left a map for understanding the body, the mind, and the spirit. He dedicated his life for his people, so that they will have direction in all aspects of holistic living. He has left his wife Dr. Melanie Stevenson to carry his torch.” —Dr. Melanie Stevenson Dear Reader, The level of support from you all during this global crisis has been breathtaking. The paid newsletter subscriptions and book orders have both been at record levels last month, during a time when they are needed the most. On behalf of AALBC, and the authors whose work you support, thank you. Years ago, while lamenting the gangsterism of am*zon, the repeal of Net Neutrality, Google's control over website discoverability, and the dominance of social media’s control over our attention, a wise gentleman told me; “You can’t worry about what those corporations are doing, you keep doing what you do; your people are the ones who are going to support you.” I’ve found this to always be true. I can’t win a fight against am*zon or Google, but I can always serve you . YOUR support is why AALBC has grown over the past two decades. More importantly YOUR support of platforms like AALBC is how we wrest control of our stories from those who do not have our interest at heart. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – May 12, 2020 - Issue #291

For the first time, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson opens up about his amazing comeback—from tragic personal loss to thriving businessman and cable’s highest-paid executive—in this unique self-help guide, Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, his first since his blockbuster New York Times bestseller The 50th Law. 5 Incredibly Talented Children’s Book Illustrators You’ll Love For children’s picture books, art sells the book. When an adult is in a store browsing for books to be read to a child. The art is what initially gets the shopper’s attention. Once they pick up a book and flip through the pages the art is as important as the text in getting the customer to buy the book. Children, too young to read, are moved by the art too. Great artwork communicates in ways mere words cannot. I recall quite vividly the first time seeing the book, A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. As a little boy, I recalled being excited when seeing Keats’ book for the first time – a little boy, about my age, in an urban setting who looked like me! Art is powerful. The importance of seeing yourself reflected in the artwork of picture books cannot be understated. Learn who five of my favorite children book illustrators are at Black Art in America (BAIA) ▶ Recommended New Books We maintain a list of recently published and soon to be published books we think you’ll enjoy ♥ Here are a few. The Business of Lovers by Eric Jerome Dickey All is fair in love and lust in AALBC and New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey’s tale of two brothers, four women, and the business of desire. Unlike their younger brother, André, whose star as a comedian is rising, neither Dwayne nor Brick Duquesne is having luck with his career—and they’re unluckier still in love. Former child star Dwayne has just been fired from his latest acting role and barely has enough money to get by after paying child support to his spiteful former lover, while Brick struggles to return to his uninspiring white-collar job after suffering the dual blows of a health emergency and a nasty breakup with the woman he still loves. Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators by Susanne Tedrick ”I wrote this book for women of color who may have the spark and curiosity in pursuing a path in tech, but perhaps, may need some guidance and clarity on what a tech career could look like beyond the ones we traditionally associate with the industry. I also wanted to provide actionable and practical steps that they can take now to build their careers, even if that path changes in the future. Finally, I wanted to talk openly on specific issues that may be a challenge for them - bias, imposter syndrome, mental health and lack of strong support systems among a few - and strategies to help navigate them through.” What a Woman's Gotta Do by Evelyn Coleman This classic, in 1998, was one of AALBC’s first bestselling books. Republished, in January of 2020 (Simon & Schuster), for a generation of new readers, this suspenseful novel is about Patricia Conley who is trying to find out why her man did her wrong and who did him in, this woman isn’t waiting to exhale—she’s waiting to fight back! Patricia considers herself to be a brother’s worst nightmare. A lifetime of hurt has made her fierce. A lifetime of victories has made her proud. And a whole lot of hope keeps her going. Now Patricia’s most daring stab at happiness has come up bad: The man she was supposed to marry, Kenneth Lawson, has stood her up. Last seen holding hands with another woman. Still reeling from Kenneth’s disappearance, Patricia is stunned by a series of macabre discoveries. Her car is found bathed in blood. A woman is found dead. And another too-good-to-be-true brother is offering his services. Suddenly the tough-talking Atlanta journalist doesn’t know who to trust… Read Our Review ▶ wow, no thank you.: essays by Samantha Irby A new rip-roaring essay collection from the smart, edgy, hilarious, unabashedly raunchy, and bestselling Samantha Irby. Irby is forty, and increasingly uncomfortable in her own skin despite what Inspirational Instagram Infographics have promised her. She has left her job as a receptionist at a veterinary clinic, has published successful books and has been friendzoned by Hollywood, left Chicago, and moved into a house with a garden that requires repairs and know-how with her wife in a Blue town in the middle of a Red state where she now hosts book clubs and makes mason jar salads. This is the bourgeois life of a Hallmark Channel dream. She goes on bad dates with new friends, spends weeks in Los Angeles taking meetings with “tv executives slash amateur astrologers” while being a “cheese fry-eating slightly damp Midwest person,” “with neck pain and no cartilage in [her] knees,” who still hides past due bills under her pillow. The essays in this collection draw on the raw, hilarious particulars of Irby’s new life. Wow, No Thank You is Irby at her most unflinching, riotous, and relatable. Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker by A’Lelia Bundles Now a Netflix series starring Octavia Spencer, Self Made tells the story of Madam C.J. Walker, the legendary entrepreneur and philanthropist This book was originally published by A’Lelia Bundles (Walker’s great-great-granddaughter) as On Her Own Ground. The book provides a much more accurate depiction of the daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Sarah Breedlove—who would become known as Madam C. J. Walker. Orphaned at seven, married at fourteen, and widowed at twenty. She spent the better part of the next two decades laboring as a washerwoman for $1.50 a week. Then—with the discovery of a revolutionary hair care formula for black women—everything changed. By her death in 1919, Walker managed to overcome astonishing odds: building a storied beauty empire from the ground up, amassing wealth unprecedented among black women, and devoting her life to philanthropy and social activism. Along the way, she formed friendships with great early-twentieth-century political figures such as Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Booker T. Washington. Upcoming Conversation 5 Tips to Improve Your Online Book Sales We are planning another bookseller video conference in the next few weeks (date TBA). The focus will be in strategies to improve online book sales. This conversation is for anyone interested in selling books on the web. We already have some ideas on what will be discussed, but if you have any specific questions email me and let me know what you'd like us to cover. Book buyers, this conversation may interest you too! Dear Reader, The feedback from your emails has not only been helpful they have been motivating and inspiring. Please keep your suggestions, comments, and critiques coming. It is always a good time to tell me what I'm doing well and how I can improve. As always, consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers whose work you are helping to celebrate. Please stay safe and healthy. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This Newsletter is Sponsored by Amistad Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – April 28, 2020 - Issue #290

New York Public Library Kicks Off Immigrant Heritage Week 2020 “These titles brilliantly display that we all have our own New York City, one that is shaped from our experiences and histories, that is unique to us yet not unfamiliar to other New Yorkers who are also proud to call themselves immigrants. ” —Alfredo Gutierrez, Outreach Services Program Assistant, NYPL These memoirs are from New York City based immigrants, but their stories will inspire anyone who is different or feels like an outsider. These talented writers will also expose us to the nuances of different cultures and help us embrace diversity. More ▶ Recently Reviewed Books Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes Invisibility is all Donte wishes for after moving from New York to Massachusetts. The move places him in a war against people blinded by racism and colorism. How can he win such a battle especially when everything in his new town is binary? Fortunately for Donte, he finds the answer within himself! Born of a white father and a black mother, Donte is extremely darker than his light-skinned brother Trey, and faces substantial discrimination at Middlefield Prep. His schoolmates label him “black brother” and even with Trey’s support he is treated like an outcast. More ▶ Book of Letters by Mary J. Taylor Mary J. Taylor’s Book Of Letters is just that, a book of letters from the Old School of storytelling. The series of sepia cultural flashbacks moves through a wide range of emotions, historical tidbits, family memories, and societal observations. Every reader of this nonfictional scrapbook will delight in the warmth, empathy, and the lack of pretense of this griot, who wishes to share the experiences and insights from her years with the young. In her debut collection of letters, Taylor, knows the value of a good story, balancing an entertaining narrative with an informed view of an elder who was one of Black America’s “Greatest Generation,” settling in hostile territory during the Great Migration. The author has seen much and puts the readers into the joys and rigors of segregated rural southern life with every sentence of this book. This is a book of love and racial pride. It is not one of bitterness, anger, or scores to settle. More ▶ Recommended New Books We maintain a list of recently published and soon to be published books that we recommend. Here are just a few we think you’ll enjoy. It’s Not All Downhill from Here by Terry McMillan Loretha Curry’s life is full. A little crowded sometimes, but full indeed. On the eve of her sixty-eighth birthday, she has a booming beauty-supply empire, a gaggle of lifelong friends, and a husband whose moves still surprise. True, she’s carrying a few more pounds than she should be, but Loretha is not one of those women who think her best days are behind her—and she’s determined to prove wrong her mother, her twin sister, and everyone else with that outdated view of aging wrong. It’s not all downhill from here. But when an unexpected loss turns her world upside down, Loretha will have to summon all her strength, resourcefulness, and determination to keep on thriving, pursue joy, heal old wounds, and chart new paths. With a little help from her friends, of course. Navigate Your Stars by Jesmyn Ward A revelatory, uplifting, and gorgeously illustrated meditation on dedication, hard work, and the power of perseverance from the beloved, New York Times bestselling, and two-time National Book Award-winning Jesmyn Ward. For Tulane University’s 2018 commencement, Jesmyn Ward delivered a stirring speech about the value of hard work and the importance of respect for oneself and others. Speaking about the challenges she and her family overcame, Ward inspired everyone in the audience with her meditation on tenacity in the face of hardship. Now, in book form, Ward’s moving words will inspire readers as they prepare for the next chapter in their lives, whether, like Ward, they are the first in their families to graduate from college or are preceded by generations, or whether they are embarking on a different kind of journey later in life. Wicked Enchantment: Selected Poems by Wanda Coleman A voice the world needs — the award-winning, groundbreaking, poet Wanda Coleman. Editor Terrance Hayes has selected more than 130 poems, spanning four decades, for this powerful gathering of Coleman’s work that bestselling author Mary Karr has called, “words to crack you open and heal you where it counts.” “As a poet, mother, Los Angeles native, black woman, essayist, and more, Wanda Coleman is a master of honesty. Her writing is an artifact of a life defined by brilliance, outspokenness, and survival.” —Courtney Taylor, SLICE Here and Now by Kimberla Lawson Roby This powerful classic was published over 20 years ago by New York Times bestselling author Kimberla Lawson Roby. It tells the story of two sisters, as different as night and day, who must find the light in each other amid their darkest times … Because Kimberla was never comfortable with the idea of including profanity or detailed sex scenes in her books, she ultimately made the decision to remove it from the newly released paperback edition of Here and Now. The story-line itself, however, has remained the same. Enjoy the revised version which benefits from two decades of wisdom and the honing of craft. Support Indie Book Stores and Websites Loyalty Books Opened in 2019, Loyalty is an Independent Bookstore serving Petworth, DC and Silver Spring, MD. “We like books. We like you. And we’re ready to bring the best books and events to our community. We are aiming to be the Mid-Atlantic’s neighborhood spot for wonderful books and unique home goods, gifts, and programming. Our staff and our selection highlight the diverse voices and creatives that make our communities great. When we think about what to feature in our store we focus on how we live in our homes.” Umoja Books and Products The website launched in 2017, “the inspiration of Umoja Books resulted from the need of having an African American owned bookstore in Lafayette, LA. It started with offering books written by African Americans, and it has now blossomed in offering other items created by African Americans such as t-shirts, herbal supplements, personal care products, Black fraternity and sorority items, bible covers, tote bags, and much more.” Obscene Rhetoric by Frederick K. Foote, Jr. Obscene Rhetoric by Frederick K. Foote, Jr. “Every national disaster or threat evokes a series of mantras, slogans, maxims, and adages from our leaders and would-be leaders. These statements are patently untrue. These axioms are meat to mislead, misguide, and hide the brutal realities of our situations. They are obscene propaganda in support of the status quo. Here are a few.” —Frederick K. Foote, Jr., April 4, 2020 We are all in the same boat We are not in the same damn boat. My boat suffers from hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, breathing disabilities, and sails in rough seas with few ports … More ▶ Upcoming Bookseller Conversation 5 Tips to Improve Your Online Book Sales We are planning another bookseller video conference in the next few weeks. The focus will be in strategies to improve online book sales. This conversation is for anyone interested in selling books on the web. We already have some ideas on what will be discussed, but if you have any specific questions email me and let me know what you'd like me to cover. F@ck am*zon and Their “am*zon Original Stories” am*zon has been selling books that no other bookseller can sell for sometime. Recently, I discovered a book that was published by one of the world’s most celebrated science fiction writers. It is a book that I can not obtain through normal distribution channels — am*zon is the only entity who can sell it! I stopped directing readers to am*zon, for book purchases, last summer and began fulfilling orders directly. It was scary, but fortunately readers stepped up and supported AALBC by buying books through the site, and we are much better off as a result. I have, however, continued to link to am*zon on behalf of paid advertisers. This is a practice I’m going to have to discontinue. Sure, it may cost AALBC much needed advertising revenue, but I can’t, in good conscious, support am*zon on any level. Indie booksellers, Black, white, online, brick and mortar — whatever, are going to have to unite against am*zon or be buried. am*zon is predator taking advantage of weaken competitors. Some bookstores, many perhaps, will not survive the combination of a global pandemic and am*zon’s business practices — not without your support Reader. Support your indie bookseller. Dear Reader, April 8th was my birthday; please help me celebrate by sharing something from the AALBC’s website. Use a heart ♥ and tag me (@aalbc). I have a variety of books to give away and will select my favorite shares over the rest of the month. As always, consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers whose work you are helping to celebrate. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – April 18, 2020 - Issue #289

A Note from New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe on Book 3 in her 1930’s-set Trilogy Dear Reader, I’ve heard from so many readers with questions about the fates of the batty folks they got to know in One House Over and Over the Fence, the first two books in The Neighbors series. Well, all of your questions will be answered in Across the Way! After all the blackmailing, betrayals, deceptions, greed, and jealousy introduced in the first two books, it’s time for revenge. This final book in the trilogy will deliver it… with no holds barred. I have a feeling it will be a long time before you forget the havoc Joyce, Odell, Yvonne, and Milton wreaked! ABOUT THE BOOK: “Monroe brings her exciting Neighbors trilogy to a dramatic and memorable conclusion, as she explores how social tension and conflict complicate jealousy and romance in an African American enclave in a small Alabama town during the Great Depression.” – Booklist on Across the Way New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe brings Prohibition-era Alabama to life in The Neighbors, a trilogy about the ongoing rivalry between two neighboring families: the sophisticated, seemingly respectable Watsons and the hard-partying, bootlegging, and outrageous Hamiltons… When good-time couple Milton and Yvonne Hamilton moved one house over from the respectable-but-restless Odell and Joyce Watson, it was a fast friendship of shared secrets—and secret jealousies and betrayals. Their alliance was bound to crash and burn, but the Hamiltons won’t quite let the flame die out, even after scandalous accusations get them arrested. Odell would do anything to be free of his bootlegging, blackmailing, money extorting neighbors and recover the peaceful—and financially prosperous—life he and Joyce once had. But Milton and Yvonne seem to always bounce back from bad luck, and this time they’ve returned angrier, and greedier, than ever. Determined to get what Odell “owes” them, the Hamiltons have a big surprise for Joyce too, one that shows how far they will go to get revenge… Perfect for book clubs, Across the Way, is a captivating drama that explores the ways proximity to others can foment envy, reads as a cautionary tale about the grass being greener elsewhere, and explores how our origins can either drive us forward or hold us back. Across the Way is available now everywhere books are sold! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mary Monroe is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of over 20 novels, with over one million books in print. She is a three-time AALBC bestseller and winner of the AAMBC Maya Angelou Lifetime Achievement Award, the PEN/Oakland Josephine Miles Award, and the J. California Cooper Memorial Award. The daughter of Alabama sharecroppers, she taught herself how to write before going on to become the first and only member of her family to finish high school. She lives in Oakland, California. Visit Mary Monroe Online: www.MaryMonroe.org Facebook Twitter Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing.

Sensuous Knowledge by Minna Salami The creator of the internationally popular, multiple award-winning blog MsAfropolitan applies an Africa-centered feminist sensibility to issues of racism and sexism, challenging our illusions about oppression and liberation and daring women to embrace their power. Sensuous Knowledge is a collection of thought provoking essays that explore questions central to how we see ourselves, our history, and our world. In this riveting meditation, Salami asks women to break free of the prison made by ingrained male centric biases, and build a house themselves—a home that can nurture us all. Minna Salami is Nigerian, Finnish, and Swedish author, blogger, and social critic, and international keynote speaker. She is the founder of the multiple award-winning blog, MsAfropolitan, which connects feminism with critical reflections on contemporary culture from an African-centered perspective. Listed by Elle Magazine as “one of twelve women changing the world” alongside Angelina Jolie and Michelle Obama, Minna has presented talks on feminism, liberation, decolonization, sexuality, African Studies, and popular culture to audiences at the European Parliament, the Oxford Union, Yale University, TEDx, The Singularity University at NASA, and UN Women. She is a contributor to The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and the Royal Society of the Arts, and a columnist for the Guardian Nigeria. She lives in London. We Want Our Bodies Back by Jessica Care Moore A dazzling full-length collection of verse from one of the leading poets of our time. Over the past two decades, Jessica Care Moore has become a cultural force as a poet, performer, publisher, activist, and critic. Reflecting her transcendent electric voice, this searing poetry collection is filled with moving, original stanzas that speak to both Black women’s creative and intellectual power, and express the pain, sadness, and anger of those who suffer constant scrutiny because of their gender and race. Fierce and passionate, Jessica Care Moore argues that Black women spend their lives building a physical and emotional shelter to protect themselves from misogyny, criminalization, hatred, stereotypes, sexual assault, objectification, patriarchy, and death threats. We Want Our Bodies Back is an exploration—and defiant stance against—these many attacks. Jessica Care Moore is the founder and CEO of Moore Black Press, executive producer of Black WOMEN Rock!, and founder of the literacy-driven, Jess Care Moore Foundation. An internationally renowned poet, playwright, performance artist, and producer, she is the 2019 and 2017 Knight Arts Award Winner, 2016 Kresge Arts Fellow, NAACP Great Expectations Awardee, and an Alain Locke Award recipient from the Detroit Institute of Arts. Moore is the author of The Words Don’t Fit in My Mouth, The Alphabet Verses the Ghetto, Sunlight Through Bullet Holes, and the critically acclaimed Techno Choreopoem, Salt City. Her work has been published in numerous literary collections and she has performed on stages all over the world, including, The Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the London Institute for Contemporary Arts. Jessica lives and writes in an historic Detroit neighborhood with her son King Thomas. This email is sponsored by Amistad

Community Video Conference: “Black Books in the Age of the Coronavirus” Dear Reader, You’ve received this email because you’ve registered for our community conversation; Black Books in the Age of the Coronavirus. Approximately 300 supporters joined us for all, or part, of this historic conversation. I’m sharing the video and the chat transcript, of our video conference. You’ll see and hear from booksellers, many legendary, from all over the country. If you are not already subscribed to AALBC’s newsletter, your email address, p******@e******.com has been added. We use will it to send notifications of future conversations. We also send 1 to 4 emails, each month, chock full of information related to Black books. The “The 97 Most Critically Acclaimed Books of 2019,” shown below, is an example of a great list of books shared in our most recent newsletter. If you do not want to receive the AALBC newsletter simply click the Unsubscribe at the top (or bottom) of this message, and your email address will be permanently removed from our list (it can not be added back). The 97 Most Critically Acclaimed Books of 2019 The Most Critically Acclaimed Books on our list have earned multiple honors including; winning an award; making our bestsellers list; or being selected for inclusion on prominent book club reading list. Our list is continuously evolving as we incorporate additional sources to help readers discover the best books available. Our list spans 80 years and includes over 1,000 books! This is one of the best pages, on AALBC, to discover your next great read enjoy ♥ Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing.

Sinister, surreal, smart and electric, Lakewood is a masterful debut novel about class and race that evokes a terrifying world of medical experimentation, based on true history. The 97 Most Critically Acclaimed Books of 2019 The Most Critically Acclaimed Books on our list have earned multiple honors including; winning an award; making our bestsellers list; or being selected for inclusion on prominent book club reading list. Our list is continuously evolving as we incorporate additional sources to help readers discover the best books available. Our list spans 80 years and includes over 1,000 books! This is one of the best pages, on AALBC, to discover your next great read enjoy ♥ AALBC Bestsellers February 2020 Fiction: Fiction sales were led by the two-time AALBC bestseller The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins, which was also a Go On Girl! Book Club selection for January 2020. Read what the ladies had to say about this book. Nonfiction: The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations by Toni Morrison topped all sales in the Nonfiction category. In addition to being a two-time AALBC Bestseller, Morrison’s book is the winner of a 2020 NAACP Image Award for Nonfiction. Children’s Books: Dominated sales of all genres this period. Sales were led by Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof by Ivy Claire. The book was created by Kobe Bryant and his publishing company Granity Studios. Poetry: We did not sell enough poetry books to compile a list this period. However editor choices include, A Bound Woman Is a Dangerous Thing: The Incarceration of African American Women from Harriet Tubman to Sandra Bland by Damaris B. Hill and Mistress by Chet’la Sebree Community Video Conference: “Black Books in the Age of the Coronavirus” Black Books in the Age of the Coronavirus is the first of several community video conversations designed to report on and uplift the Black Book Ecosystem. Over 200 supporters joined us in this historic conversation. You may visit AALBC to watch a video of the entire conversation and read a transcript of the chat session, which ran concurrently with the video conference. You’ll hear from booksellers, many legendary, from all over the country. Recommended Reads Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o, Illustrated by Vashti Harrison Sulwe was one of the most popular and critically acclaimed Children’s Books books on AALBC in 2019. Among many other accolades Sulwe is a; * Top 150 African-American Children’s Book; * 3–Time AALBC.com Bestselling Book; * Coretta Scott King Award Winning Book 2020; and * NAACP Image Award Honored Book Sulwe takes the issue of colorism on directly. Read AALBC’s Review of Sulwe, which is the first in our planned series of reviews, of books, on the subject of colorism. CJ’s Big Dream by C.J. Watson, Illustrated by Cameron Wilson C.J. Watson, former NBA star, played professionally for over 12 years and his career has allowed him to play for some of the best teams in NBA history such as the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, and the Chicago Bulls. C.J.’s Big Dream is a story about a young basketball player that Watson has written to promote his message: “Always believe in yourself and to follow your dreams.” The story follows a young boy from a low-income neighborhood with a big game that day. By believing in himself, he works his hardest to succeed at his game. He plans on making this book into a series that will impact children from any background. We Now Categorize Children’s Books by Age I’ve listened to your feedback and have added Target Age Group Descriptions for all of our Children’s Books. Collecting the data and updating our website has been a challenge, because there is no universal way to easily categorize children’s books by age. I talked to a bunch of people for guidance and have defined the following five “Target Age Categories;” Board Book (Infant to 3 Years), Picture Books (3 to 6 Years of Age), Early Reader (6 to 10), Middle Grade (8 to 12), and Young Adult (12 and older). The age ranges for each group are meant as guides — not firm rules. Every child is different, so the age range and subject appropriateness will vary from child to child. I hope this helps and, as always, I welcome you feedback. WURD One of a Few African-American Radio Stations WURD-FM/AM is the only African-American owned and operated talk radio station in Pennsylvania, and one of few in the country. WURD covered the 28th Annual African American Children’s Book Fair in Philadelphia. This event is one the oldest and largest diverse Children's Literary festival in the country. The event is hosted and produced by The African American Children's Book Project. There were thousands of people in attendance and if platforms like WURD were not present to record and chronicle the event, this story would not be told and many others would miss-out. Listen to hosts like authors Solomon Jones and Charles Ellison at https://wurdradio.com/. Dear Reader, The Coronavirus pandemic has touched is all in one way or another. I pray we all emerge from this challenge both healthy and financially sound. We have pushed our annual Black Pack Party, to Wednesday, July 22, 2020. I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have purchased books from AALBC. You know I simply can’t get books to you as quickly as Jeff Bezos, but I can help you find books, by Black writers, that you are most likely to enjoy more quickly. I encourage you to watch or listen the video I shared, Black Books in the Age of the Coronavirus; it will help you appreciate the incredible challenges Black booksellers are dealing with now and why we are still optimistic for the future (hint: {{first_name,fallback=Reader}} your power is key). Finally, consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers whose work you are helping to celebrate. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This email is sponsored by Amistad Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – March 24, 2020 - Issue #288

Keeping the Black Book Ecosystem Strong: Black Books in the Age of the Coronavirus Dear Reader, I often speak about the “Black Book Ecosystem” and why it is so important to us, as a culture, to maintain our agency when it comes to determining how our stories are told. #readingblack is one effort and these community conversations are another. Today, March 22, from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Eastern, I to invite you to participate our first community conversation; “Black Books in the Age of the Coronavirus” If you are an author, educator, librarian, publisher, retailer, wholesaler, literacy program leader, or reader interested in supporting books that celebrate people of African descent, we need your voice as part of this important conversation. The conversation will take place online, in the form of a Zoom video conference, and will be led by; ▪ Paul Coates (Black Classic Press, Baltimore, MD); ▪ Kassahun Checole (African World Press, Trenton, NJ); ▪ James Fugate (Eso Won Books, Los Angeles, CA); ▪ Shirikiana Germina (Sankofa Video and Books Washington, DC); ▪ Cheryl and Wade Hudson (Just Us Books, West Orange, NJ); and ▪ Troy Johnson (AALBC.com, Tampa, FL) This will be the first of several conversations featuring a variety of individuals actively involved, often behind the scenes, in the business of books. You must register, in advance, if you are interested in joining us. https://zoom.us/meeting/register/v5AlcuqprTIrCWOmPSMLh5fwrZ6HBNLM_Q Get a Free Stock from Robinhood Reader, as stocks prices begin to plunge it may be a good time to enter the stock market. If you have never dabbled in stocks, now may be a great time. As brokers compete for business, individuals can now trade stock as at now cost. One broker Robinhood now offers the opportunity to get a free stock TODAY without spending a single penny: https://join.robinhood.com/troyj440 My daughter sent me a link, like the one above, and I got a free share of FORD the same day. It was trading at $4.28 when I got it and it is now up 7 cents a day later Once you join you can create your own link and get even more free stocks — again for free! Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder, AALBC.com

Reaching Out to Discussion Forum Members Dear Forum Member, I’m reaching out to you, because you have previously created an account on the AALBC discussion forum and have shared at least one comment. We also need your help. Stop by our discussion forum, read and my post, Reaching Out to Discussion Forum Participants, and share some feedback. Let us know why you participate in the forums or why you don't participate. In exchange for your thought and ideas, I’m offering every forum member a coupon which will save you 10% on everything in our online bookstore. This discount is on top of the free shipping I offer to all customers, on orders of $40 or more, and no sales tax (except in the state of Florida). Just visit the site to get the coupon code. We also gave AALBC a huge overhaul — it is a world class website now and we’ve gone back to fulfilling book orders ourselves — no more am*zon affiliate links! Our discussion forums are better than ever: ▪ You never have to worry about your privacy being exploited, ▪ They are easy to use, ▪ Optimized for mobile access, ▪ Allows all forms of rich content to be shared, ▪ They are free to use, and ▪ Advertising is kept to a minimum Check it out and let me know what you think. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder, AALBC.com

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes Award-winning and bestselling author, Jewell Parker Rhodes writes a powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world, all while training for a fencing competition (published March 3, 2020 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers). Booklist Starred Review ★ “A profound treatise about institutional racism for the middle-grade set, Rhodes’ latest elevates beyond simple moralizing into a penetrating look into the soul of a young person struggling to learn how to become a Black man of character in a world that expects him to be less. Dropping the reader directly into a tony prep-school office where Donte anxiously awaits judgement for an offense he did not commit, Rhodes dials readers immediately into the boy’s acute dread as he cycles through feelings of shame, anger, and confusion, ultimately leading to a nonconfrontation that causes him to be arrested. As we learn more about Donte and his biracial family, including his lighter-skinned brother, we come to root for him and his pursuit of redemption as he seeks to prove his self-worth to his bullies and his school community through fencing. His coach, one of the first Black Olympic fencers, helps him refine his talent and his ability to deal with the inequities he experiences on a regular basis. An entertaining story and happy ending does not take away from this powerful examination of how the educational and justice systems punitively treat children of color—and how this bias impacts their self-perception and esteem. A powerful work and must-have for children’s collections.” —Booklist: March 1, 2020 Jewell Parker Rhodes currently serves as the Piper Endowed Chair and founding artistic director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University. Her novel, Ghost Boys, quickly became a New York Times Best Seller and has garnered over 25 awards and honors, including The Walter Award, the Indies Choice/EB White Read-Aloud Award, and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award for Older Readers. Jewell is also the author of Towers Falling, winner of the 2017 Notable Books for a Global Society, and the celebrated Louisiana Girls’ Trilogy: Ninth Ward, a winner of a Coretta Scott King Honor Award; Sugar, a Junior Library Guild selection, and Bayou Magic, a We Need Diverse Books Educational Selection. Jewell has written numerous children’s and adult books hoping to inspire social justice, equality, and environmental stewardship. She enjoys teaching, walking her Toy Aussie Sheepdogs, theater, dancing, and music. Born in Pittsburgh, she now lives in Seattle, Washington.

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes Award-winning and bestselling author, Jewell Parker Rhodes writes a powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world, all while training for a fencing competition (published March 3, 2020 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers). Booklist Starred Review ★ “A profound treatise about institutional racism for the middle-grade set, Rhodes’ latest elevates beyond simple moralizing into a penetrating look into the soul of a young person struggling to learn how to become a Black man of character in a world that expects him to be less. Dropping the reader directly into a tony prep-school office where Donte anxiously awaits judgement for an offense he did not commit, Rhodes dials readers immediately into the boy’s acute dread as he cycles through feelings of shame, anger, and confusion, ultimately leading to a nonconfrontation that causes him to be arrested. As we learn more about Donte and his biracial family, including his lighter-skinned brother, we come to root for him and his pursuit of redemption as he seeks to prove his self-worth to his bullies and his school community through fencing. His coach, one of the first Black Olympic fencers, helps him refine his talent and his ability to deal with the inequities he experiences on a regular basis. An entertaining story and happy ending does not take away from this powerful examination of how the educational and justice systems punitively treat children of color—and how this bias impacts their self-perception and esteem. A powerful work and must-have for children’s collections.” —Booklist: March 1, 2020 Jewell Parker Rhodes currently serves as the Piper Endowed Chair and founding artistic director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University. Her novel, Ghost Boys, quickly became a New York Times Best Seller and has garnered over 25 awards and honors, including The Walter Award, the Indies Choice/EB White Read-Aloud Award, and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award for Older Readers. Jewell is also the author of Towers Falling, winner of the 2017 Notable Books for a Global Society, and the celebrated Louisiana Girls’ Trilogy: Ninth Ward, a winner of a Coretta Scott King Honor Award; Sugar, a Junior Library Guild selection, and Bayou Magic, a We Need Diverse Books Educational Selection. Jewell has written numerous children’s and adult books hoping to inspire social justice, equality, and environmental stewardship. She enjoys teaching, walking her Toy Aussie Sheepdogs, theater, dancing, and music. Born in Pittsburgh, she now lives in Seattle, Washington.

The Image Awards Outstanding Literary Work This year, the NAACP celebrated the 51st anniversary of Image Awards. On February 22, 2020, five winning books were announced in eight literature categories; Biography/Autobiography, Children, Debut Author, Fiction, Instructional, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Youth/Teens. Visit AALBC to learn which titles were honored this year. Recommended Reads Changing the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM by Tonya Bolden Bolden has written numerous bestselling books for children and adults, and her work has garnered many awards, including the Coretta Scott King Honor, James Madison Book Award, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and YALSA Best Book of the Year. She is one of AALBC’s Top 100 AALBC.com Bestselling Authors. Her work spans more than a quarter of a century and more than 40 books. Tonya’s latest book, Changing the Equation, is a celebration of the contributions Black women in America have made in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Read our recent interview with Ms. Bolden ► Preorder, Changing the Equation, before March 3rd, and save 10%, get free shipping — plus we only collect sales tax on orders shipping to the state of Florida. The Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson Carter G. Woodson is the father of Black History Month. The edition AALBC sells is the ONLY one published in partnership with the organization Woodson founded, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). We are highlighting Mis-Education, the #3 all-time bestselling book on AALBC, because it epitomizes the essence of one of Woodson's ideas — self reliance. This book was written, published, printed, distributed, and sold by Black-owned businesses. The copy AALBC sells also sports our Bestseller seal — a collector's item. The Osiris Papers: Reflections on the Life and Writings of Dr. Frances Cress Welsing The Osiris Papers is intended to be the first of many treatises written to examine the life, theories, and contributions of Dr. Frances Cress Welsing. Some of these writings will be hagiographic. Some will be critical, but all will expand our understanding of one of the greatest African thinkers of the past 100 years. A group of scholars, social activists, and entertainers write on one of the Nine Areas of White Supremacy outlined by Neely Fuller in his monumental work The United Independent Compensatory Code/System/Concept: A Compensatory Counter-Racist Code. You will learn how Mr. Fuller directly influenced the theories of Dr. Welsing. While Mr. Fuller asked “What is racism/white supremacy?,” Dr. Welsing asked “Why is there racism/white supremacy?” There is an important difference in these two queries and each will be answered in various ways throughout this volume by writers who; knew Dr. Welsing personally; worked with her on various projects; or are deeply familiar with her writings. Why I Sued the Bible Publishers by Bradley Fowler Written with the average reader in mind, Fowler compiles eight years of legal evidence and research supplied from American Bible Society and academia. He also adds material of Bible publishing, usually not available to consumers, acquired under the U.S. First Amendment right to freedom of press. It’s a powerful argument but one that will not sway the conservative religious base. Puzzled by the Biblical message about “forbidden” sexual orientation, Fowler, who had “exposed” himself as a homosexual in the fourth and fifth grade, was angered by people who used The Bible as a means to condemn same-sex intimacy. “Millions of gay men around the world still face discrimination because of what has been published in The Bible, and sold to religious followers as God’s truth and authentic words,” he writes. Read our full book review ► Important Events The 15th National Black Writers Conference (NBWC) The NBWC will be held Thursday, March 26, 2020 – Sunday, March 29, 2020 at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. The theme for this year's conference is: Activism, Identity, and Race: Playwrights and Screenwriters at the Crossroads. Learn more ► The Children’s Africana Book Awards & Festival Awards Dinner: March 27, 2020 6:30 p.m. at the Interdisciplinary Research Building Howard University, tickets are available through Eventbrite. Festival: March 28, 2020, at the National Museum of African Art, it is free and open to all. The Children’s Africana Book Awards are presented annually to the authors and illustrators of the best children’s and young adult books on Africa published or republished in the U.S. The awards were created by Africa Access and the Outreach Council of the African Studies Association (ASA) to encourage the publication and use of accurate, balanced children’s materials about Africa. The awards are presented in two categories: Young Children and Older Readers. We Mourn the Loss of Several Iconic Figures B. Smith, Model, Restaurateur, and Author Barbara Elaine Smith was born August 24, 1949. She is a native of Pennsylvania and began her career as a fashion model, gracing the covers of 15 magazines and becoming the first African-American woman on Mademoiselle’s cover in July 1976. Smith ultimately became a restaurateur with restaurants in NYC's Theater District, DC's Union Station, and Sag Harbor, LI. where she would greet diners with a smile and treat you warmly. Smith published several cookbooks. Her last book was a poignant memoir, Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer’s. Smith, died of complications from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, on February 22, 2020, at her home on Long Island. Katherine Johnson, Pioneering NASA Mathematician Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson was born August 26, 1918 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. She is a former NASA mathematician whose work was critical to the success of many of their initiatives, including the Apollo program and the start of the Space Shuttle program. Throughout her long career she has received numerous awards, including the nation’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Barack Obama. Johnson died February 24, 2020 at the age of 101. Johnson’s life was chronicled in several Hidden Figures books written by Margot Lee Shetterly. Kobe Bryant, Book Publisher and NBA Great Kobe Bryant was born August 23, 1978 and is one of the most accomplished and celebrated athletes of all time. Over the course of his twenty-year career — all played with the Los Angeles Lakers — he won five NBA championships. Few may know that Bryant was also a book Publisher, via his own Granity Studios. His debut of Granity’s first young-adult fiction novel The Wizenard Series: Training Camp was published in March 2019. His life was tragically cut short in a helicopter crash, January 26, 2020. Dear Reader, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have purchased books from AALBC. I now you have other options when it comes to buying books on the Web, so I appreciate your business. Your business is important as allows AALBC to continue to introduce you to the books, authors, and events who you may not easily discovered otherwise. Book industry professionals and authors save the date for our annual Black Pack Party, which will be held Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Finally, please consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers whose work you are helping to celebrate. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – February 26, 2020 - Issue #287

2020 Coretta Scott King Awards Announced The Coretta Scott King Awards were announced January 27th at the American Library Association’s Midwinter Conference in Philadelphia. The award is presented annually to honor African-American authors and illustrators who create outstanding books for children and young adults. “… an excellent start on your quest for the best in African-American literature for children.” There are five categories for this award; Author, Author Honor, Illustrator, Illustrator Honor, and the John Steptoe Award for New Talent. Learn which books were recently honored and discover all the others honored over the past half century. 2020 Newbery Medal Winning and Honored Books The John Newbery Medal and Honor books were also announced at the Midwinter Conference. First presented in 1922, the Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year. Virginia Hamilton, in 1975, was the first African American writer to win the medal. As of 2020, five African American writers have won the medal and 22 have been honored. Approximately a third of these honors were bestowed in the last 5 years. This year African-American writers virtually swept the Newberys garnering 3 of 4 honors. We have identified all of the Newbery winning and honored books which were written by, or about, people of African descent. Prominent Author Remembers AALBC! “Troy Johnson @aalbc has been super supportive since my early days of self publishing. So it’s only fitting that I have them reveal the cover of Class Act the sequel to New Kid.” — Jerry Craft Craft wrote the most critically acclaimed graphic novel published in 2019, New Kid, which won the Coretta Scott King Award, the Kirkus Prize, the Newbery Medal, and more. It was also an AALBC and New York Times bestselling book. The important thing to note is that Jerry’s continued support of AALBC allows us to support other budding authors and illustrators. Craft gave AALBC the privilege of being the first entity to show the cover of Class Act to the world, and it has become an instant AALBC Bestseller — Thanks Jerry! The 2020 African American Children’s Book Fair Children's Book Authors Renee Watson and Tracey Baptiste Held annually in Philadelphia, PA, The African American Children’s Book Fair is the nation’s premier event celebrating children’s literature and the authors and illustrators who create these books. The fair features nationally known, bestselling authors and illustrators, many of whom have won prestigious literary awards, producing the best books of our generation. There is no bookstore or library where all of these books can be seen in one place and no event where so many of the artists and writers who create these books can be seen. The fair was jammed packed by over 3,500 eager book buyers. My hat goes off Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati founder of The African American Children’s Book Project and President of The Literary Media and Publishing Consultants. View our photos of the 28th annual fair. Barbados-Born Poet Kamau Brathwaite Passes Barbadian Kamau Brathwaite (May 11, 1930 – February 4, 2020) was considered one of the major voices in the Caribbean literary canon. Brathwaite is the 2006 International Winner of the Griffin Poetry Prize, for his volume of poetry Born to Slow Horses. He’s earned a Ph.D. from the University of Sussex in 1968 and was the co-founder of the Caribbean Artists Movement (CAM). He received both the Guggenheim and Fulbright Fellowships in 1983, and is a winner of the 1994 Neustadt International Prize for Literature, the Bussa Award, the Casa de las Américas Prize for poetry, the 1999 Charity Randall Citation for Performance and Written Poetry from the International Poetry Forum, and many others. AALBC Book Reviews Snapshot by Camryn King In Snapshot, Camryn King demonstrates the power of a page turning thriller. Through King’s beautifully descriptive screens, narrative pace, believable dialog, and narrator’s voice, the reader becomes engrossed in a story that reads like actual events. Kennedy Wades, a freelance photographer, is on assignment in the Bahamas, but the plush gig soon twists into a police situation that leaves her emotionally and physically hurt. Read the rest of Tony Lindsay’s Review ► Dear Reader, This month we focus our attention on books written for younger readers. Look out for our list of the “Top 100 African-American Children’s Books.” This list is a follow up with our very popular, “Top 150 Recommended African-American Children’s Books.” We listened to your feedback and are making a couple of major improvements: ▪ Books will be organized into four categories, picture books, early readers, middle grade, and young adult. ▪ The list will be restricted to books published within the last two or three years. ▪ We will make it easy to purchase all the books, or books in each category, and offer discounts and free shipping Remember, indie bookstores thrive with your patronage and support. When you find something of value on AALBC please be sure to share the information with others. If you discover a book in this newsletter or on our site, that piques your interest, purchase it from us or your local indie bookseller. Finally, please consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers whose work you are helping to celebrate. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – February 12, 2020 - Issue #286

From the author of Barracoon and Their Eyes Were Watching God comes Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick, a collection of remarkable stories about love and migration, gender and class, racism and sexism. Brought together for the first time in one volume, they include eight of Hurston’s “lost” Harlem stories. All are timeless classics that enrich our understanding and appreciation of this exceptional writer’s voice and her contributions to America’s literary traditions. AALBC Bestselling Books In September 2019, we stopped selling books as an am*zon affiliate. This is the first reporting period that AALBC bestsellers list includes only books that we have sold directly. Since dropping am*zon our sales have increased overall, but the number of books on our bestsellers list is lower because a only a single copy of most titles was sold. Previously our bestseller list also included eBooks and books that were used or out of print. Today our bestsellers list reflects new, physical books, sold at retail prices. Check out all of our best selling books for November/December 2020. Black Writers Almost Sweep the 2019 Kirkus Prize Winning $50K Each! The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 86 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. There are 5 finalists in each category, Black writers made up more than half the finalists and won every category! This is quite an accomplishment. When the award started in 2014 there was only one Black finalist and no winners. Discover all the award winners of African descent since the award's inception. Oprah’s Book Club Selections Since 1996 Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 launched in June of 2012 and is a joint venture between, Oprah Winfrey, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, and O: The Oprah Magazine. The club is a re-launch of the original Book Club which ran from 1996 until 2011. We share information on all the authors, of African descent, who have been selected for Oprah’s Book Clubs since 1996. All 40 NAACP Image Award Nominated Books for 2020 In 2020, the NAACP celebrates the 51st anniversary of Image Awards. There are 5 titles nominated in eight literature categories; Biography/Autobiography, Children, Debut Author, Fiction, Instructional, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Youth/Teens. The Image Awards is perhaps the highest profile event for Black books in the country, were also sponsors of AALBC in 2019, and are one of the most important platforms for celebrating Black books that we have. Be sure to cast your vote for the 2020 winning books! Keith Kareem Williams Guarantees He'll Hook You in 2 Chapters! Keith Kareem Williams is the author of 21 books. We are sharing two chapters of his genre bending novel, Death in the City, with your on AALBC! Let us know what you think in the comments section on the page. When he hooks you, please be sure to order this books from the place you discovered him AALBC.com. AALBC Book Reviews Speaking of Summer: A Novel by Kalisha Buckhanon Mental illness in fiction provides a lens and a relatively safe space by which readers can examine its complexity and impact on the lives of the individual, families and friends. We have seen these stories in classics such as Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, …, J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, and Susan Kaysen’s Girl Interrupted. Kalisha Buckhanon, in her most recent novel, Speaking of Summer examines mental illness in a fast-paced suspense mystery that explores the strange disappearance of Summer, the protagonist’s twin sister. Buckhanon expands the narratives depicting mental illness in fiction and creates a story which centers on a young Black woman’s emotional pain as she attempts to deal with the loss of a person who has been her confidante, friend, and ally for years. More ► Ordinary Girls: A Memoir by Jaquira Diaz Jaquira Diaz, in her memoir Ordinary Girls, crafts a story that illustrates the intersection of race, ethnicity, sexuality, and poverty on the lives of ordinary girls growing up in Puerto Rico and Miami. “Ordinary girls” are the troublemakers: party girls, wild girls, queer girls, and girls who dribble balls on the basketball court. They represent all shades of black and brown in cities such as Miami and San Juan. Diaz is one of the “ordinary girls.” The reader witnesses Diaz’s desperate search for love: self-love, the love of her mother and father, and the love of boys and girls as she journeys from childhood and into adolescence and adulthood. More ► Evil Never Sleeps: Tales of Light and Darkness If the short story is a lost art, then you wouldn’t know it from reading Robert Fleming’s latest collection of story stories, Evil Never Sleeps: Tales of Light and Darkness. Fleming’s swift descriptive sentences sketch the rich details of setting, circumstance, and actions like the rapid brushstrokes of an impressionist artist bringing to life disparate time periods, landscapes, jazz clubs, the familiar faces of Hollywood starlets, American military occupations, mysterious extraterrestrial encounters, and racial antagonisms with the clarity, honesty, and unsettling irony of which only great hindsight can give license. Taken together, the 16 short stories weave a complex and thoroughly engaging tapestry of post-World War 2 American life from competing standpoints of race, gender, class, and profession. More ► Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson …Red at the Bone is a sensitively told story of two families whose lives become interconnected through the unexpected birth of Melody. Using autobiography, history and her reflections on identity, loss, and death, Woodson weaves a story that reflects the characters’ search for love and their need for connectedness and healing. Melody comes from a strong Black family whose lives span several generations. Her family’s collective memory and cultural history are rooted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Atlanta Georgia, Chicago, Illinois and early 20th century Brooklyn. Iris, Melody’s mother, becomes pregnant at 16. The family of Aubrey, Melody’s father, is not as rooted. Aubrey, the son of a White mother and Black father, meets his father, a jazz musician, but does not really comes to know him. He and his mother never stay in one place for too long. Like his father, Aubrey and his mother continuously move, staying along the coastline and close to the water. More ► A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks by Alice Faye Duncan Gwendolyn Brooks was a very influential African American poet who became the first Black writer to win a Pulitzer Prize award (Poetry). In the children’s book A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks author Alice Faye Duncan depicts all of Brooks loses and triumphs that she endured throughout her life. It is at times a very sad depiction, but overall very inspiring. Everything that Brooks experienced as a child, made her into a successful writer as an adult. Through all of her experiences, she became a stronger and smarter individual. More ► Join the Conversation in our Discussion Forums AALBC has continuously operated a discussion forum for over 20 years. We are one of a few remaining platforms where you can share ideas about anything while maintaining your privacy and without fear of being being manipulated by some pernicious algorithm. Some recent topics included; ▪ The Importance of the “Literary Chitlin' Circuit;” ▪ Barack Obama Didn’t Do a Darn Thing For Black People; and ▪ Debtors Prison is Back in America Join in the conversation or start your own. Dear Reader, Independent bookstores thrive with your patronage and support. When you find something of value on AALBC please be sure to share the information with others. If discover a book in this newsletter or on our site, that piques your interest, purchase it from us or another indie bookseller. Also please consider supporting this newsletter by volunteering to pay for your subscription. If you have already paid for an annual subscription, thank you on behalf of AALBC and the writers whose work you are helping to celebrate. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated mailing. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – January 15, 2020 - Issue #285