Celebrating Black Authors
February, 2021
This list of authors is by no means exhaustive. I have tried to include contemporary children and young adult authors, so that means that authors that you may be familiar with are not included, like Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Christopher Paul Curtis, Nikki Giovani, Alice Walker, Walter Dean Meyers, Virginia Hamilton, Angela Johnson, and so many more that influenced the authors celebrated here.
If you feel that I have left someone off the list, please feel free to send me an email at parevalothompson@judsonisd.org. I am always happy to be introduced to new authors and their books!
Sincerely,
Pamela Arevalo-Thompson, MLS
JISD Lead Librarian
Veterans Memorial High School Librarian
Authors for All Levels
Jason Reynolds
During the pandemic, he has been doing virtual visits and keynote speeches. Here is his Keynote speech from the Texas Library Association 2020 Virtual Conference where he talks about his newest, award-winning book, Stamped; Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-Winning Stamped from the Beginning.
Learn more about Jason and his books at https://www.jasonwritesbooks.com/
Jacqueline Woodson
Kwame Alexander
Kwame attended Virginia Tech University. His book, The Crossover, featured on the JISD Battle of the Books list, was awarded the 2015 Newberry Medal which recognizes the "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." It was also a Coretta Scott King Honor Book in the same year. Learn more about Kwame and his books at https://kwamealexander.com/
Nikki Grimes
Young Adult Authors
Elizabeth Acevedo
Elizabeth is a National Poetry Slam Champion and a graduate of George Washing University (BA - Performing Arts) and University of Maryland (MFA - Creative Writing). She has won several awards for her three books including the National Book Award for Young People for The Poet X, Best Book of the Year for With the Fire on High, and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor for Clap When You Land. Learn more about this poet, author at http://www.acevedowrites.com/about
Nic Stone
Tiffany D. Jackson
Tomi Adeyemi
Angie Thomas
Angie is a former teen rapper. In her bio, she says she "can also still rap if needed." Her first novel, The Hate U Give, started out as her senior project at Belhaven University, a private school in Mississippi, where she earned a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts). Her second novel, On the Come Up, is being made into a feature film, and Angie is a producer! Learn about her third book, Concrete Rose, a prequel to The Hate U Give, and more at https://angiethomas.com/
A Guided Journal
Write fearlessly. Write what is true and real to you.
In this guided journal, #1 New York Times bestselling author Angie Thomas shares advice and best practices for developing a true-to-you writing project.
Includes step-by-step craft tips, writing prompts, and exercises for:
- Discovering story ideas
- Creating memorable characters
- Realizing your setting
- Shaping your story
- Writing your “zero draft”
- And more!
With 24 illustrated inspirational quotes from Angie’s acclaimed novels The Hate U Give and On the Come Up, and plenty of blank pages for your own words, Find Your Voice will ignite your creativity and help you bring your own unique stories to life.
If you're interested in purchasing it for yourself, click HERE.
Ta-Nehisi Coates
You may be familiar with Ta-Nehisi's non-fiction books Between the World and Me and We Were Eight Years in Power, but he has also written several comic books, Black Panther and Captain America. Learn more about his works at https://ta-nehisicoates.com/about/
Ibi Zoboi
Ibi immigrated to the US from Haiti when she was 4 years old. She earned her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. American Street was a National Book Award finalist. She edited the anthology Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America, which includes stories from several authors on this list. Learn more about Ibi at http://ibizoboi.net/
Dhonielle Clayton
Lamar Giles
“I write books primarily to entertain readers. I like to imagine them gasping in a thrilling moment, or cracking up at the funny parts. My books are the kind that anybody can enjoy. But, while anybody can enjoy them, they're not about generic avatars; my books are about Black kids. They may be in strange situations or have talents you don't expect, but they are Black. They're the characters I was advised not to write. The characters I was told no one would read. The characters I always wanted to read. So the most interesting thing about me might be how stubborn I am because while I'm here to entertain I'm also here to prove wrong the people who said it couldn't--or worse, shouldn't--be done.“ It can't be said any better! Check out Lamar and his books at https://www.lamargiles.com/
Middle Grade Authors
Jewel Parker Rhoades
Jewel is an award-winning author of many books for children. She enjoys visiting schools and lecturing college students. "The driving force behind all of Jewell’s work is to inspire social justice, equality, and environmental stewardship." Learn more about Jewel and her books at http://jewellparkerrhodes.com/children/
Sharon Flake
Jerry Craft
Sharon Draper
Renee Watson
Mildred D. Taylor
Mildred won the 1977 Newberry Medal for her book Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry.
Learn more about Mildred and her books at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/30681/mildred-d-taylor/
Elementary Authors
Derrick Barnes
Taye Diggs
Don Tate
Don is also a founding host of The Brown Bookshelf which was "designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers."
Kadir Nelson
Learn more about his works at https://www.kadirnelson.com/about
Cozbi A. Cabrera
Cozbi also makes munecas (dolls) and she sells her prints. Check out all of her work at cozbi.com
Carol Boston Weatherford
Up & Coming Authors
Echo Brown
Lisa Moore Ramee
Her first novel for middle-grade students, A Good Kind of Trouble, debuted in 2019, and her second novel came out in 2020, Something to Say. Both novels include age-appropriate social justice issues.
Kim Johnson
And speaking of social justice issues, check out Kim's debut YA novel This is My America. Her book is also featured on the Spirt-of-Texas list. This list features books and authors "hopes to encourage a greater understanding of what it means to be a Texan, and to develop an appreciation for the literary works of and about Texas and Texans."
George M. Johnson
Junauda Petrus-Nasau
Ashley Woodfolk
Issa Rae
Camryn Garrett
Emmanuel Acho
Christina Hammonds Reed
Candice Iloh
Tracy Deonn
Evette Dionne
Leah Johnson
Anthologies
Find More Books
Coretta Scott King Award
Support Black Owned Bookstores
Click the image above for the link.
44 of the Best Books by Black Authors You Should Read in Your Lifetime
African American Children's Book Project
62 great books by Black authors, recommended by TED speakers
28 Days Later
Click the image above to follow 28 Days Later, but go back year-round to learn more about the talent that abounds on the Brown Bookshelf.
Lead Librarian, Pamela Thompson
Email: parevalothompson@judsonisd.org
Website: https://www.judsonisd.org/Page/23705
Location: 7618 Evans Road, San Antonio, TX, USA
Phone: 210-619-0220
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jisd.librarians.79