KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Historical Fiction, African American Middle Grades Literature, African American Poetry, African American Poets, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Kwame Alexander Friday

Happy birthday Kwame Alexander! Born August 21, Kwame Alexander is an award winning African American poet and author. He is a poet and author of several books for all ages. Read one of his books and I’m sure you will enjoy it! Here are just a few of his notable works:

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Graphic Novels, African American History, African American Nonfiction

365 Black Books Ibram X. Kendi Thursday

Happy birthday Ibram X. Kendi! Born August 13, Ibram Xolani Kendi is an African American author, professor, anti-racism activist, and historian of race and discriminatory policy in the U.S. He is author of books including Stamped from the Beginning, How to Be an Antiracist, Antiracist Baby, and Chain of Ideas.

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Middle Grades Literature, African American Picture Books, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Walter Dean Myers

Heavenly birthday wishes Walter Dean Myers! Born August 12, 1937, Walter Dean Myers was an award-winning African American writer best known for young adult literature. He has written about 70 novels, including the award winning novel, Monster. Some of his young adult literature feature African American young adult males. Walter Dean Myers died in 2014.

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Middle Grades Literature, African American Picture Books, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Derrick Barnes Sunday

Happy birthday Derrick Barnes! Born August 9, Derrick Barnes is an award-winning African American children’s and young adult’s author. Derrick Barnes is a National Book Award Finalist for his 2022 graphic novel Victory. Stand!-Raising My Fist For Justice, which also won the 2023 YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award, and a Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers.

In 2020, he became the only author to win the Kirkus Prize twice for his twelfth release, the New York Times bestseller, I Am Every Good Thing. The title also won a Charlotte Huck Award (NCTE), and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor. Visit his website for more of his notable books.

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Middle Grades Literature, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Renee Watson Wednesday

Happy birthday Renee Watson! Born July 29, Renee Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author with over one million books sold. TIME named Watson a 2026 Visionary, honoring her commitment to helping children and young people reach their full potential. Renee Watson was among the first authors invited to give a reading at the Obama Presidential Center. Renee Watson is best known for her Newbery Medal winning All the Blues in the Sky and New York Times bestselling young adult novel Piecing Me Together. Watson was among the first authors invited to give a reading at the Obama Presidential Center.

KRLemmons African American Artists, African American Authors, African American autobiography, African American children's literature, African American Illustrators, African American Picture Books, African American Poetry, African American Poets

365 Black Books Ashley Bryan Monday

Heavenly birthday wishes Ashley Bryan! Born July 13, 1923, Ashley Bryan was a phenomenal award-winning poet and artist. He often wrote and portrayed the African American experience. He died in 2022. Here are just a few of his beautiful works:

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American children's literature, African American Middle Grades Literature, African American Picture Books, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Angela Johnson Friday

Belated birthday wishes Angela Johnson! Born June 18, Angela Johnson is an award-winning children’s and young adult author, poet, and an 2003 McArthur Fellow. Here are just a few of the 40 books she has written since she began writing in 1989.