KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Essays, African American Poetry, African American Poets

365 Black Books Ross Gay Monday

Belated happy birthday Ross Gay! Born August 1, Ross Gay is an African American poet, essayist, and professor of English at Indiana University who won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for his 2014 book Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, which was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry. Ross Gay is interested in joy. He wants to understand joy. He is curious about joy. He studies joy. Here are some of his notable works:

Read some of Ross Gay’s poems here:

KRLemmons African American adult literature, African American Authors, African American Essays, African American Nonfiction, African American Poetry, African American Poets

365 Black Books James Baldwin Sunday

Heavenly happy birthday James Baldwin! Born August 2, 1924, James Arthur Baldwin was an African American writer and civil rights activist who garnered acclaim for his essays, novels, plays, and poems. His 1953 novel Go Tell It on the Mountain has been ranked by Time magazine as one of the top 100 English-language novels. He died in 1987. His authored other notable works:

Read some of his poetry here:

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Fantasy Literature, African American Science Fiction Literature, African American Speculative Fiction, African American Young Adult Literature

365 Black Books Tomi Adeyemi Saturday

Happy birthday Tomi Adeyemi! Born August 1, Tomi Adeyemi was name one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Tomi Adeyemi is a Hugo- and Nebula Award-winning writer, speaker, and model based in New York, New York. She is best known for her Children of Blood and Bone, book 1 in an Orisha trilogy.

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 Authors, African American Poetry, African American Poets, African American Short Stories

365 Black Books Henry Dumas Thursday

Heavenly belated birthday wishes Henry Dumas! Born July 20, 1934, Henry Dumas was an African American writer and poet. He was called “an absolute genius” by Toni Morrison, who as a commissioning editor at Random House published posthumous collections of his poetry and of his short stories, in 1974. He died in 1968. Some of his notable works:

Some of Henry Dumas’ poetry can be read here:

KRLemmons African American academic work, African American Authors, African American Literature, African American Nonfiction, African American Plays, African American Playwrights, African American Poetry, African American Poets

365 Black Books Thulani Davis Wednesday

Belated happy birthday Thulani Davis! Born July 19, is an African American playwright, journalist, librettist, novelist, poet, and screenwriter. She is a graduate of Barnard College and attended graduate school at both the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. Here are some of her notable works:

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Poetry, African American Poets, African American Short Stories

365 Black Books Alice Dunbar Nelson Tuesday

Heavenly belated birthday wishes Alice Dunbar Nelson! Born July 19, 1875, Alice Dunbar Nelson was an African American poet, journalist, and political activist. Among the first generation of African Americans born free in the Southern United States after the end of the American Civil War, she was one of the prominent African Americans involved in the artistic flourishing of the Harlem Renaissance. She died in 1935. Here are some of her notable works: