Black Children's Books and Authors

Black Children’s Books and Authors (BCBA) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are located in Memphis, TN.

Our mission is to promote awareness of children’s and young adult literature by Black authors. BCBA began with a 2013 quest to find children's books written by and about Black people. At that time, only 69 out of 3200 books published by U. S. publishers were written by Black authors. The data collected was utilized to create an online Black author directory and blog for parents, educators, librarians, and anyone interested in diverse and representative children’s books. These actions eventually led to establishing our 501(c)3 nonprofit. 

We believe that exposing children to diverse, inclusive, and representative literature fosters an understanding of people who have different cultural, religious, or social life experiences. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, a multicultural children’s literature scholar says, “literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection, we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience.” That is why it is important for Black children to see themselves—their cultures, experiences, images, and languages—reflected in the stories they read, expansive and varied stories created by Black writers from throughout the African Diaspora.

The Our Stories Matter Books-To-You Program (BTY) advances BCBA’s mission to amplify Black voices in children's literature. BTY’s goal is to gift free books to children in our home city of Memphis, TN, and, as funds permit, regionally, nationally, and abroad.