In its 14th year, AAMBC’s award season is here. Now being hosted in the month of August during Black Writers Weekend, the AAMBC Literary Awards celebrates a new class of Black Creatives with a vibrant list of nominees.
When you thought Black creative excellence couldn’t get any better, this year’s list of amazing nominees happily proved us all wrong. There was plenty to watch, read, and enjoy thanks to new shows such as Harlem to Independent Book Publishers and Best-selling Authors! While these nominees range from seasoned heavyweights to up-and-coming show stoppers, one thing is for certain — the genius is undeniable!
Without further ado, here are the 2022 AAMBC Literary Award Nominees:
Book Store of the Year
Harriett’s Bookshop
The Lit. Bar
Mahogany Books
Brave + Kind Bookshop
Nubian Books/ Nubian Bookstore
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Writer of the Year
Nnedi Okorafor, “Akata Woman”
Tracy Deonn, “Legendborn”
Rebecca Roanhorse, “Fevered Star”
Phoenix Williams, “Complete Savage: The Deviant Crew”
Tiya Rayne, “Priest”
Screenwriter of the Year
Ashley Nicole Black
Amy Aniobi
Ava DuVernay
Dewayne Perkins
Mike Gauyo
Motion Picture of the Year
Coming 2 America
Fatherhood
King Richard
My Name Is Pauli Murray
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Christian Fiction Author of the Year
Brenda Barrett
Natasha D. Frazier
ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Sarah Jakes Roberts
Yvonne Orji
Street Lit Writer of the Year
Jahquel J.
K’Wan
Mz. Lady P
Natavia
Sa’id Salaam
Blogger of the Year
Alex Elle
LaToya Forever
Mattie James
Melanated Reader
Shanicia Boswell
Children Books & YA Author of the Year
Amanda Gorman, “Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem”
Echo Brown, “The Chosen One: A First-Generation Ivy League Odyssey”
Nicole D. Collier, “Just Right Jillian”
Alicia D. Williams, “Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston”
Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renee Watson, “The 1619 Project: Born in the Water”
Literary Activists of the Year
Erica Thomas
Kima Jones
Nikole Hannah-Jones
Stacey Abrams
Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
Book Club of the Year
Mocha Girls Read
Noname’s Book Club
Sistah Minds in Motion
Bring Your Own Book Club, LLC
Black Men Read
Debut Author of the Year
Charmaine Wilkerson, Black Cake
Zakiya Dalila Harris, The Other Black Girl
Yasmin Angoe, Her Name Is Knight
Robert Jones Jr., The Prophets
Nancy Johnson, The Kindest Lie
Best Podcast
Therapy For Black Girls, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
85 South Show with Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly, and Chico Bean
We Said What We Said, Rickey Thompson and Denzel Dion
Jemele Hill is Unbothered Podcast, Jemele Hill
Here Wee Read Podcast with Charnaie Gordon
Female Author of the Year
Tia Williams
Sadeqa Johnson
Tiffany D. Jackson
Vanessa Riley
Victoria Christopher Murray
Publisher of the Year
Dafina Books
Harper Collins
Penguin Books
Penguin Random House
Random House
Urban Books
Vanguard of Urban Media
Blavity
Goodreads
Revolt
We Need Diverse Books
The Shade Room
eBook of the Year
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
In Every Mirror She’s Black: by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
Her Heart My Soul 2: China & Keem by K. Renee
While Justice Sleeps: A Novel by Stacey Abrams
Romance Author of the Year
Tia Williams
Kimberly Brown
Christina C. Jones
Ashantay Keys
Beverly Jenkins
Non- Fiction/Self Help Book of the Year
Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by Brandy Colbert
Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business): Finding Our Way to Joy, Love, and Freedom by Tabitha Brown
How We Can Win: Race, History and Changing the Money Game That’s Rigged by Kimberly Jones
Vice President Kamala Harris: Her Path to the White House by Malaika Adero
Male Author of the Year
Jabari Asim
Colson Whitehead
Carl Weber
Jason Reynolds
Derrick Barnes
Book Reviewer of the Year
Melanated Reader
Cyrus Webb
Brown Girl Reading
Queenie Clem
Wesley Morris
Television Show of the Year
Abbott Elementary
Atlanta
Harlem
Insecure
The Ms. Pat Show
Urban Book of the Year
Life After Death by Sister Souljah
My G by Natavia
Conflict Of Interest 2 by Chenell Parker
The Education of Nevada Duncan (Family Business) by Carl Weber with C. N. Phillips
Married To The Don of New Orleans by Miss Jazzie
Editor of the Year
Chris Jackson
Danielle Canada
Khloe Cain
Tia Ross
Todd Hunter
Audio Book of the Year
Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business): Finding Our Way to Joy, Love, and Freedom by Tabitha Brown
Woman Evolve: Break Up with Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life by Sarah Jakes Roberts
Will by Will Smith with Mark Manson
My Dear Friend Janet by Keke Palmer with Jasmine Guillory
In Every Mirror She’s Black: by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström
Independent Book Publisher of the Year
Urban Books Media
13th & Joan
Cole Hart
OneWorld Publications
B. Love Publications
Magazine of the Year
Ubawa
Sheen
CRWNMAG
Black Enterprise
Essence
A huge congratulations to all of these spectacular nominees! Now for the hard part — to choose a winner!
Vote for your favorites by June 15, 2022 and see the winners announced live at the 2022 AAMBC Literary Awards on August 7, 2022, at Frame 88 Studios in Doraville, Georgia. #WeAreLit and you can be, too. Come join us!
