African American English

When we first meet the young man at the center of this extraordinary and moving story, he is one of 13 children by a mother addicted to crack; he does not know his real name, his father, his birthday, or any of the things a child might learn in school. And he has no serious experience playing organized football.

In December 2000, the Baltimore Sun ran a small piece about Wes Moore, a local student who had just received a Rhodes Scholarship. The same paper also ran a series of articles about four young men who had allegedly killed a police officer in a spectacularly botched armed robbery. The police were still hunting for two of the suspects who had gone on the lam, a pair of brothers. One was named Wes Moore.

The Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in a changing United States, their fortune made through the entrepreneurship of William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. Now it's 1910, and the Davenports live surrounded by servants, crystal chandeliers, and endless parties, finding their way and finding love—even where they’re not supposed to.

Louis Armstrong, also known as “Satchmo” and “Pops”, became an American jazz legend in the 1920s. His voice and skill with instruments helped him become a popular musician in a time where America was racially divided. Watch as this skilled musician learns to play, buys his first instrument, and becomes one of the best music makers of the era.

Personal and prophetic, these essays uncover what it means to live in a racist American society with insights that feel as fresh today as they did over the four decades in which he composed them. Longtime Baldwin fans and especially those just discovering his genius will appreciate this essential collection of his great nonfiction writing. Along with 46 additional pieces, it includes the full text of dozens of famous essays from such books as:

No one was sure if America was ready for a show featuring nuanced, thoughtful portrayals of Black characters―and the potential fallout was terrifying. But from the first jazzy, syncopated beats of composers Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, New York audiences fell head over heels. This is the story of how Sissle and Blake, along with comedians Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, overcame poverty, racism, and violence to harness the energy of the Harlem Renaissance and produce a runaway Broadway hit that launched the careers of many of the twentieth century’s most beloved Black performers.

When Michael K. Williams died on September 6, 2021, he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation. From his star turn as Omar Little in The Wire to Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire to Emmy-nominated roles in HBO’s The Night Of and Lovecraft Country, Williams inhabited a slew of indelible roles that he portrayed with a rawness and vulnerability that leapt off the screen.

Dylan Monroe is the kind of chick females love to hate, but children and dogs mysteriously adore. She's a material girl, living in a material world filled with diamonds, furs, limousines, celebrities, and private planes. To the world, she has it all, but behind closed doors, she has nothing. Almost bankrupt, she finds solace with State, a wealthy entrepreneur with a heart of steel, the man who breaks her heart time and time again.

A Lover's Embrace 2 by Skyy: Rayne has a new attitude. After taking six months to travel, Rayne is coming back to Memphis with a new job, a new love, and a new outlook on life. But coming home means coming back to the reality that she left behind. Can she stay strong in the presence of the man who turned her world upside down? Or will she fall back into the disastrous routine that made her run away to begin with?

Unafraid to use her assets, young Johnnie has wiled her way into the lives of several dangerous men. She also happens to be connected to three murders. Now that her enemies are closing in from all sides, it seems her luck may run out.

Former "player" Terrell thinks he's got it going on. Then the past comes calling, and suddenly his best prospects are endangered.

Anoor is the first blue-blooded ruler of the Wardens' Empire. But when she is accused of a murder she didn't commit, her reign is thrown into turmoil. She must solve the mystery and clear her name without the support of her beloved, Sylah. Sylah braves new lands to find a solution for the hurricane that threatens to destroy her home. But in finding answers, she must make a decision, does she sacrifice her old life in order to raise up her sword once more?

After news of the attempted murder of his estranged fiancée, Gucci, Animal has two things on his mind: love and gunplay. With the help of his mistress, the deadly Red Sonja, Animal manages to elude his captors in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, and washes up on the shores of Miami, Florida. He's one step closer to home, but it may as well be a world away. Animal is still a wanted fugitive, and getting to New York undetected proves to be trickier than he thought.

A stint at the Branch Avenue Boys' Youth Institute taught Ricky, Derrick, and Jamal to unite when the going got tough. But fallout from their very different adult lives is making loyalty something they can't afford - and igniting drama they never saw coming. Arrested during a city-wide raid, Ricky must inform on DC's drug kingpin, Dolla Dolla - and find the woman who loved and betrayed him. Institute head Derrick hopes reuniting with his fiancee will keep his secret affair with a colleague in the past. And Jamal has a backroom deal with DC's corrupt mayor.

The blood spilled between the Republic of Mareen and the armies of the Blood Emperor long ago. The blood gifts of Mareen’s deadliest enemies. The blood that runs through the elite War Houses of Mareen, the rulers of the Tribunal dedicated to keeping the republic alive.

Betrayal hurts worse when done by the ones you showed the most love to. The saying couldn't be truer for the Priest Brothers. In this finale, the three men learn more about themselves than Duke could've ever taught them. While Krypt is figuring out who the woman was that hit their stash spots, Khrome is learning what it really means to be a single parent. It was never in his plans, especially this way. With a pending homicide case hovering over his head, Kavalli promised to never let another woman catch him slipping. He didn't care how solid she seemed.

Uncovering a cold-blooded execution at the hands of a conspiring police force, this engaging account relentlessly pursues the murderers of Black Panther Fred Hampton. Documenting the entire 14-year process of bringing the killers to justice, this chronicle also depicts the 18-month court trial in detail. Revealing Hampton himself in a new light, this examination presents him as a dynamic community leader whose dedication to his people and to the truth inspired the young lawyers of the People's Law Office.

Tracing the birth of a revolutionary, Huey P. Newton's famous and oft-quoted autobiography is as much a manifesto as a portrait of the inner circle of America's Black Panther Party. From Newton's impoverished childhood on the streets of Oakland to his adolescence and struggles with the system, from his role in the Black Panthers to his solitary confinement in the Alameda County Jail, Revolutionary Suicide is unrepentant and thought-provoking in its portrayal of inspired radicalism.

In this gripping tale of street love, drugs, lies, and murder, many will not make it out alive, some will find love in a hopeless place, while others get caught in the crossfire. Dive into the life of women who deserve more and find out what it's like to date the plug next door.

Shawn Black seems to be a mild-mannered family man who loves music recitals, football games, and family outings. What observers don’t realize is that Shawn is living a life on both sides of the fence. He harbors dangerous secrets that could hurt his family. Shawn makes a mistake when he befriends James, a gold-digger with an agenda. Pushing Shawn head first into a life of lust and deception, he will get what he wants.