About

After working closely with authors for several years, Yvette Hayward recognized a glaring gap in the literary world: African American authors were consistently overlooked and underrecognized for their contributions and achievements. Despite the fact that books written by African Americans—and the African American readership itself—represent a powerful and growing force in the publishing industry, their accomplishments were rarely celebrated on a national stage. In fact, this segment has grown into a vibrant and commercially significant market, with readers spending more than $375 million annually on books by both Black and non-Black writers.

 

Determined to change that narrative, Yvette took action. In 2004, she conceived and produced the African American Literary Awards Show, the first awards program of its kind dedicated to honoring the achievements of African American authors. The event filled a long-standing void within the literary community. More than a decade and a half later, the African American Literary Awards Show remains the first—and still the only—awards program of its caliber devoted to recognizing and celebrating the excellence of African American writers.