A brief take on the memorable names that shape African American short fiction, showing how writers from Chesnutt and Hurston to Baldwin and Bambara use naming to capture voice, region, history, and character across generations of stories.

Written by Kenton Rambsy

Read by Kassandra Timm

A brief take on the unforgettable names found throughout African American novels, exploring how Black writers use naming to reveal character, history, irony, and identity across generations of novels.

Written by Howard Rambsy II

Read by Kassandra Timm 

A brief take on the expanding world of Black Panther novelizations, tracing how writers from Jesse J. Holland to Sheree Renée Thomas extend Wakanda’s remarkable literary legacy.

Written by Howard Rambsy II 

Read by Kassandra Timm 

A brief take on how perspective shapes categorization in Nigerian literature, tracing shifting views from Igbo and Yoruba writers to global recognition of figures like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Written by Howard Rambsy II

Read by Kassandra Timm

A brief take on Edward P. Jones’s vivid portrayals of Washington, D.C., revealing the city’s complexity, resilience, and humanity beyond the caricatures found in politics and media.

Written by Kenton Rambsy

Read by Kassandra Timm

A brief take on Toni Morrison’s transformative work in the 1970s, revealing how her simultaneous roles as editor and novelist reshaped the literary landscape by elevating Black writers, amplifying new voices, and producing several of her own landmark works.

Written by Elizabeth Cali

Read by Kassandra Timm

A brief take on the often-overlooked identity of collegiate Black men as readers, highlighting their engagement with African American literature and their vital place in reading culture.

Written by Howard Rambsy II

Read by Kassandra Timm

A brief take on Toni Morrison’s extraordinary presence in over 560 dissertations since 2000, revealing her enduring influence on generations of scholars and African American literary studies.

Written by Howard Rambsy II

Read by Kassandra Timm

A brief take on James Baldwin’s critique of “social protest fiction,” exploring how audiences continue to embrace and adapt works like Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Native Son.

Script by Nicole Dixon

Read by Kassandra Timm

A brief take on the quiet but vital editorial labor of Aileen Keenan, whose two decades of behind-the-scenes work at African American Review have shaped the study, circulation, and preservation of African American literary scholarship.

Script by Howard Rambsy II

Read by Kassandra Timm