While

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

book publishers have been active in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

since the second decade of the 19th century, the 1960s and 1970s saw a proliferation of publishing activity, with the establishment of many new publishing houses, an increase in the number of titles published, and significant growth in the number of

African-American bookstores African-American bookstores, also known as black bookstores, are bookstores owned and operated by African Americans. These stores often, although not always, specialize in works by and about African Americans and their target customers are often ...

. African-American commercial book publishers released a total of 154 titles in the period 1970–74, a dramatic rise from the previous high of 21 titles published during the five-year spans of 1935–39 and 1940–44. Institutional and religious publishers also increased their title output, rising from 51 titles in the years 1960–64 to 240 titles in 1970–74. Concomitantly, there was a widening in the scope of publishing objectives on the part of African-American book publishers, who began to release titles that not only advanced their particular ideologies but dealt with topics unrelated to Black Americana or Africana. Such diversity is emblematic of the increasingly important role in

American culture The culture of the United States of America is primarily of Western, and European origin, yet its influences includes the cultures of Asian American, African American, Latin American, and Native American peoples and their cultures. The U ...

and

society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...

of African-American book publishers.

General

Many factors, including the rising

literacy rate Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...

among African Americans and the greater numbers of African Americans enrolled in institutions of

higher learning ''Higher Learning'' is a 1995 American drama, drama film written and directed by John Singleton and starring an ensemble cast. The film follows the changing lives of three incoming freshmen at the fictional Columbus University: Malik Williams (Om ...

, created an increased demand for books and thus contributed to this surge in publishing activity. By 1969, only 3.6% of African Americans were reported illiterate, and by 1970, 357,000 African Americans were attending a college or university. The 1960s and 1970s also saw increasing levels of professional

employment Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any othe ...

and economic prosperity, and witnessed a growing consciousness of African-American history and culture. As well, a series of legislative acts at the

federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...

level, including the

Library Services Act The Library Services Act (LSA) was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1956. Its purpose was to promote the development of Public library, public libraries in rural areas through federal funding. It was passed by the 84th United States Congress as the ...

(1956), the

Library Services and Construction Act The Library Services and Construction Act, enacted in 1964 by the U.S. Congress, provides federal assistance to libraries in the United States for the purpose of improving or implementing library services or undertaking construction projects. The ...

(1963), and the Elementary and Secondary School Act (1965), led to greater investment by the

U.S. Government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...

in education and libraries. Occurring alongside these educational and economic gains were the political advances ushered in by the civil rights movement: the

1964 Civil Rights Act The Civil Rights Act of 1964 () is a landmark civil rights and labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. It prohibits unequal application of voter registration requir ...

, which officially prohibited much overt

discrimination Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, relig ...

and abolished legal

segregation Segregation may refer to: Separation of people * Geographical segregation, rates of two or more populations which are not homogenous throughout a defined space * School segregation * Housing segregation * Racial segregation, separation of humans ...

in employment, schools, federally-assisted programs, and public accommodations; the

1965 Voting Rights Act The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...

; and the 1968 Civil Rights Act, which outlawed housing discrimination. Spurred on by the social and cultural advances of the late-1950s and 1960s, and an increased demand for books by and about African-Americans, the period 1960–80 saw the largest increase in new African-American book publishers in the 20th century. The number of titles released by African-American book publishers rose dramatically, and these works addressed an increasingly diverse range of subjects. The significance of their role as intermediaries in the circulation of ideas within society was of primary importance to many African-American book publishers, and the intellectual and literary products which they fostered were integral to American culture. Taken together, these political, economic, and educational advances created opportunities for a growing number of African Americans to engage in book publishing, an enterprise of great cultural import. Books are a primary medium for the transmission of ideas, and thus book publishers can be seen as serving as crucial intermediaries between the authors whose works they publish and the society in which such works, and the ideas they contain, circulate.

Commercial publishing

Given that most African-American book publishers were small in size, and faced considerable difficulties in raising

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

, acquiring the experience and expertise necessary to engage in publishing, and having their books reviewed by the relevant media outlets, the cultural significance of their endeavors was decisive. Many African-American commercial book publishers "did not enter book publishing with the expectation of making a profit, but rather to publish books documenting and portraying the Black American and African experience and to open publishing opportunities for Black writers".

Broadside Press Broadside Lotus Press is an independent press that was created as a result of the merging of Broadside Press, founded by Dudley Randall in 1965, in Detroit, and Naomi Long Madgett's Lotus Press, founded in Detroit in 1972. At the time of the me ...

, founded by poet and librarian

Dudley Randall Dudley Randall (January 14, 1914 – August 5, 2000) was an African-American poetry, poet and poetry publisher from Detroit, Michigan. He founded a African-American book publishers in the United States, 1960–80, pioneering publishing company cal ...

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

in 1965, is an excellent example of this tendency to focus on the cultural and social importance of book publishing. As Randall states: "My strongest motivations have been to get good black poets published, to produce beautiful books, help create and define the soul of black folks, and to know the joy of discovering new poets." Specializing in the work of African-American poets, Broadside Press had "a profound influence on the development of

American literature American literature is literature written or produced in the United States of America and in the colonies that preceded it. The American literary tradition thus is part of the broader tradition of English-language literature, but also inc ...

in the 1960s and 1970s". Its publications were characterized by an artistic sensibility. and were circulated nationally and internationally. ''Poem, Counterpoem'', by Randall and

Margaret Danner Margaret Danner (1915–1984) (Margaret Esse Danner, Margaret Danner Cunningham) was an American poet, editor and cultural activist known for her poetic imagery and her celebration of African heritage and cultural forms. Early life and Chicago ye ...

, released in 1966, was the first title by Broadside Press, and between 1966 and 1976 approximately 40 titles were published. Among these were works by a wide range of poets, including

Nikki Giovanni Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. (born June 7, 1943) is an American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. One of the world's most well-known African-American poets,Jane M. Barstow, Yolanda Williams Page (eds)"Nikki Giovanni" ''E ...

, the

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

-winner

Gwendolyn Brooks Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her work often dealt with the personal celebrations and struggles of ordinary people in her community. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetr ...

Sonia Sanchez Sonia Sanchez (born Wilsonia Benita Driver; September 9, 1934) is an American poet, writer, and professor. She was a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement and has written over a dozen books of poetry, as well as short stories, critical essay ...

, Margaret Danner,

Etheridge Knight Etheridge Knight (April 19, 1931 – March 10, 1991) was an African-American poet who made his name in 1968 with his debut volume, '' Poems from Prison''. The book recalls in verse his eight-year-long sentence after his arrest for robbery in 1960. ...

, Don L. Lee (

Haki Madhubuti Haki R. Madhubuti (born Don Luther Lee on February 23, 1942, in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States) is an African-American author, educator, and poet, as well as a publisher and operator of black-themed bookstore. He is particularly recognized ...

James Ryder Randall James Ryder Randall (January 1, 1839 – January 15, 1908) was an American journalist and poet. He is best remembered as the author of "Maryland, My Maryland". Biography Randall was born on January 1, 1839 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was named ...

, and

Addison Gayle Addison Gayle, Jr. (June 2, 1932 – October 3, 1991) was an American professor, literary critic, and author in New York City. He advocated for a Black aesthetic. Biography Gayle was born in Newport News, Virginia. He graduated from the City Coll ...

. Despite the quality of the books and authors published, "persistent financial difficulties plagued Broadside Press and constituted real problems". Troubles of this sort were common to many African-American book publishers operating in the commercial sector, and in certain instances led to their demise. Path Press, Inc. was formed in 1961 in Chicago by Frank London Brown, Herman C. Gilbert and Bennett Johnson, but due to their inability to find a distributor the company did not release its first book until 1969. Other publishers include Black Academy Press, Inc., founded by

Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu Dr Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu (born April 30, 1941) is a Nigerian writer, scholar, philanthropist, and publisher. He was involved in politics in Nigeria in the late 1970s. Background Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu was born on April 30, 1941, in Ezeogb ...

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

, in 1969. For Mezu, book publishing was not only a cultural endeavor but an assertion of his individual rights, as he made clear at an opening ceremony for the Press in 1970: "Here today in Buffalo ... is being constituted Black Academy Press, Inc. as the black intellectual seeks to reclaim his rights in a multiracial society and affirm his responsibility to his people in our complex pluriverse". Black Academy Press relocated in the 1990s to

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, and to date continues to publish numerous books, journals, and articles. The struggle to obtain the funding necessary to run a publishing house was not always insurmountable. The Third Press / Joseph Okpaku Publishing Company, Inc., founded by Nigerian-born Joseph Okpaku in New York in 1970, was able to overcome its early financial difficulties and, by the mid-1970s, had become the most prolific African-American-owned commercial book publisher in the United States. The goal of the Third Press, as Okpaku saw it, was "to broaden the scope and perspective of the reading public beyond the present narrow

ethnocentric Ethnocentrism in social science and anthropology—as well as in colloquial English discourse—means to apply one's own culture or ethnicity as a frame of reference to judge other cultures, practices, behaviors, beliefs, and people, instead of ...

limits of the more conventional establishment publishers" (Chambers, 1971, 43). He also sought to internationalize the Third Press, engaging in co-publishing efforts with the Centre of Black and African Arts and Civilization in

Lagos, Nigeria Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

. Okpaku’s successes were apparently short-lived, as the Third Press, for reasons unknown, ceased publishing activities in 1986.

Third World Press Third World Press (TWP) is the largest independent black-owned press in the United States, founded in 1967 by Haki R. Madhubuti (then known as Don L. Lee), with early support from Johari Amini and Carolyn Rodgers. Since the 1960s, the company ha ...

, founded in 1967 by

Haki R. Madhubuti Haki R. Madhubuti (born Don Luther Lee on February 23, 1942, in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States) is an African-American author, educator, and poet, as well as a publisher and operator of black-themed bookstore. He is particularly recognized ...

Black Classic Press Black Classic Press (BCP) is an African-American book publishing company, founded by W. Paul Coates in 1978. Since then, BCP has published original titles by notable authors including Walter Mosley, John Henrik Clarke, E. Ethelbert Miller, Yosef ...

, founded in 1978 by W. Paul Coates, are two of the oldest independently owned Black publishers still in operation.

Non-commercial publishing

For African-American book publishers operating outside the commercial sector—that is, institutional and religious publishers—the ability to rely on an existing organization for resources and funding was of crucial importance. Such backing did not remove the risk involved, however, as Charles F. Harris, the first executive director of

Howard University Press Howard University Press (HUP) was a publisher that was part of Howard University, founded in 1972. HUP was the first black university press in the US, with its first chief executive being Charles F. Harris, who published about 100 titles under the ...

, noted: "... it's always a bad time to start a university press. It's a marginal business for people who like to take a lot of chances." Although books bearing its imprint had appeared as early as 1919, Howard University Press was not actually established as a separate administrative unit with a professional staff until 1972, when it became the first African-American university press in the United States. Its initial list of books appeared in 1974, and contained 13 titles in

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

, and

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...

. The well-established publishing operations of

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...

organizations, such as the

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. ...

, and the

National Urban League The National Urban League, formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan historic civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of economic and social justice for African Am ...

, continued to be productive in the years 1960-80; joining them in their efforts were newly formed African-American institutional book publishers, including the

DuSable Museum of African American History The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, formerly the DuSable Museum of African American History, is a museum in Chicago that is dedicated to the study and conservation of African-American history, culture, and art. It was founded i ...

, Inc. Founded in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

in 1961 by educator, poet, and artist Margaret Goss Burroughs, the DuSable Museum of African American History, Inc., was the first institution of its kind to be established in the United States. Its book publishing activities began in 1963, and while of a relatively modest nature — by 1977 fewer than 20 titles had been released — its contributions have been valuable, with publications exploring "uncharted areas in black history and culture". A number of African-American religious book publishers were active in the period 1960–80, notable among them the Sunday School Publishing Board of the

National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., more commonly known as the National Baptist Convention (NBC USA or NBC), is a primarily African American Baptist Christian denomination in the United States. It is headquartered at the Baptist World Cen ...

(SSPB), which was founded in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, in 1916. In 1967, the SSPB established a general trade book unit, Townsend Press, to publish

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...

titles. By 1990, the SSPB had become the largest African-American-owned religious publisher in the world.

Publishers

Listed below are African-American book publishers active in the United States during the period 1960–80, their location, date of founding (and demise, if applicable), and selected publications. The publishers are divided into three categories: commercial, religious, or institutional. This last category includes cultural organizations, civil rights organizations, and college and university presses. Entries within each category are arranged alphabetically. The information regarding these publishers is mostly drawn from two works by

Donald Franklin Joyce Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the ...

: ''Black Book Publishers in the United States: A Historical Dictionary of the Presses, 1817–1990'' (1991); and ''Gatekeepers of Black Culture: Black-Owned Book Publishing in the United States, 1817–1981'' (1983).

Commercial book publishers

* Afro-Am Publishing Company, Inc. (Chicago, 1963; ceased publishing in 1978). *Agascha Productions (Detroit, 1970; ceased publishing in the early 1980s). :—Agadem and Schiavi Diara, ''Hey, Let a Revolutionary Brother and Sister Come In'' (1970); Richard E. Bibbins, ''Bridge from Hell'' (1972); Ulysses Marshall, ''Thoughts from the Asylum'' (1974); Freddie Robinson, ''Solo in Black'' (1974). * Balamp Publishing (Detroit, 1970). *Black Academy Press (Buffalo, New York, 1970–73; Bloomfield, New Jersey, 1973–75; ceased publishing in 1975). :—Sebastian Okechukwu Mezu and Ram Dasai, eds, ''Black Leaders of the Centuries'' (1970); Amechi Anumonye, ''African Students in Alien Cultures'' (1970); John Indakwa, ''Swahili Conversation and Grammar'' (1972); Felix N. Okoye, ''The American Image of Africa: Myth and Reality'' (1971). *

(Baltimore, Maryland; 1978). *

(Detroit, 1965). :—

, ''Black Judgment'' (1968); Etheridge Knight, ''Poems from Prison'' (1969); Dudley Randall and

Margaret Burroughs Margaret Taylor-Burroughs (November 1, 1915 – November 21, 2010), also known as Margaret Taylor Goss, Margaret Taylor Goss Burroughs or Margaret T G Burroughs, was an American visual artist, writer, poet, educator, and arts organizer. She co-fo ...

, eds, ''For Malcolm: Poems on the Life and Death of Malcolm X'' (1969);

, ''We a BADD People'' (1970);

, ''Riot'' (1970);

Sam Greenlee Samuel Eldred Greenlee, Jr. (July 13, 1930 – May 19, 2014)Margaret Busby"Sam Greenlee obituary" ''The Guardian'', June 2, 2014. was an American writer of fiction and poetry. He is best known for his novel '' The Spook Who Sat by the Door'', firs ...

, ''Blues for an African Princess'' (1971);

, ''Claude McKay: The Black Poet at War'' (1972); Haki Madhubuti, ''Book of Life'' (1974). * Drum and Spear Press (Washington, D.C., 1969; ceased publishing in 1970). :—

C. L. R. James Cyril Lionel Robert James (4 January 1901 – 31 May 1989),Fraser, C. Gerald, ''The New York Times'', 2 June 1989. who sometimes wrote under the pen-name J. R. Johnson, was a Trinidadian historian, journalist and Marxist. His works are in ...

, ''A History of Pan-African Revolt'' (1969); Chief Ofuntoki, ''The Book of African Names'' (1970). * Emerson Hall Publishers (New York, 1971; ceased publishing in the early 1980s). :—Rebecca Barton, ''Race in Literature and Society'' (1972); Robert B. Hill, ''Strength of Black Families'' (1972); E. Fuller Torrey, ''The Mind Game: Witchdoctors and Psychiatrists'' (1972);

June Jordan June Millicent Jordan (July 9, 1936 – June 14, 2002) was an American poet, essayist, teacher, and activist. In her writing she explored issues of gender, race, immigration, and representation. Jordan was passionate about using Black English i ...

, ''New Days: Poems of Exile and Return'' (1973);

Alvin Poussaint Alvin Francis Poussaint, M.D. (born May 15, 1934) is an American psychiatrist well known for his research on the effects of racism in the black community. He is a noted author, public speaker, and television consultant, and Dean of Students at ...

, ''Why Blacks Kill Blacks'' (1973). * Energy Black South Press (Washington, D.C., 1972). *

Johnson Publishing Company Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. (JPC) was an American publishing company founded in November 1942 by African-American businessman John H. Johnson. It was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. JPC was privately held and run by Johnson until his d ...

Book Division (Chicago, 1962). :—

Lerone Bennett, Jr. Lerone Bennett Jr. (October 17, 1928 – February 14, 2018) was an African-American scholar, author and social historian who analyzed race relations in the United States. His works included ''Before the Mayflower'' (1962) and '' Forced into Gl ...

, ''Before the Mayflower: A History of the Negro In America, 1619–1962'' (1962); Mary Jordan and Leslie Wishart, ''The Integrated Cookbook'' (1972); Dorothy Robinson, ''The Legend of Africana'' (1974); Shirley Graham DuBois, ''DuBois: A Pictorial Biography'' (1978). *

Lotus Press Broadside Lotus Press is an independent press that was created as a result of the merging of Broadside Press, founded by Dudley Randall in 1965, in Detroit, and Naomi Long Madgett's Lotus Press, founded in Detroit in 1972. At the time of the me ...

(Detroit, 1972). Established by Naomi Long Madgett, merged with Broadside Press in 2015, forming the new Broadside Lotus Press. *Path Press (Chicago, 1961; joined Third World Press in 1972; began publishing again in 2014). * J.A. Rogers Publications (Chicago, 1921; ceased publishing in 1966). * Sapphire Publishing Company (San Francisco, 1973). * Tarharka Publishing Company (Annapolis, Maryland, 1971). *Third Press, Joseph Okpaku Publishing Company Inc. (New York, 1970; ceased publishing in 1986). :—Joseph Okpaku, ''Verdict: The Exclusive Picture Story of the Trial of the Chicago 8'' (1970);

Angela Davis Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American political activist, philosopher, academic, scholar, and author. She is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A feminist and a Marxist, Davis was a longtime member of ...

, '' If They Come in the Morning'' (1971);

Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebe (; 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as the dominant figure of modern African literature. His first novel and ''magnum opus'', ''Things Fall Apart'' (1958), occupies ...

and John Iroganachi, ''How the Leopard got His Claws'' (1973); Arthur Pest, ''Illustrated History of the Nigerian People'' (1973); Lizbeth Gant, ''Annotated Bibliography of Black American Literature'' (1980); *

(Chicago, 1967). :—

Carolyn Rodgers Carolyn Marie Rodgers (December 14, 1940 – April 2, 2010) was a Chicago-based writer, particularly noted for her poetry.Weber, Bruce (April 19, 2010)"Carolyn Rodgers, Poet, Is Dead at 69" ''The New York Times''. The youngest of four, Rodgers h ...

, ''Songs of a Blackbird'' (1969); Shawna Madlangbayan, ''Garvey, Lumumba, and Malcolm: Black Nationalist-Separatist'' (1973);

Chancellor Williams Chancellor Williams (December 22, 1893 – December 7, 1992) was an American sociologist, historian and writer. He is noted for his work on African civilizations prior to encounters with Europeans; his major work is ''The Destruction of Black Civ ...

, ''The Destruction of Black Civilization'' (1974); Gwendolyn Brooks, ''The Tiger Who Wore White Gloves; or What You Are'' (1974); Eugene Perkins, ''Home is a Dirty Street: The Social Oppression of Black Children'' (1976). * Vita Ya Wuta Publishers (Newark, New Jersey, 1967). * Winston-Derek Publishers, Inc. (Nashville, Tennessee, 1972). *Cecil Williams Photography/Publishing:

Orangeburg, South Carolina Orangeburg, also known as ''The Garden City'', is the principal city in and the county seat of Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population of the city was 13,964 according to the 2010 United States Census and declined to 12 ...

, 1989; publisher of 105 small-volume books.

Institutional book publishers

* Alkebu-Lan Books Association of the Alkebu-Lan Foundation (Baltimore, Maryland, 1970). * Associated Publishers (Washington, D.C., 1921). :—Wesley Charles, ''Neglected History: Essays in Negro American History by a College President'' (1969); Wesley Charles, ''The Fifteenth Amendment and Black America, 1870-1970'' (1970). * Blyden Publishing Company (New York, 1967). * Buckingham Learning Corporation (New York, 1968; ceased publishing in 1973?). *

, Inc. (Chicago, 1961). :—Eugene Feldman, ed., ''Figures in Negro History'' (1965); Margaret Burroughs, ''What Shall I Tell My Children Who Are Black'' (1968); Milton Glaseve, ''No Man Born of a Black Woman'' (1977). *The East (Brooklyn, New York, 1970). :—Herman B. Ferguson, ''Dope: An Agent of Chemical Warfare'' (1972); Yusef Kman, ed., ''The Young Black Poets of Brooklyn'' (1973). *

Free Lance Press Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procure ...

(Cleveland, Ohio, 1950; ceased publishing in 1980). :—Conrad Kent Rivers, ''These Black Bodies and This Sunburnt Face'' (1962); D. A. Levy, ''North American Book of the Dead'' (1965);

Russell Atkins Russell Atkins (born February 25, 1926) is a musician, playwright, poet, and composer from Cleveland, Ohio, known primarily for his contributions to American ''avant garde'' poetry. He was born in Cleveland and raised on Cleveland's east side by ...

, ''The Mantu Poets of Cleveland'' (1970); Russell Atkins, ''Maleficium'' (1971). *

(Washington, D.C., 1972). :—

Lindsay Barrett Carlton Lindsay Barrett (born 15 September 1941), also known as Eseoghene, is a Jamaican-born poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, journalist and photographer, whose work has interacted with the Caribbean Artists Movement in the UK, the Black ...

, ''

Song for Mumu ''Song for Mumu'' is the debut novel of Jamaican-born writer Lindsay Barrett. Written between April of 1962 and October of 1966 while the author lived in Frankfurt, Germany, Paris, and Accra, Ghana, it was published in 1967 in London, where Barrett ...

'' (1974);

Arthur P. Davis Arthur Paul Davis (November 21, 1904 – April 21, 1996) was an influential American university professor, literary scholar, and the writer and editor of several important critical texts such as ''The Negro Caravan'', ''The New Cavalcade'', and ' ...

, ''From the Dark Tower: Afro-American Writers, 1900-1960'' (1974);

Walter Rodney Walter Anthony Rodney (23 March 1942 – 13 June 1980) was a Guyanese historian, political activist and academic. His notable works include ''How Europe Underdeveloped Africa'', first published in 1972. Rodney was assassinated in Georgetow ...

, ''

How Europe Underdeveloped Africa ''How Europe Underdeveloped Africa'' is a 1972 book written by Walter Rodney that describes how Africa was deliberately exploited and underdeveloped by European colonial regimes. One of his main arguments throughout the book is that Africa develop ...

'' (1974); William F. Brazziel, ''Quality Education for All Americans'' (1974); Robert Allen, ''Reluctant Reformers'' (1974); Foster Kidd, ed., ''Profile of the Negro in Dentistry'' (1980). *

(New York, 1910). *

(New York, 1911). :—''Where the Lender Looks First: A Case Study of Mortgage Disinvestment in Bronx County'' (1970); ''When the Marching Stopped: An Analysis of Black Issues in the 1970s'' (1973); ''The Power of the Ballot: A Handbook for Black Political Participation'' (1973). * Nuclassics and Science Publishing Company (Washington, D.C., 1969).

Religious book publishers

*The American Methodist Episcopal Sunday School Union and Publishing House (Nashville, Tennessee, 1886). * American Methodist Episcopal Zion Publishing House (Charlotte, North Carolina, 1894). :—William J. Walls, ''The

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

: Reality of the Black Church'' (1974). * The Christian Methodist Episcopal Publishing House (Jackson, Tennessee, 1870–1972; Memphis, Tennessee, 1972). :—H. C. Bunton, ''The Challenge to Become Involved'' (1967); Caesar D. Coleman, ed., ''Beyond Blackness to Destiny'' (1969); M. C. Pettigrew, ''From Miles to Johnson: One Hundred Years'' (1970). * Church of God in Christ Publishing House (Memphis, Tennessee, 1907). *Muhammad’s Temple No. 2, Publications Department (Chicago, 1956). :—Christine Johnson, ''Muhammad’s Children: A First Grade Reader'' (1963);

Elijah Muhammad Elijah Muhammad (born Elijah Robert Poole; October 7, 1897 – February 25, 1975) was an African American religious leader, black separatist, and self-proclaimed Messenger of Allah, who led the Nation of Islam (NOI) from 1934 until his de ...

, ''Message to the Black Man in America'' (1967); Elijah Muhammad, ''The Fall of America'' (1974). * National Baptist Publishing Board (Nashville, Tennessee, 1896). *Sunday School Publishing Board of the

(Nashville, Tennessee, 1916). :— Joseph H. Jackson, ''Unholy Shadows and Freedom’s Holy Light'' (1967); Alice H. Mitchell, ''Emergency Addresses and Poems'' (1974). *

R. H. Boyd Richard Henry Boyd (March 15, 1843 – August 22, 1922) was an African-American minister and businessman who was the founder and head of the National Baptist Publishing Board and a founder of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. ...

Publishing Corporation (Nashville, Tennessee, 1895).R. H. Boyd Publishing.
/ref> :—Emma J. Wisdom, ''Dreammaker'' (2006)

References

Sources

* Boyd, Melba Joyce. ''Wrestling with the Muse: Dudley Randall and the Broadside Press''. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003. *Chambers, Bradford. "Why Minority Publishing?" ''Publishers Weekly''. Vol. 199, No. 11, March 15, 1971. 35–50. *Joyce, Donald Franklin. ''Black Book Publishers in the United States: A Historical Dictionary of the Presses, 1817–1990''. New York: Greenwood Press, 1991. *Joyce, Donald Franklin. ''Gatekeepers of Black Culture: Black-Owned Book Publishing in The United States, 1817–1981''. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1983. *Nishikawa, Kinohi. "Publishers and Publishing." ''The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Literature''. Hans Ostrom and J. David Macey, Jr (eds). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2005. 1331–36. *Wagner, Susan. "Howard University Launches Its Own Press". ''Publishers Weekly''. Vol. 205, No. 9, March 4, 1974. 48–50. {{DEFAULTSORT:African-American Book Publishers In The United States, 1960-1980 Book publishing in the United States African-American cultural history African-American organizations