@ProjectHBW

The History of Black Writing (HBW) has been in the forefront of Black literary research and recovery for over 40 years.

 Indiana University Bloomington
linktr.ee/ProjectHBW
Joined February 2011
  • Tweets3.3K
  • Following127
  • Followers1.3K
1.2KMedia
Juneteenth: freedom delayed, never denied. From slave narratives to Ellison's Juneteenth, Black writers have always kept the record honest. Today we celebrate that literary inheritance, and HBW's archive work that keeps it alive. What are you reading this Juneteenth?
19
HBW loves to celebrate the accomplishments of our staff who are critical to supporting our program's goals! Join us in congratulating Leo Schneider, who recently graduated from Indiana University - Bloomington with a Bachelor of Arts in English.
21
HBW loves to celebrate the accomplishments of our staff who support our program's goals! Join us in congratulating Katie Bryan, who recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Master of Arts in Library and Information Studies.
1
25
Gwendolyn Brooks: the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and a lifelong voice for collective Black life. Let her words from "Paul Robeson" remind us that our growth is bound up in one another; our futures are shared, and community is the ground we stand on.
Gwendolyn Brooks was the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, and a lifelong voice for collective Black life. Let her words from "Paul Robeson" remind us that our growth is bound up in one another; our futures are shared, and community is the ground we stand on.

ALT Gwendolyn Brooks was the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, and a lifelong voice for collective Black life. Let her words from "Paul Robeson" remind us that our growth is bound up in one another; our futures are shared, and community is the ground we stand on.

1
23
Howard Rambsy II's book "Writing Black Panther: Ta-Nehisi Coates and Representation Struggles" was recently published on May 14, 2026! Congratulations on the publication, and to all those interested, consider ordering a copy.
Howard Rambsy II's book "Writing Black Panther: Ta-Nehisi Coates and Representation Struggles" was recently published on May 14, 2026! Congratulations on the publication, and to all those interested, consider ordering a copy.

ALT Howard Rambsy II's book "Writing Black Panther: Ta-Nehisi Coates and Representation Struggles" was recently published on May 14, 2026! Congratulations on the publication, and to all those interested, consider ordering a copy.

3
84
Octavia Butler was a groundbreaking science fiction writer whose visionary novels explored power, survival, and transformation through a distinct Black lens. Let her words from the "Parable of the Sower" remind us that change begins with us and shapes us in return.
Octavia Butler was a groundbreaking science fiction writer whose visionary novels explored power, survival, and transformation through a distinct Black lens. Let her words from the Parable of the Sower remind us that to move through life with intention is to understand that change begins with us.

ALT Octavia Butler was a groundbreaking science fiction writer whose visionary novels explored power, survival, and transformation through a distinct Black lens. Let her words from the Parable of the Sower remind us that to move through life with intention is to understand that change begins with us.

1
2
56
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 42nd Black novel, "Astonishing the Gods” by Ben Okri (2019) is a fairytale-esque fable follows the journey of a young man on an enchanted island to understand the secrets of visibility.
34
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 41st Black novel, "By the Book” by Jasmine Guillory (2022) is a modern romantic comedy retelling of Beauty and the Beast that highlights the triumphs of love, acceptance, and learning.
47
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 40th Black novel, “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison (1952) follows the turmoil of an unnamed Black man in the South after being expelled from college.
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 40th Black novel, “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison (1952) follows the turmoil of an unnamed Black man in the South after being expelled from college.

ALT HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 40th Black novel, “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison (1952) follows the turmoil of an unnamed Black man in the South after being expelled from college.

41
We’re hiring! HBW is seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow to join our team at Indiana University. This position offers an opportunity to contribute to collaborative, publicly engaged humanities work across institutions. Learn more and apply through the Higher Ed link in our bio!
We’re hiring! HBW is seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow to join our team at Indiana University. This position offers an opportunity to contribute to collaborative, publicly engaged humanities work across institutions. Learn more and apply through the Higher Ed link in our bio!

ALT We’re hiring! HBW is seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow to join our team at Indiana University. This position offers an opportunity to contribute to collaborative, publicly engaged humanities work across institutions. Learn more and apply through the Higher Ed link in our bio!

1
99
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 39th Black novel, “In the Castle of My Skin” by George Lamming (1953) is a coming of age novel that explores the intricacies of the impact of colonialism on self and community in 1950s London.
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 39th Black novel, “In the Castle of My Skin” by George Lamming (1953) is a coming of age novel that explores the intricacies of the impact of colonialism on self and community in 1950s London.

ALT HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 39th Black novel, “In the Castle of My Skin” by George Lamming (1953) is a coming of age novel that explores the intricacies of the impact of colonialism on self and community in 1950s London.

1
1
52
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 38th Black novel, “Foxes of Harrow” by Frank Yerby (1946) is a rags-to-riches romance about an Irish gambler and the three loves of his life: his wife, her sister, and his Black mistress.
2
1
100
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 37th Black novel, “Sister, Sister” by Eric Jerome Dickey (1996) is a debut novel overflowing with humor, wit, and affection, detailing Valerie, Inda, and Chiquita's pursuit of love in L.A.
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 37th Black novel, “Sister, Sister” by Eric Jerome Dickey (1996) is a debut novel overflowing with humor, wit, and affection, detailing Valerie, Inda, and Chiquita's pursuit of love in L.A.

ALT HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 37th Black novel, “Sister, Sister” by Eric Jerome Dickey (1996) is a debut novel overflowing with humor, wit, and affection, detailing Valerie, Inda, and Chiquita's pursuit of love in L.A.

43
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 36th Black novel, “Great Gitten’ (Up) Morning” by John Oliver Killens (1972) is a young-adult book about Denmark Vessey, who led the largest slave revolt in U.S. history in 1822.
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 36th Black novel, “Great Gitten’ (Up) Morning” by John Oliver Killens (1972) is a young-adult book about Denmark Vessey, who led the largest slave revolt in U.S. history in 1822.

ALT HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 36th Black novel, “Great Gitten’ (Up) Morning” by John Oliver Killens (1972) is a young-adult book about Denmark Vessey, who led the largest slave revolt in U.S. history in 1822.

1
2
106
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 35th Black novel, “My Lives and How I Lost them” by Countee Cullen (1992) follows a cat in his ninth and final life recalls adventures that led him to lose the previous eight.
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 35th Black novel, “My Lives and How I Lost them” by Countee Cullen (1992) follows a cat in his ninth and final life recalls adventures that led him to lose the previous eight.

ALT HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 35th Black novel, “My Lives and How I Lost them” by Countee Cullen (1992) follows a cat in his ninth and final life recalls adventures that led him to lose the previous eight.

1
1
46
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 34th Black novel, “The Third Life of Grange Copeland” by Alice Walker (1970) is Walker's debut novel about three generations of the Georgia-based Copeland family.
2
41
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 33rd Black novel, “Moses, Man of the Mountain” by Zora Neale Hurston (1939) incorporates non-biblical themes and African American Vernacular English.
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 33rd Black novel, “Moses, Man of the Mountain” by Zora Neale Hurston (1939) incorporates non-biblical themes and African American Vernacular English.

ALT HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 33rd Black novel, “Moses, Man of the Mountain” by Zora Neale Hurston (1939) incorporates non-biblical themes and African American Vernacular English.

2
7
200
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 30th Black novel, "Sassafras, Cypress & Indigo" by Ntozake Shange (1982), follows three sisters who pursue art and fall into and out of love as they search for meaning and freedom.
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 30th Black novel, "Sassafras, Cypress & Indigo" by Ntozake Shange (1982) follows three sisters from the Gullah/Geechee culture who pursue art and fall into and out of love as they search for meaning and freedom in the late 20th century.

ALT HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 30th Black novel, "Sassafras, Cypress & Indigo" by Ntozake Shange (1982) follows three sisters from the Gullah/Geechee culture who pursue art and fall into and out of love as they search for meaning and freedom in the late 20th century.

6
13
417
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 32nd Black novel, "God Sends Sunday" by Arna Wendell Bontemps (1931) follows a boy born with a lucky caul over his face who rises in fame as a horse jockey and risks losing it all for a woman.
HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 32nd Black novel, "God Sends Sunday" by Arna Wendell Bontemps (1931) follows a boy born with a lucky caul over his face who rises in fame and fortune as a horse jockey and risks losing it all for a beautiful woman.

ALT HBW's 42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 32nd Black novel, "God Sends Sunday" by Arna Wendell Bontemps (1931) follows a boy born with a lucky caul over his face who rises in fame and fortune as a horse jockey and risks losing it all for a beautiful woman.

1
2
59
42 Books/42 Years exhibit features one novel per year since its founding. The 31st Black novel, "Iola Leroy" by Frances Ellen Harper (1892), follows a young woman's whose life changes after discovering her African ancestry and is subsequently enslaved at the cusp of the Civil War
1
43
Load more