If you’re looking for a selection of African American fiction publishers to peruse, we’ve featured 9 top ones below.
1. Kensington Publishing Corp.
Founded in 1974, Kensington Publishing Corp. has established a reputation as America’s Independent Publisher. The firm in New York is a multi-generational family business currently run by CEO Steven Zacharius.
Kensington Publishing Corp. publishes up to 500 fiction titles each year. The company has diverse imprints including Kensington Books, Pinnacle Books, Dafina Books, Zebra Books, and Citadel Press. Kensington publishes various genres of fiction including fantasy, mystery and thriller, and romance among others.
These imprints publish African American fiction titles, mysteries, thrillers, and popular commercial fiction among others. If you have an edgy voice and a fresh manuscript in the African American fiction genre, the firm is currently accepting submissions for Lyrical Press.
2. Hachette Book Group
Based in New York, Hachette Group is home to bestselling titles in the African American fiction genre. The firm is renowned as a leading trade publisher in the USA. Hachette is a global publisher with locations throughout the country including Lebanon, Nashville, Boulder, Philadelphia, and Boston among others.
Hachette Book Group is committed to diversity and publishes over 1,400 books a year. The firm has published leading African American authors such as N. K. Jemisin, author of the “Broken Earth” trilogy which won the Locus, Nebula, and Goodreads Awards. Other works by this author include “The City We Became”, “The Stone Sky”, and “The Obelisk Gate” among others.
If you specialize in mystery, thriller, science fiction, or romance, you can submit your work to find out if you make the cut. The firm does not take unsolicited manuscripts. However, you can submit your manuscript through their literary agents. Check out the Literary Market Place to find out more about their submission requirements.
3. Penguin Random House
The dedicated team of professionals at Penguin Random House helps authors across the country bring their stories to audiences around the globe. The publishing firm has established a wide marketing and production network and employs a highly experienced team of editors, designers, and other professionals.
Established in 2013, the publishing company is headquartered in New York with over 20 locations across six continents. Each year Penguin Random House publishes 15,000 print titles and over 70,000 digital titles. Penguin Random House publishes various fiction genres including literary fiction, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy.
The firm which published “American Grown” by Michelle Obama has also published fiction titles such as “How Beautiful We Were”, by Imbolo Mbue, a New York Times Bestseller. This firm is accepting submissions at this time but only through agents at The Literary MarketPlace or The Writer’s Market.
4. Cedar Grove Books
This independent publisher is focused on providing an outlet for diverse voices including African Americans. The small company in San Francisco publishes children’s and young adult’ books, mysteries, science fiction, and specialty books in various interesting genres.
Some black speculative fiction titles published by Cedar Grove Books include “Cosmic Underground Northside”, “Cosmic Underground”, and “Black Kirby: In Search Of The MotherBoxx Connection”. You can browse through Cedar Grove Books collection to understand their publishing style.
This firm publishes science fiction, horror, and black speculative fiction. Cedar Grove Books accepts non-agented and unsolicited manuscripts twice a year May 1- June 15 and October 1 – November 15.
5. DAW
Established in 1971, DAW is an imprint of Penguin. The publishing company was founded by Donald A. Wollheim and Elsie B. Wollheim, his wife. This publishing firm has established a reputation for publishing major talents in the industry.
The company has published work by award-winning authors such as Nnedi Okorafor whose work includes, “Lagoon”, “The Shadow Speaker”, and “The Akata Series”. Nnedi has also written comics for Marvel including “Wakanda Forever”, “Shuri”, and “Black Panther: Long Live The King”.
DAW is currently accepting science fiction and fantasy submissions from, or featuring, native people, people of color, disabled people, the LGBTQIA+ community, and neurodiverse people. You can submit your manuscript here.
6. Chronicle Books
This independent San Francisco-based publisher was started in 1967. Chronicle Books has affiliations and imprints with major publishing firms including Princeton Architecture Press, Moleskine, Laurence King, Twirl Books, and Quadrille Publishing among others.
The publishing company partners with diverse authors and promotes inclusive company culture to uplift people from different backgrounds. A notable title published by Chronicle Books is “Tales of East Africa” by Jamilla Okubo.
Chronicle Books brings together a sales, marketing, design, editorial, and production team that is committed to helping you reach readers across the country. The publisher is currently accepting manuscript submissions.
7. BLF Press
This independent black feminist press is committed to amplifying the voices of women of color and black women across the United States. The firm embraces different types of expression through fiction and non-fiction literary works.
BLF Press publishes works that center cis and trans women, LGBTQ+, and non-binary folks. The publisher prefers speculative fiction, short fiction, and literary fiction. Some of the titles published at BLF include “God’s Will and Other Lies”, by Penny Mickelbury and “Two Moons: A Collection of Short Fiction” by Krystal A. Smith.
The publisher is currently accepting fiction manuscript submissions through its site. BLF Press accepts Microsoft Word files only and does not accept unsolicited manuscripts sent by email.
8. Harper Collins Publishers
This globally renowned publishing company operates in 17 countries. The firm has a rich history and has over 120 imprints around the world. Harper Collins Publishers was founded in 1817 and remains committed to providing editorial excellence and extensive connections with booksellers to all its authors.
HCP publishes fiction, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy works. The company has published notable African American fiction titles including “I Am Enough”, by Grace Byers and Keturah A. Bobo. and “Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea”, by Meena Harris and Ana Ramírez González.
This publishing firm accepts submissions through Avon Impulse imprint and Heartdrum. Heartdrum is currently open for submissions in contemporary fiction, futuristic fiction, and realistic fiction works. Avon is also currently accepting romance manuscripts.
9. Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is an independent publisher founded in 1986. The publishing house has worked with award-winning authors including Pulitzer, Nobel, and Booker prize winners. Although the firm is based in London, it also has offices in New York, Oxford, Sydney, and New Delhi.
This firm publishes various genres of fiction including romance, science fiction, adventure, crime and thrillers, horror, historical fiction, general fiction, and graphic novels among others. Bloomsburg has published various African American fiction titles including “The Other Black Girl”, by Zakiya Dalila Harris and “Love Is a Revolution” by Renee Watson.
Bloomsbury does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. However, you can submit your work through a literary agent. Check out the Writers’ and Artists’ website to find an agent and get professional advice.