kwame news
Kwame Alexander Addresses 2024 American University Graduates & Receives Honorary Doctorate
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Kwame Alexander received a standing ovation for his 2024 Commencement Address to graduates of American University's School of Communication and School of Education. The #1 New York Times bestelling author and award-winning author of over 40 books was also awarded an honorary doctorate from American University, in recognition of his profound impact on literature and education. Ceremonies were held on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Washington, DC. [...] read more
THE CROSSOVER Receives Two Emmy® Nominations!
Thursday, November 2, 2023
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) today announced the nominations for the 2nd Annual Children’s & Family Emmy® Awards . The Crossover received two nominations, in the categories of Young Teen Series and Writing for a Young Teen Program! Congratulations to the entire production team, cast, and crew of The Crossover series, streaming now on Disney+ ! The Crossover was produced in partnership with BIG SEA Entertainment [...] read more
Kwame Alexander & Damani Johnson Receive 2023 Humanitas Nomination!
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Honored and thrilled to share that Kwame Alexander and Damani Johnson received a 2023 Humanitas award nomination for The Crossover ("X's & O's" episode), in the category of Children's teleplay (live-action or animation)! Since 1974, The Humanitas Prizes have been awarded to honor professional film and television writers whose work exemplifies the art of screenwriting while exploring the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. Congratulations to the entire production team, cast, and crew of The Crossover series, streaming [...] read more
Upcoming Summer Events in Atlanta, Chautauqua, & Martha's Vineyard!
Friday, July 28, 2023
Heading back out on the road for a series of upcoming events. If you're planning to be in Atlanta, Chatauqua, or Martha's Vineyard, we'd love to see you! Saturday, July 29 National Book Club Conference 11:00am ETAtlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference CenterAtlanta, GA Wednesday, August 2 Chautauqua Institution Lecture Series 10:45am ETChautauqua AmphitheatreChautauqua, NY Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6 Martha's Vineyard Book Festival Chilmark Community Center Festival GroundsMartha's Vineyard, MA 2:30pm ET, Sat. [...] read more
WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT: Book Release, Tour & Podcast!
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
I’m going on a world tour…AGAIN! And, I’ll be talking about the thing my dad says I love to talk about the most. Me. Oh my. Seriously though, this book is different from anything I’ve ever written. It’s my memoir, Why Fathers Cry at Night . I’ll be sharing stories on tour about longing, love, and loss, discussing the lessons we’ve learned - and unlearned - and the ones we are still [...] read more
"The Crossover" Streaming on Disney+
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Based on the critically-acclaimed best-selling novel in-verse by Kwame Alexander, “The Crossover” introduces teen brothers Josh and Jordan Bell, widely considered basketball phenoms. Through his lyrical poetry, an adult version of Josh, aka Filthy McNasty, narrates the story of he and his brother’s coming of age, on and off the court, as their former professional basketball player father adjusts to life after basketball, and their mother finally pursues lifelong dreams of her own. Streaming April 5 on Disney+ Check out the trailer below or watch here [...] read more
An American Story
Sunday, February 19, 2023
"A story not of Black America but of America, a history we all must own. " Nikole Hannah-Jones, award-winning journalist and creator of “The 1619 Project,” reviews An American Story for the New York Times . Read the full review here (note, subscription may be required to access). "They see books as mirrors. " Kwame Alexander recently spoke with ABC News' Linsey Davis about An American Story and how this work, with art by Dare Coulter, addresses slavery [...] read more
Kwame's Upcoming Book Tour
Monday, October 3, 2022
January 3 at 12 Noon EST Key West, FLKwame will do a live reading from Books & BooksStreaming live at Facebook. com/KwameAlexanderBooks January 5 at 6:30 pm EST Raleigh, NCKwame Alexander and illustrator Dare Coulter in Conversation Quail Ridge Books January 10 at 7:00 pm EST Jacksonville, FLWith Kwame Alexander and illustrator Dare Coulter Jacksonville Public Library, Main Branch, located next to James Weldon Johnson Park. 303 N Laura St, Jacksonville, FL [...] read more
Light for the World to See
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
A powerful and provocative collection of poems that cut to the heart of the entrenched racism and oppression in America and eloquently explores ongoing events. A book in the tradition of James Baldwin’s “A Report from Occupied Territory,” Light for the World to See is a rap session on race. A lyrical response to the struggles of Black lives in our world . . . to America’s crisis of conscience . . . to the centuries of loss, endless resilience, and unstoppable hope. Support your local bookstore by ordering [...] read more
Changing the world, one word at a time.
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Versify, the publishing imprint founded by Kwame Alexander is proud to celebrate our 2020 Award Winners. Vamos : Let's Go to the Market by Raul the III (Pura Belpre Illustrator Award and Massachusetts and Massachusetts Book Award) Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternak (Sidney Taylor Jewish Book Award Honor) White Rose by Kip Wilson (Massachusetts Book Award Honor) Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido (ILA Children’s and Young Adult book award for Intermediate Fiction) The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson (Caldecott Medal, Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award) [...] read more
Becoming Muhammad Ali
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Co-authored with the world's best-selling novelist, James Patterson, Becoming Muhammad Ali is about the childhood of Cassius Clay, and it's a knockout. In bookstores and libraries everywhere. Support your local bookstore by ordering HERE Click HERE for Barnes & Noble or HERE for Books-a-Million. Watch Kwame and James on The Today Show A stellar collaboration that introduces an important [...] read more
Check out Kwame and Randy's new Mixtapes
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
media coverage
Kwame Visits The Kelly Clarkson Show!
Friday, April 19, 2024
The Kelly Clarkson Show : In celebration of National Poetry Month, renowned poet Kwame Alexander reflects on falling in love with the medium while growing up in a literary household, and recites his moving poem "Portrait of a Mother & Son" from his memoir, Why Fathers Cry at Night . John Lithgow also shares one of his very favorite Shakespeare poems. [...] read more
TODAY
Thursday, February 1, 2024
From books about Black trailblazers to suspenseful thrillers, #1 New York Times bestselling author and Emmy® Award-winning producer Kwame Alexander joins TODAY to share his top book recommendations for February and discuss his newest book, This is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets . [...] read more
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Emmy Award-winner and bestselling author Kwame Alexander tells Stephen how he first got interested in poetry as a young man, and he reads a poem that appears in his latest book, This is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets . Watch the full segment on CBS. com , YouTube , and Facebook ; check out clips on Instagram , Threads , and TikTok ! [...] read more
MSNBC Morning Joe
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Kwame Alexander joins MSNBC Morning Joe to discuss the new book, This Is The Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets . [...] read more
Morning Edition with Michel Martin
Friday, January 26, 2024
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Kwame Alexander about This Is The Honey — an anthology of contemporary Black poets that he curated. [...] read more
LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: THIS IS THE HONEY
Friday, December 22, 2023
"This amazing anthology may be the most important poetry collection of this decade. It is a book for poetry lovers, a book for the curious, a book of comfort, a book of prayer, a book of passion and a book of joy, a book of sorrow and a book of desire, but in the end, it is simply and wondrously a grand and glorious book. - Library Journal starred review of This is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets Read full review [...] read more
Fresh Air with Terry Gross
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Poet Kwame Alexander reflects on 'Why Fathers Cry at Night' | "I'm not a grown man — I'm a growing man," Alexander says. His new memoir started as a book of love poems, but ended up being a collection of essays and poems about love, divorce and raising children. [...] read more
WASHINGTON POST REVIEW: WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT
Friday, May 26, 2023
“Offers a refreshing masculine vulnerability that is rarely seen. ” The Washington Post reviews Why Fathers Cry at Night . [...] read more
Barnes & Noble BN READS: Why Fathers Cry at Night
Friday, May 26, 2023
"Kwame Alexander delivers us a powerful and intimate memoir-in-verse. Emily Dickenson once said, “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant. ” Alexander works his life into his poetry to help us reflect on our own lives. A memoir in a book of poetry — a most sublime gift. Keep reading for a BN Reads guest post from Kwame Alexander about the things he’s learned as a father and what inspired him to write Why Fathers Cry at Night , plus a reading of the poem that inspired the [...] read more
SHONDALAND INTERVIEW: WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT
Friday, May 26, 2023
“The memoir is at once tender and honest, and Alexander doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. ” Shondaland speaks with Kwame about finding grace, falling deep in love, his relationship with Nikki Giovanni, and how grief and loss can push you further into community. [...] read more
THE NEW YORK TIMES, NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK: WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
“We sometimes find poems in the strangest and most uncomfortable places,” Alexander writes in this tender memoir, employing poetry, prose, letters and recipes to tell stories of love and grief . The New York Times Book Review features Why Fathers Cry at Night in New Books This Week. [...] read more
BOOK RIOT: Best Books Out This Week
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
"Alexander paints a vulnerable and honest look at the myriad kinds of love. " BookRiot features Why Fathers Cry at Night in Best Books Out This Week. [...] read more
LITERARY HUB: Guest Blog Post by Kwame Alexander
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
"From the second we are born, the experience with food is connected to being held, the warmth of our mother’s skin, her soothing voice. Scientists say that all these experiences are encoded in our infant nervous system as a single event of idyllic tenderness. Later, as adults, the ritual of breaking bread around a table is how we share the things that matter most with the people who matter most to us. I fell hard in love with both of your mothers over a homemade meal. Since I was [...] read more
POETS & WRITERS: 10 QUESTIONS FOR KWAME ALEXANDER
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Poets & Writers weekly installment of Ten Questions features Kwame Alexander , whose new book, Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Recipes, Letters, and Remembrances , is out now from Little, Brown and Company. [...] read more
WNYC'S ALL OF IT WITH ALISON STEWART: WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Kwame joins WNYC's All of It host Alison Stewart to discuss his new memoir, Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Letters, Recipes, and Remembrances , which tells the story of his parents, and his own journey as a father. [...] read more
PATERNAL PODCAST: INTERVIEW WITH KWAME ALEXANDER
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Kwame Alexander: What My Father Taught Me About Love | Kwame speaks with Paternal podcast host Nicholas Firchau about Why Fathers Cry at Night and reconsidering relationships from his past, including what exactly he knows - and doesn’t know - about love. [...] read more
NPR's Morning Edition: Why Fathers Cry at Night
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
"Kwame Alexander's memoir began as a book of love poem but morphed into so much more" NPR's Michel Martin speaks with author Kwame Alexander about his new book: Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Recipes, Letters, and Remembrances . [...] read more
Everything Happens with Kate Bowler: Interview with Kwame Alexander
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
"To Be Loved Like That" with Kwame Alexander | Our most precious relationships are often our most complicated, aren’t they? Poet and bestselling author Kwame Alexander wrote an honest book of poems and essays that name the difficult and beautiful and heart-wrenching conversations we have (or should be having) with the people we love and with the ones who love us. [...] read more