The 2025 NABJ Authors Showcase will celebrate the rich tapestry of voices and stories within the National Association of Black Journalists community. This year’s showcase taking place during NABJ’s convention in Cleveland, Ohio Aug 4-10 will feature a diverse lineup of journalists/authors, each bringing their unique perspectives and experiences to the forefront. Attendees can look forward to engaging panel discussions, book readings, and opportunities to meet and interact with the authors. The event will highlight a wide range of genres, from thought-provoking non-fiction and insightful memoirs to captivating novels and vibrant children’s books. Whether you’re an avid reader, an aspiring writer, or simply someone who appreciates the power of storytelling, the 2025 NABJ Authors Showcase promises to be an enriching experience that celebrates the art of writing and the importance of diverse narratives in literature.
Middleburg, Virginia, Images Courtesy of Salamander
The Family Reunion, the immersive experience celebrating diversity in the hospitality community, returns for a fifth year this August 14 – 17 at Salamander Middleburg in Middleburg, VA.
Last year’s enriching programming was highlighted by some of the industry’s top talent including Carla Hall, Rodney Scott, Bryan Furman, Gregory Gourdet, Mashama Bailey and Tavel Bristol-Joseph and several surprise guests.
Presented by Chef and Author Kwame Onwuachi in collaboration with Dotdash Meredith’s FOOD & WINE and Sheila Johnson’s Salamander Collection, the multi-day event crosses culinary boundaries and combines thought-provoking panel discussions, topical cooking demonstrations, inspiring recreational activities and daily “family” meals where attendees and celebrity participants can interact. The annual event was lauded by guests and talent for its energetic and unique approach.
The mission of The Family Reunion is to nurture, develop and celebrate racial and ethnic diversity within the next generation of hospitality professionals.The countdown for Year Five of Downyears of bringing people together through the joy of food, discussions, and festive activities! We can’t wait to welcome you back to our annual #TheFamilyReunion at Salamander Middleburg, where friends become family
From August 14-17, 2025 enjoy:
*Uplifting family-style meals
*Insightful panel discussions
*Immersive breakout sessions
*Vibrant evening events
Tickets are now on sale for this culinary celebration presented by Chef Kwame Onwuachi in collaboration with Sheila Johnson’s Salamander Collection and FOOD & WINE.
Join the celebration of Black literary excellence with author showcases, panel discussions, appetizers & refreshments.
The mission of MVBBF is to foster discussion, reflection, and celebration of Black authors and their literary works.
The MVBBF is located on the beautiful Martha’s Vineyard Island where Black families historically vacation each summer. This celebration is a unique opportunity for both aspiring and well-established Black authors in fiction, non-fiction, young adult, and children to support, share, and celebrate Black literary excellence.
Festival Date & Time:
Saturday, August 9, 2025
1 pm – 7 pm, Doors Open 12:30 pm
Theme: Lifting Black Voices of Wisdom, Inspiration and Perseverance
Get ready for an unforgettable night of music with Grammy-nominated saxophonist James “Saxsmo” Gates performing live! Known for his electrifying stage presence and unmatched skill, Saxsmo brings a high-energy blend of straight-ahead and progressive jazz styles – all in one powerful show. Experience the brilliance of his latest recorded project, “Saxsmo’s Den”, as he takes you on a musical journey filled with soul, passion, and pure jazz mastery. This performance promises to be Saxsmo’s most dynamic and energetic yet. Don’t miss your chance to witness a legend in action!
Black Ink, Bold Truths: The Legacy of Virginia’s Black Press will take place Saturday, July 19, 2025 from 2-4 pm at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia(BHMVA). Panelists who will explore the history of the Black Press in Virginia include public historian, author, filmmaker and museum curator Elvatrice Belsches; author, journalist and journalism educator Bonnie Newman Davis; Virginia Commonwealth University Department of African American Studies Professor Grace P. Gibson, Ph.D; and COO of Vinegar Hill Magazine Sarad Davenport .
Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, pictured on the left, during the construction of I-95 in 1957. Courtesy Library of Virginia.—-Courtesy of Virginia Humanities
On display July 14, 2025 through Feb. 28, 2026
The Library of Virginia’s free exhibition on the history of Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood, House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History, will explore the historic district that was once the center of Richmond’s Black community through the lens of the Skipwith-Roper family.
Using a combination of archival records, maps and photographs from the Library’s collection, the exhibition covers a period from 1767 through the 1950s, when eminent domain displaced many residents and businesses of Jackson Ward for the construction of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike.
The exhibition is presented in partnership with The JXN Project (JXN), a historic preservation nonprofit organization dedicated to capturing the pivotal role of the ward in the Black American experience as one of the country’s first historically registered Black urban neighborhoods.
This project was supported in part by a grant from Virginia Humanities.
Opening Celebration for House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History
Celebrate the opening of a new exhibition from the Library of Virginia and The JXN Project titled “House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History.” The exhibition explores the story of Abraham Peyton Skipwith, the first Black homeowner in the area that would be known as Jackson Ward after the Civil War, and the subsequent removal of his house in advance of the construction of the Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike. This history anchors a larger national story of Black American experience from the founding of the nation through the Jim Crow era.
The opening celebration features information booths from community partners, guided tours of the exhibition and a panel discussion with the exhibition team on the origins of The JXN Project and the exhibition, the historical importance of Jackson Ward, the legacies of the destruction of Jackson Ward and the future of The JXN Project.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
4:00 p.m. | Guided Exhibition Tours & Information Booths
5:45 p.m. | Welcome & Partners’ Remarks
6:15–7:15 p.m. | Panel Discussion with The JXN Project co-founder Dr. Sesha Joi Moon; Dr. Gregg D. Kimball, former director of the Library’s Public Services & Outreach division and senior consulting historian for the Shockoe Institute; Barbara Batson, exhibitions coordinator; Catherine Fitzgerald Wyatt, education and outreach manager; and Ashley Ramey Craig, community engagement & partnerships specialist
This is a free event. Seating in the Lecture Hall is available on a first come, first served basis. Limited free parking is available underneath the Library at 800 East Broad Street. For more information, contact education@lva.virginia.govCalendar:
Belle da Costa Greene’s Letters to Bernard Berenson
Courtesy Virginia Humanities
Join author Deborah Parker, the 2025 Library of Virginia and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts winner of their annual Art in Literature: The Mary Lynn Kotz Award, for an online talk about her book Becoming Belle da Costa Greene: A Visionary Librarian Through Her Letters.
Belle da Costa Greene was Pierpont Morgan’s personal librarian and the first director of the Morgan Library. She was also the daughter of two mixed-race parents and passed for white. In the nearly six hundred letters that Greene sent to art historian Bernard Berenson, Parker identifies Greene’s energetic pursuit of exceptional opportunities, illuminating the artistry and imaginative features of Greene’s writing—her self-invention, her vibrant responses to books and art, and her pathbreaking work as a librarian.
“The ample cache of letters Greene left behind, gathered…in [this book]…reveals an indefatigably witty, puckish soul who savored books and art, had an active social life and loved gossip and a good story.” —John McWhorter, New York Times
Deborah Parker is Professor of Italian Emerita at the University of Virginia. Her books include She Commentary and Ideology: Dante in the Renaissance, (1992), Bronzino: Renaissance Painter as Poet (2000) and Michelangelo and the Art of Letter Writing (2011) and the co-author, along with Mark Parker of The Attainable Text: The Special Edition DVD and the Study of Film (2011), Inferno Revealed: From Dante to Dan Brown (2013), and Sucking Up: A Brief Consideration of Sycophancy ((2017). Her most recent book is Becoming Belle da Costa Greene: A Visionary Librarian Through Her Letters (2024).
Ayida, or Ayida Wedo, a loa or deity in Haitian Vodou that is the god for the earth and of the origins
“Ayida” is a new group exhibition of five early- to mid-career artists celebrating the Caribbean and its diaspora. Through a combination of new and existing works, the contributors investigate and pay attention to the material, spiritual, and intellectual cultures of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, among other sites.
Ayida is curated by guest curator Serubiri Moses and coordinated by ICA Assistant Curator Egbert Vongmalaithong. The exhibition features works by Oletha DeVane, Thomas Allen Harris, Lizania Cruz, mujero, and Didier William.
Serubiri Moses
Taking inspiration from Haitian poet and performer Assotto Saint (b. 1957 Haiti, d. 1994 New York), an important figure of the 1980s Black and gay writers movement, the exhibition considers Saint’s own complex relationship to Haitian Vodou, a topic frequently censored in Western societies. This impetus gives rise to Ayida’s focus on syncretism between religions and cultures, and on Afro-diaspora religions. The exhibition thus builds on dance and folklore research by the Dominican sociologist Fradique Lizardo (1930–1997) on El Gagá, a movement-based Vodou practiced in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The exhibition title refers to Ayida, or Ayida Wedo, a loa or deity in Haitian Vodou that is the god for the earth and of the origins and is often represented by a feminine figure or a snake (such as in the 1947 oil painting Damballah La Flambeau by the famous Haitian artist Hector Hyppolite). The preoccupation with nature among Ayida’s followers is evident in most of the contributors’ works, in addition to traces of Afro-diaspora religions, including Candomblé, Santería, and Vodou, among others.
Assotto Saint, the show’s main inspiration, was a poet who endeavored to archive the lives of his community of Black and gay writers in New York City through his work in publishing, editing, writing, and theater. Similarly, the exhibition’s contributors view their own artistic practices in documentary film, photography, installation, sculpture, and printmaking as a kind of archival and memory work. At the same time, they are also interested in textiles and other forms of craft that refer to the objects and material cultures of Black diaspora communities in the Caribbean and the United States.
Related Events
Ayida Gallery Talk with Curator Serubiri Moses
Friday, Jun 27
5:30 PM–6:30 PM
Friday, Jun 27
Through the Spectacles of Ethiopia: Garveyism and The Rise of Black Judaism
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 4:30 PM
Virginia Museum of History and Culture
The Black Judaic Heritage Center’s (BJHC) annual exhibition delves into the intersection of race and religion in early 20th-century America, and explores the influence of Garveyism on Black Jewish and Judaic movements in the Commonwealth through unique perspectives on spirituality and identity.
The exhibition highlights a unique perspective on religion and identity, and it seeks to document this historical context through video and photographs. The project addresses the need for a comprehensive understanding of the historical development of Black Judaic organizations in the U.S.- especially Virginia. The event sheds light on the impact of Garveyism in Jews of African affinity and contributes to preserving and interpreting American history and the broader historical community.
The project will include guest speakers (scholars and life-practitioners) who will guide the evening’s Learning Circles–in which the public will have an opportunity to engage in open discussions moderated by informed experts.
Author Talk: Victoria Christopher Murray’s Harlem Rhapsody
Join bestselling author Victoria Christopher Murray for an insightful discussion about her newest book, Harlem Rhapsody, a compelling story that explores love, secrets, and the vibrant culture and notable figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Sponsored by the Friends of Henrico County Public Library.
Saturday, June 28, 1 pm, Fairfield Public Library Meeting Room, Richmond, Va.
The dog days of summer have arrived. Photo by Bonnie Newman Davis.
As the sun graces us with its warm embrace and the days stretch longer, we joyfully welcome the vibrant season of summer. It’s a time when nature bursts into full bloom, painting the world with a kaleidoscope of colors.
The air is filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass. Summer invites us to bask in the golden sunlight, whether we’re lounging on sandy beaches, hiking through lush forests, or enjoying picnics in the park.
It’s the season of refreshing dips in cool waters, the laughter of children playing outdoors, and the delightful taste of juicy fruits and cool as cucumber veggies. Barbecues sizzle with the promise of delicious meals shared with family and friends under the open sky.
As fireflies dance in the twilight and the stars twinkle above, summer offers endless opportunities for adventure, relaxation, and making cherished memories.
Welcome to the season of warmth, joy, and boundless possibilities! August (sunning and funning on her deck) welcomes you, too!
Robert L. Dortch’s debut collection of poetry and photography explores being a Black man in America, amid themes of identity, love, justice, and resilience
Robert L. Dortch Jr. recites a poem from his new book, “Cool Fire: A Black Man’s Poetic Odyssey, on June 19, 2025 at Richmond’s historic Hippdrome Theater in Jackson Ward.
The Juneteenth book launch for Robert L. Dortch Jr.’s “Cool Fire: A Black Man’s Poetic Odyssey” was a resounding success! Presented on June 19, 2025, at the Speakeasy Grill @ The Hippodrome in Richmond, Virginia, the event was a celebration of Dortch’s debut collection, which intricately weaves poetry and photography to explore the multifaceted experience of being a Black man in America.
The evening, presented by the Shockoe Institute, was a vibrant tapestry of art and conversation, featuring live poetry readings and a “Cool Fire Conversation” between Dortch and award-winning author Stacy Hawkins Adams. The event was further enlivened by a special performance from the celebrated musician and theater icon Desirée Roots, whose soulful melodies resonated with the themes of identity, resilience, and hope that permeate Dortch’s work.
“Cool Fire” is more than just a collection of poems; it is a profound exploration of identity, healing, and legacy. Dortch’s work invites readers to reflect on their own experiences and the broader societal context, offering a poetic path forward in challenging times. His poem “When Will Tomorrow Come: for Langston Hughes” poignantly captures the longing for a brighter future, echoing the timeless voices of the Harlem Renaissance.
The event was a testament to Dortch’s ability to connect personal stories with universal themes, encouraging a deep contemplation of humanity and the enduring impact of history. As Marland Buckner, President & CEO of the Shockoe Institute, aptly noted, “Dortch’s voice is a significant addition to America’s literary landscape, offering clarity and insight into the unique dimensions of Black American masculinity.”
“Thank you to everyone who made the Juneteenth book launch of ‘Cool Fire: A Black Man’s Poetic Odyssey’ at The Hippodrome Theater a success,” Dortch said a day after the event. “Last night, in the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance, we celebrated ‘An Evening of Cool Fire’. It’s almost 100 years since Langston Hughes authored his first book “Weary Blues.” In that spirit, ‘Cool Fire’ integrates poetry and photography to take readers on a poetic journey of what it means to be a Black man.”
Accolades also came from others who were part of the celebration.
“What an amazing few hours of being reminded of the power of words, and the power in embracing the vulnerability it takes to produce art that serves a great purpose,” said Adams, the author of more than a dozen books, who led conversations with Dortch, Buckner and author Gigi Armteau about his new work. “May Cool Fire open doors to doors to deeper introspection and healing discussions for all who read.”
Legacy sponsors for the evening included the Massie Law Firm, the BND Institute of Media and Culture Inc., and Rainmaker Industries Group.
Tracey G. Wiley, CEO of Rainmaker, said she is an avid fan of poetry and Harlem Renaissance writers, particular Langston Hughes, for whom Dortch pays homage in his book.
“The art of poetry allows us an array of emotions wrapped in rhythm, colorful scenes and black and white realities of life, love and pain,” said Wiley. “My company, Rainmaker Industries Group, LLC, is proud to be an investor in one our own native sons of Richmond, author, artist, and literary genius, Robert L. Jr. Dortch during the launch of his second book, ‘Cool Fire: A Black Man’s Poetic Odyssey’. Robert’s book is symbolically aligned with Juneteenth and our quest for liberation at a time such as this. I encourage everyone to get a copy of ‘Cool Fire’ and spend time journeying through our collective and shared communities.”
Bonnie Newman Davis, executive director of the BND Institute of Media and Culture, echoed Wiley. The “Cool Fire” book launch was the BND Institute’s third collaboration with Dortch and his JS Literary House.
“The launch of “Cool Fire” is a heartfelt reminder of the power of art to inspire reflection and honor our shared humanity,” said Davis, adding how much she enjoyed the evening’s strong sense of community. “Robert L. Dortch Jr.’s work stands as a beacon of hope and resilience, urging us to embrace our truths and triumph over adversity.”
“Cool Fire: A Black Man’s Poetic Odyssey,” is now available at Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other retailers.
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