Black authors bring important perspectives to their work, with insights and wisdom for every reader. On this page, you'll learn more about our Black authors and their books. You'll also find articles, videos, and podcasts where you can hear directly from these Black voices as they share more about their books and the impact that they are having in the church and the world.
February is when we recognize Black authors during Black History Month. Looking for even more voices to learn from? Discover more authors of color and women authors, or browse all of IVP's authors. You can also hear from a wide variety of diverse voices on IVP's Every Voice Now podcast.
Jamaal E. Williams (DEdMin) serves as lead pastor of Sojourn Church Midtown in Louisville, Kentucky, and as president of the Harbor Network. In addition, he regularly consults churches on leadership matters and issues related to building healthy multi-ethnic churches.
Youth ministry veteran Amy Williams ministers to teens involved in gangs and those lost in the criminal justice system with a key strategy of life-on-life mentoring. As a certified gang intervention specialist, she heard God's call to move into a Latino gang neighborhood in Chicago's Humboldt Park community to be a "Hope Dealer" doing street outreach and walking life with young people on her block. Amy is project coordinator at New Life Centers, bringing in restorative justice programming to youth at juvenile prisons. Amy has been a youth pastor, a reentry coordinator, and a youth mentor and advocate. She is a graduate of both University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and National Louis University. She resides in Chicago and loves salsa dancing and is a true beach baby.
Harry Louis Williams II (MDiv, Palmer Theological Seminary) is an ordained minister and the author of several books, including No Easy Walk, Street Cred, and the best-selling urban fiction book, Straight Outta East Oakland. He serves the poor, addicted, homeless, and formerly incarcerated in Oakland, California. In 2015, Williams was awarded a proclamation from the Oakland City Council for his efforts to heal street level violence and aid victims of human trafficking in Oakland, California.
Dorena Williamson has a passion for all children to hear the message of God's diverse kingdom. She writes children's books that adults also enjoy and is the author of ColorFull, ThoughtFull, and GraceFull. Prior to becoming an author, Dorena enjoyed a career as a social counselor, a worship leader, and a stylist. In 1995, Dorena and her husband, Chris, cofounded Strong Tower Bible Church in Franklin, Tennessee, a multicultural fellowship passionate about biblical justice and God's diverse kingdom.
George Yancey (PhD, University of Texas) is a professor at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, specializing in race/ethnicity and religion. He works to promote collaborative communication as a solution to racial unrest. His books include Compromising Scholarship, One Faith No Longer, Hostile Environment, Beyond Racial Gridlock, and Transcending Racial Barriers.
Princess Kasune Zulu, a native of Zambia, is a world-renowned HIV/AIDS advocate, educator, and activist. She has worked to educate those at the frontline of the virus and has been profiled in eading media across the world, including in Good Morning America, BBC World News, and ABC (Australia). She is the founder of Fountain of Life in Zambia, later known Eternity Fountain, and cofounder of African Extended Family System Support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (AFESS-OVC).
Hear More from Our Black Authors
Sherelle Ducksworth is a Black female scholar within evangelical academia. Read about her experience as a woman of color navigating a career in Christian higher education, including her advice and encouragement for other BIPOC scholars as they chart their academic path.
In the book "Awakening to Justice" The Dialogue on Race and Faith project presents groundbreaking scholarship on Christian abolitionist history. Read this interview to hear more from two of the book's coauthors, Douglas M. Strong and Albert G. Miller.