A two-time National Book Award winner and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient who conceived and edited the anthology, inspired by sorrow over Trayvon Martin’s death.

A poet and fiction writer known for writing “Homegoing, AD,” a hybrid poem that blends genres to depict a family in the Southern swamp.

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who contributed the essay “The Weight,” reflecting on her personal connection with James Baldwin and lamenting the demolition of his former home.

An associate professor at The New School who explores African American history and personal loneliness in her essay “Lonely in America.”

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist known for her essay “Where Do We Go From Here?” which analyzes historical trends and calls to action.

A full professor of English documenting her search for truth regarding poet Phillis Wheatley in “‘The Dear Pledges of Our Love’: A Defense of Phillis Wheatley’s Husband.”

A historian and professor whose piece “White Rage” provides insight into systemic racism in the United States.

A poet and academic who contributed the poem “Queries of Unrest,” exploring his identity as a black poet.

A poet known for his lyrical essay “Blacker Than Thou,” which examines black identity through the lens of Rachel Dolezal’s actions.

A professor at the University of Mississippi who explores his Southern heritage in “Da Art of Storytellin’ (a Prequel),” finding inspiration in family and music.

A researcher and writer whose essay “Black and Blue” highlights his development through his passion for nighttime walking and its perception in the U.S.

A poet who uses her essay “The Condition of Black Life Is One of Mourning” to affirm Black Lives Matter through personal and historical lenses.

An award-winning author who reflected on murals in New York City in “Know Your Rights!” as aids against police harassment threats.

A novelist who offers character sketches of paternal figures in his life in the essay “Composite Pops.”

Two-time U.S. Poet Laureate who wrote “Theories of Space and Time,” drawing from memories of the Mississippi coast.

An author known for a letter-style essay reflecting on his reverence for Eqbal Ahmad and James Baldwin.

A prolific writer who recounts her migration experience from Haiti in “Message to My Daughters,” addressing racial violence and hope.

A revered 20th-century literary figure, whose impactful work influences many contributors of the anthology.

A 17-year-old whose death was among the pivotal events inspiring the anthology and the Black Lives Matter movement.

His 2014 death after being choked by police officers sparked support for Black Lives Matter, referenced through multiple works in the anthology.

An unarmed teen whose 2014 death by police catalyzed protest and reflection on police brutality within the text.

The first black U.S. President, whose election and implications are discussed as both progress and its limits by various writers.

Mentioned in several essays, this gunman’s 2015 attack on a Charleston church starkly illustrates racial violence in America.

Her actions of attempting to pass as black are analyzed within the scope of black identity and historical context.

His 1997 police assault is referenced as an early instance of police brutality that influenced later narratives on racial violence.