Founder Of Black Writers Weekend: 'We Must Celebrate Ourselves'

Tamika Newhouse says by the time she was 12, she knew she would be a famous author. “I have always told stories through the written word since I learned how to write,” she said.

Once she was published at the age of 20, she began to look for ways to generate excitement around her work by creating event-filled book signings.

Meet Tamika Newhouse: Founder Of Black Writers Weekend

“There’s where my concepts of books, music, food, and fun came into play,” she says. “No one was doing it like that then so I began to brand them and invite other authors in a collaborative effort to bring more readers in. I eventually utilized my book club to create an award show for underrepresented authors and it expanded into a three-day festival.”

That festival is Black Writers Weekend, a refreshing event to celebrate black writers in film and publishing. The event takes place this year August 4-7, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Experience the only weekend where you’ll meet your favorite author, screenwriter, podcaster, artists, and film & television stars,” she says.

In addition to getting the opportunity to network with like-minded literary minds, you can also expect:

Meet up with friends at one of the Lit crawl locations which boast several authors in collaborative book signings.
Intimate book chats with literary rock stars.
Vibrant panels featuring Black male authors and screenwriters.
Indulge in rooftop parties and socials so that readers can party with their favorite writers.
Movie screenings, masterclasses, parties and more!

“Black Writers Weekend was explicitly created for creatives and culture lovers,” she says.

Newhouse says the event, now in its 14th year, is just one of many concepts she’s devised to showcase her work as well as that of other black authors.

“Today, I have elevated well over 10,000 writers and worked with every major studio and publishing house you can think of all because of my unique approach to book signings. It has been a blessing to bless others,” she says.

Although school systems are under duress these days from multiple issues,

Newhouse says reading should be especially important to the black diaspora, which has historically been prevented from educating their descendants.

“Think about our history, how our ancestors could not talk in their language, and they were forbidden to learn and to write,” she says. “Our bloodline, our culture, our sounds, our stories, our looks, and our energies have influenced every culture on this planet, and we must celebrate ourselves by telling our stories through written words, music, movies, and fashion.”

As a black writer, Newhouse says it’s important for scribes to make space for themselves, especially in a world where the history of African people and their descendants has been deliberately hidden.

“It is important to me because we are the mecca of everything, and I refuse to allow them to silence us,” she says. “So, I will be the platform that helps make us loud and proud! Go Black King! Go Black Queen!”

Black Authors You Should Read

Newhouse says if you want to check out some of the best authors in the diaspora, here are her top picks. We’ve included some notable works of each author.