‘The New Brownies’ Book’ Wins NAACP Image Award For Outstanding Nonfiction

The New Brownies’ Book: A Love Letter to Black Families has won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, Nonfiction. The coffee table book won prior to the live airing of the 55th annual event.

The New Brownies’ Book was published in October 2023 by Charly Palmer and Karida L. Brown. The husband-and-wife duo were inspired by W.E.B. DuBois’ original children’s magazine, published in 1920 as the first of its kind to focus on Black youth. Excerpts from DuBois’ work are found throughout this modern take.

The creators of the book previously spoke to BLACK ENTERPRISE about their mission to engage with and inspire Black youth as well as honoring the vision of DuBois.

The New Brownies’ Book seeks to promote Black families and authors by featuring their creative works, ranging from short stories to poetry and fine art. Its contributors are not only esteemed writers, such as BE‘s Director of Content Ida Harris, but youth artists. The children’s creations are displayed throughout, making the book an engaging read for all age groups.

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“I, along with a collective of 49 writers and artists, woke up winners of a NAACP Image Award for our art,” Harris said.

“It’s a testament to the power and beauty of village work, the urgency of sustaining Black art, and to carrying forward Dr. W.E.B. Dubois’ vision and that which his committed editor Jessie Redmon Fauset actualized, in an contemporary, inclusive and tangible way.”

The New Brownies’ Book won over four other esteemed works, including The Art of Ruth E. Carter and Black AF History. It now joins previous winners such as Barack Obama’s A Promised Land and Nikole Hannah-Jones’ The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story.

The 55th NAACP Image Awards will take place on March 16, airing live on BET. For those who want a copy of the award-winning book, it can be purchased across multiple retailers.

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