Black literary agents play a pivotal role in elevating diverse voices and narratives, helping authors achieve greater visibility in the publishing industry. With increased awareness of underrepresented voices in the publishing industry, it’s important to seek out black voices and representatives.
Our List of Literary Agents includes all black book agents working at different literary agencies in the United States. Our literary agency directory includes listings for all African American literary agents seeking new clients and writers, including the Best Literary Agents at the Top Literary Agencies. The database is searchable by location and genre, including black book agents looking for multicultural and African American books.
Here, we provide a comprehensive list of African American literary agents actively seeking new authors, along with tips for querying and standing out.
Notable Black Literary Agents
Here are some notable black literary agents:
- Regina Brooks with Serendipity Literary Agency
- Sha-Shana Crichton with Crichton & Associates
- Tricia Skinner with Fuse Literary
- Faith Hampton Childs with Faith Childs Literary Agency
- Sarah Bolling with The Gernert Company
- Susan Ginsburg with Writers House
- Latoya C. Smith with L.
Scroll below to learn more about black book agents such as Faith Hampton Childs with Faith Childs Literary Agency, Regina Brooks with Serendipity Literary Agency, Sarah Bolling with The Gernert Company, and Susan Ginsburg with Writers House.
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Susan Ginsburg
Susan Ginsburg is one of the better known black literary agents with Writers House Literary Agency. Susan has worked in the publishing industry for more than thirty years, starting on the editorial side as Editor-in-Chief of St. Martin’s Press and Atheneum Books. She also served as Executive Editor of Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books. Susan is interested in some nonfiction, as well as both commercial and literary fiction.
Regina Brooks and Serendipity Literary Agency
The largest African American-owned literary agency is Serendipity Literary Agency, LLC, in New York. The agency was founded by Regina Brooks and her agency seeks to acquire titles from people of color, including black authors, around the world. They have many black literary agents and represent a wide range of award-winning authors of fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. Prior to becoming an agent, Regina held senior editorial positions at John Wiley and Sons and McGraw-Hill. She was the first African-American editor in their college division.
Ms. Regina Brooks is the founder and president of Serendipity Literary Agency in New York, New York. Her agency is the largest African American owned agency in the country and has represented and established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. Her authors have appeared in USA Today, the New York Times, and the Washington Post as well as on Oprah, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX, MSBNC, TV One, BET, and a host of others. In 2015, Publishers Weekly nominated Regina Brooks as a PW Star Watch Finalist, and she was honored with a Stevie Award in Business. Writer’s Digest Magazine named Serendipity Literary Agency as one of the top 25 literary agencies.
Prior to her publishing career, she worked as an aerospace engineer and made history as the first African American woman to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from The Ohio State University. She is the author of Essence Magazine’s quick pick children’s book, Never Finished, Never Done (Scholastic), Writing Great Books for Young Adults: Everything You Need to Know, from Crafting the Idea to Getting Published, 2e (Sourcebooks), and You Should Really Write a Book: How to Write, Sell, and Market Your Memoir (St. Martin’s Press) and is a well-received blogger for the Huffington Post.
Brooks is also on the faculty of the Harvard University publishing program, Western Connecticut MFA low residency programs, and Writer’s Digest University and teaches annually at more than twenty worldwide conferences. She was named Woman of the Year by The National Association of Professional Women, A New York Urban League Rising Star Award winner, and a finalist for the StevieTM Award for Women Entrepreneurs. Regina Brooks is featured in books such as Guide to Literary Agents and the NAACP-nominated Down to Business: The First 10 Steps for Women Entrepreneurs, How to Build a Platform, and Bill Duke’s Dark Girls. She is also listed in International Who’s Who under the categories of Professional Management, Technology, Entrepreneurs, and Engineering.
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Ms. Brooks is the founder and Co-Executive Director of Y.B.
Literary Agencies to Consider
Here are a few Black-owned and operated literary agencies:
- Serendipity Literary Agency: Founded in 2000 by Regina Brooks, this agency focuses on diverse books in various genres within adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. Some of Serendipity’s awarded works include Miss Edmonia’s Class of Wildfires by Victoria Scott-Miller and illustrated by Francisco Santoyo, which won the Creative Child Book of the Year Award in 2024, and Victory. Stand! They have four agents, including Adrienne Ingrum, Charles Kim, Ameerah Holliday, and Kelly Thomas.
- McKinnon Literary: Established in 2014, this boutique agency supports first-time and established authors of adult trade, children’s books, and graphic novels, remaining active throughout the life of the book. There is a strong team of five at McKinnon, including Principal Tanya McKinnon, Editorial Director Carol Taylor, Creative Director Ian Lendler, Counsel Sekou Campbell, and Intern Viviana Simon.
- Prentis Literary: A second-generation literary agency with a passion for words and innovative voices. They represent a wide range of fiction and limited nonfiction, centered around traditionally marginalized groups. Trodayne Northern and Leslie Varney are the agents and co-presidents at Prentis Literary. Autumn Frisse works in acquisitions and passes along manuscripts to Northern and Varney.
- LCS Literary Services: Founded in 2016 by Latoya C. Smith, offering literary representation, developmental editing, and ghostwriting services for a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction subgenres. There are six agents at LCS, including Latoya C. Smith, Michelle Jackson, Kimberly L. Jones, Josh Foreman, Jynastie Wilson, and Sobi-Dee Burbano.
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Tips for Querying Black Literary Agents
When querying Black literary agents, tailoring your approach is essential for standing out:
- Research Black Literary Agents Thoroughly: Begin by researching reputable literary agencies and databases specifically highlighting Black literary agents.
- Demonstrate Authenticity and Cultural Insight: Black literary agents seek authentic storytelling that respectfully and genuinely portrays Black experiences.
- Highlight Your Platform and Community Engagement: Many Black literary agents appreciate authors who actively engage with Black communities, social issues, and cultural events.
Success Stories
Black authors have successfully used our Literary Agent Directory to get offers of representation with publishing agents and agencies such as: Example #1, Example #2, Example #3.
Here are some examples of successful Black authors and their agents:
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- Angie Thomas (“The Hate U Give”): Represented by literary agent Brooks Sherman, Thomas’s powerful exploration of police brutality, racial injustice, and Black adolescence became a groundbreaking bestseller and critically acclaimed film.
- Ta-Nehisi Coates (“Between the World and Me”): Coates, represented by Gloria Loomis, achieved remarkable literary acclaim through profound reflections on racial identity and systemic injustice.
- Tomi Adeyemi (“Children of Blood and Bone”): Adeyemi, represented by literary agent Alexandra Machinist, captured global attention with her dynamic Afrofuturist fantasy series.
Important Considerations
- Are you Agent ready?
- Is your submission agent ready?
- Diversity Initiatives: Agencies and industry organizations are actively fostering greater diversity.
Disclaimer: Some of the agents mentioned may not be currently accepting manuscripts.
You might think that a great book is all you need to catch a literary agent’s attention.
Either way I hope you find the list below useful and I’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions.
Literary agencies are an author’s best friend - but it’s hard to make friends sometimes, right? The querying process is long and hard, but it helps to know the agencies and agents you’re interested in.
