All the BIPoC Authors We Lost in 2024
It pains me to create this list. A list of all of our Black, Indigenous, and other POC authors who died in 2024. This year, the list isn’t terribly long, but every author on this list was a true powerhouse of talent, and they will be truly missed. Not only because we will miss their stories and words, but also, we will miss their kindness, love, and mentorship.
N. Scott Momaday
N. Scott Momaday was a well-known poet, professor, novelist and oral storyteller. He was also the first Native American writer to receive a Pulitzer Prize, with his 1969 win for his novel, House Made of Dawn. He died on January 24, 2024. He was 89 years old. If you’d like to learn more about N. Scott Momaday, listen to the episode of the Reed, Write, & Create podcast we did all about his life and literary output.
Maryse Condé
Marysé Conde was a powerhouse of a writer, penning novels, essays, plays and children’s literature. Born in Guadeloupe, Conde was a citizen of the world, living and teaching in the United States, France and different countries in Africa throughout her lifetime. Conde is the author of several award-winning books, but my favorite is I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem. Marysé Conde died on April 2, 2024 at age 90.
Shay Youngblood
Shay Youngblood was an award-winning writer who cannot be pinned down into one category. She was an artist who wrote stage plays, novels, children’s books, poetry and more. She is probably most known for her second novel, Black Girl in Paris, although her play, Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery” was also widely appreciated and loved by audiences around the globe. Ironically, Shay and Tina McElroy Ansa were friends and worked together in Atlanta to support and celebrate other Black women writers. It was part of Shay’s mission as a writer, to make room for other Black women to tell their stories. Reportedly, Black Girl in Paris is in development to be turned into a movie. Personally, I would be thrilled because I loved that book. Shay died on June 11, 2024. She was 64 years old.
Tina McElroy Ansa
Tina McElroy Ansa was an award-winning author who chronicled Black life in her popular novels set in the American South. Fan favorites include Ugly Ways and Baby of the Family. But her influence wasn’t just based on the books she wrote, Ansa also launched her own publishing imprint -Down South Press - to publish the works of other Black authors, and she hosted a writing retreat on the Georgia Sea Islands. Most importantly, Tina mentored and encouraged every Black woman author she came in contact with and made them feel that their work was important. She will be greatly missed. Tina died on September 10, 2024. She was 74 years old.
Elizabeth Nunez
It is painful to write about Elizabeth Nunez in the past tense. Elizabeth was an incredible literary force who penned over ten books, was a distinguished professor in academia, and co-founded the National Black Writers Conference. Born in Trinidad, Nunez often wrote about characters who shared her Caribbean heritage, but she was also known for writing stories that explored family dynamics and identity politics. Like Sister McElroy, Elizabeth was a mentor to many Black writers, including myself. I had the pleasure of taking one of her workshops at Hurston Wright and after that, she was always available if I needed advice or wise counsel. Elizabeth died on November 11, 2024. She was 80 years old.
Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni was an award-winning poet, activist, writer, and educator. An inspiration to so many, she was a member of the Black Arts Movement and a supporter of Black writers everywhere. To quote the great Nikki herself, “ I am very proud to have authored 3 New York Times and Los Angeles Times Best Sellers, highly unusual for a poet. I am a University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech. I don’t have a lot of friends but I have good ones. I have a son and a granddaughter. My father, mother, sister and middle aunt are all deceased literarily making me go from being the baby in the family to being an elder. I like to cook, travel and dream. I’m a writer. I’m happy.” Nikki Giovanni died on December 9, 2024. She was 81 years old.
Gone But Not Forgotten - A Literary Legacy
My heart is so heavy thinking about all of the wisdom and talent that these amazing writers can no longer share with us. But we are still so lucky that all of these literary greats wrote so much that we can continue to learn from their literary legacies. Not just their books, but their articles and essays, and the very way they lived their lives. Each and every one of these dearly departed writers was also a mentor and champion of younger writers. They were happy to pull the next generation up and teach all they knew. That’s a lesson I hope we all learn and put into practice.
In the meantime, I hope N. Scott, Maryse, Shay, Tina, Elizabeth, and Nikki are enjoying themselves on the ancestral plain. May they all rest in peace and power.
If I missed any other BIPoC authors who transitioned in 2024, please let me know in the comments.