James McBride

James McBride is an acclaimed American author, musician, and journalist. Raised in Brooklyn by his African American mother and white stepfather, his extraordinary childhood inspired his breakout literary memoir, The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother, which became an international bestseller.

He has since established himself as one of America’s premier novelists, winning the National Book Award for Fiction with his acclaimed novel Deacon King Kong and publishing other masterpieces like The Good Lord Bird and The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. His works masterfully explore race, community, faith, and American history with warmth and narrative brilliance.

In addition to his literary achievements, McBride is an accomplished jazz saxophonist and composer. He currently serves as a writer-in-residence at New York University, inspiring new generations of storytellers.