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As seen on ABC's The View • One of W magazine's Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2023
"We reserve this space for our humanity in all of its fond, ironic, elated, grief-stricken, confused glory . . . When you find yourself alone and downtrodden, when the news is too much, return to these pages. This one is for you." -from the introduction by Cole Brown and Natalie Johnson
"There's something particularly special about Black Love. When you consider the history of our people, the strife and adversity we've overcome, love seems an almost illogically ambitious act of resistance." -from the foreword by John Legend
From celebrated Black writers, creators, and thinkers-and with a foreword by John Legend-comes a collection of letters and original illustrations on the subject of Black love, a powerful and heartfelt celebration of Blackness in all its many forms.
In this exquisite anthology of letters and illustrations, Cole Brown and Natalie Johnson bring together a constellation of influential Black figures to write to the people, places, and moments that mean the most to them. With a foreword from John Legend and contributions from Brontez Purnell, Morgan Jerkins, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Dr. Imani Perry, among many others, Black Love Letters is an ode to a phenomenal community: a testament to the fact that where there has been pain and suffering, there has also always been immeasurable, irrepressible joy and love. Cole Brown is an author, producer, and political commentator. His first book, Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award and selected for Steph Curry's "Underrated" book club. His first co-authored book, First Impressions, was released in May '22. Cole's opinion writing appears in GQ, W, CNN, NBC, and others. He was a 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media honoree. Today, he lives in New York working on various literary and film projects.
Natalie Johnson is a writer and illustrator who focuses on racial justice and gender equity. She is a former segment producer for MSNBC, VICE TV, and Black News Channel. Her writings can be found at MSNBC.com's Know Your Value. Natalie lives in New York City, where she is pursuing a master's degree in sociology at Columbia University.
"We reserve this space for our humanity in all of its fond, ironic, elated, grief-stricken, confused glory . . . When you find yourself alone and downtrodden, when the news is too much, return to these pages. This one is for you." -from the introduction by Cole Brown and Natalie Johnson
"There's something particularly special about Black Love. When you consider the history of our people, the strife and adversity we've overcome, love seems an almost illogically ambitious act of resistance." -from the foreword by John Legend
From celebrated Black writers, creators, and thinkers-and with a foreword by John Legend-comes a collection of letters and original illustrations on the subject of Black love, a powerful and heartfelt celebration of Blackness in all its many forms.
In this exquisite anthology of letters and illustrations, Cole Brown and Natalie Johnson bring together a constellation of influential Black figures to write to the people, places, and moments that mean the most to them. With a foreword from John Legend and contributions from Brontez Purnell, Morgan Jerkins, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Dr. Imani Perry, among many others, Black Love Letters is an ode to a phenomenal community: a testament to the fact that where there has been pain and suffering, there has also always been immeasurable, irrepressible joy and love. Cole Brown is an author, producer, and political commentator. His first book, Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award and selected for Steph Curry's "Underrated" book club. His first co-authored book, First Impressions, was released in May '22. Cole's opinion writing appears in GQ, W, CNN, NBC, and others. He was a 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media honoree. Today, he lives in New York working on various literary and film projects.
Natalie Johnson is a writer and illustrator who focuses on racial justice and gender equity. She is a former segment producer for MSNBC, VICE TV, and Black News Channel. Her writings can be found at MSNBC.com's Know Your Value. Natalie lives in New York City, where she is pursuing a master's degree in sociology at Columbia University.