Cassava Republic Press has revealed the longlist for its inaugural Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize which includes Black women authors from all across the globe. Below is a list of all longlisted authors as mentioned:
- African Feminist Reflections on State Sponsored Backlash in Kenya by Marilyn Kamuru (Kenya)
- Anxiolytic Notes by Daniela Rodrigues Damaceno (Brasil)
- Being Here in This Body by Mildred Barya (Uganda)
- Black Beauty Model Agency by Desta Haile (Eritrea)
- Elemental Solidarity: The Climate Crisis and Contemporary African And Diasporic Art by Sindi-Leigh McBride (South Africa)
- Sweetness Is No Guarantee by Breanna McDaniel (United States)
- The Black Packer by Ebony Francis (UK)
- The Cosmic Matter of Blackness by Cherise Morris (United States)
- Through the Lens of Food: A Decolonized Exploration of Black Middle-Class Identity Expression by Pamella Gysman (South Africa)
Selected by the judging panel which was chaired by award-winning author and 2019 Booker Prize recipient Bernardine Evaristo, Ugandan scholar, Sylvia Tamale, African-American author and filmmaker Natalie Baszile, Caribbean-American feminist scholar Carole Boyce-Davies, and Zimbabwean-South African historian and novelist Panashe Chigumadzi, Cassava Republic Press received submissions from 36 countries out of which 9 longlisted authors who hail from Africa, Europe, North and South America were selected!
Judging chair Bernardine Evaristo commented:
“The longlisted titles for this prize are a wonderful revelation in terms of originality, creativity, intellectual scope and diversity of interests. We are looking forward to the next stage whereby six of the manuscripts will rise to the surface”
Congratulating the longlisted authors, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Founder and Publishing Director of Cassava Republic says:
“We are incredibly excited to see such a rich array of voices represented in the longlist. This prize not only celebrates the talents of Black women writers but also underscores their essential role in shaping critical discourse across various fields.”
The prize winner, backed by Alitheia Capital and the Open Society Foundations Africa, will secure a publishing contract with Cassava Republic Press along with a substantial $20,000 advance. In recognition of the strengths of the top shortlisted writers, two runners-up will each receive a $5,000 advance and a publishing deal.
The shortlist will be revealed on November 13th, with the winner being announced on December 4th.
Congratulations to all longlisted authors on this great feat!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
