Authors & Guests

2019 Keynote Speaker - Kwame Alexander, poet, educator, and NY Times Bestselling author of 28 books and the recipient of numerous awards.

Yona Deshommes ~ Yona's area of expertise in publicity in the book publishing industry is the AA market. Her clients include Bishop TD Jakes, Zane, and Kevin Hart.

NY Times Bestselling novelist - Mary Monroe, is the author of 23 novels. She is the 2019 BARR Literary Icon. Her book "One House Over" will be discussed at the BARR Book Club Meeting.

Troy Johnson ~ the founder and webmaster of AALBC.com (The African American Literature Book Club). Launched in 1998, AALBC.com is now the largest and most frequently visited web site dedicated to books by and about people of African descent.

Brian W. Smith is the award winning, best selling author of more than a dozen novels and short stories. He has been awarded the Male Author of the Year award from multiple literary organizations and has had several novels land on prominent best sellers lists.

The 2019 BARR Weekend will be held October 4 and 5, 2019 at the Harborside Hotel, in Oxon Hill, MD.

This page will be updated as additional authors and others are added.