Kwame Alexander, New York Times-bestselling author and 2015 Newberry Medal recipient, will be the featured speaker at this year’s Black Ink: A Charleston African American Book Festival. Alexander will join at least 50 black authors and hundreds of readers for the second annual event on Saturday, September 23rd from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the main branch of the Charleston County Public Library. The event is free and open to the public.

Alexander is the author of 24 books, including poetry, prose, and picture books. In addition to winning the Newberry Award for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children, his book The Crossover also received the Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor. He is also a regular speaker at schools and conferences in the U.S. and abroad. He's spoken in places like Singapore, Brazil, Italy, France, Shanghai, and Ghana.

Black Ink: A Charleston African American Book Festival's mission is to "support local Black writers, creating a space for them to share their work, discuss their craft, and expose readers all ages to the great variety of African American authors in the area." The free event is open to the public and includes all author exhibits, featured author sessions, workshops/seminars, and entertainment. The full schedule can be viewed online at CharlestonLibraryFriends.org.

The main branch of the Charleston County Public Library is located at 68 Calhoun Street.