Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize shortlist announced

The Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize shortlist was announced on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.

The Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize, open to emerging and established Black women writers globally, seeks to celebrate the best in unpublished non-fiction manuscripts. The first jury is chaired by award-winning author and Booker Prize 2019 winner 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. Award organisers announced the longlist for the initiative on October 1 before the shortlist was revealed today.

Chair of Judges Bernardine Evaristo emphasised the importance of this prize, stating “Chairing this prize has been a richly rewarding experience and process of discovery of a wonderful range of manuscripts that reveal the breadth of black women’s intellectual and creative enquiry. The talented shortlisted writers show us that the universe of black women’s ideas, experiences and perspectives is full of talent, promise and adventure.”

The five shortlisted manuscripts are;

• ANXIOLYTIC NOTES by Helena Sylvestre (Brazil) – In an intimate and deeply evocative exploration of anxiety, identity, and resilience, Anxiolytic Notes delves into the lived experience of an Afro- Indigenous woman in Brazil. This compelling work navigates her mental health challenges amid the social and environmental crises of the Anthropocene.
• ELEMENTAL SOLIDARITY by Sindi-Leigh McBride (South Africa) Elemental Solidarity is a provocative and immersive exploration of how African and Afro-diasporic artists offer fresh, urgent insights on the climate crisis, challenging traditional science about climate science, through culturally resonant art that redefines how we see, feel, and respond to environmental change.
• BLACK BEAUTY MODEL AGENCY by Desta Haile (Eritrea) – What do the iconic Grace Jones, a trailblazing Liberian diplomat, a striking Mormon supermodel, the legendary Richard Roundtree, a Buddhist visionary from Harlem, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Eritrea’s revered Poet Laureate have in common? Black Beauty Model Agency. This vivid and reflective journey through 1960s NYC invites readers into an Afro-diasporic world of elegance and transformation. Haile introduces the extraordinary women who founded it and the remarkable individuals they signed, each reshaping fashion and culture.
• THE COSMIC MATTER OF BLACK LIVES by Cherise Morris (United States) the cosmic matter of Black lives is an evocative collection of lyric essays, poetic interludes, and rituals that delves into the intricate philosophical, political, cosmological, and spiritual layers of Blackness. This compelling work converges at the intersections of enduring and evolving anti-Black violences, systemic inequities, environmental injustices, and ecological disruptions.
• THROUGH THE LENS OF FOOD: A DECOLONISED EXPLORATION OF BLACK, MIDDLE-CLASS IDENTITY by Pamella Gysman (South Africa) – Through the Lens of Food reveals how food acts as a powerful marker of identity, strength, and agency within an unequal society. Through a richly nuanced exploration of South Africa’s Black middle class, it immerses readers in a dynamic reality where food becomes a vital tool for self-definition, connection, and belonging.

The winner, who goes home with a $20,000 advance, will be announced on December 4. Additionally, two runners-up will each be awarded a $5,000 advance and a publishing deal.

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