Harlem Writers Guild

06/19/2026

This past October, we celebrated 75 years of the Harlem Writers Guild, choosing the theme "When We Write, We Free the World" to guide our celebrations. That phrase holds many meanings, but to us, it's a reminder to tell our truth no matter how people try to silence us.

And now, as we celebrate Juneteenth and Black liberation, we're reminded of the enduring legacy of our ancestors and the storytellers who carved their place out in the world and gave us the courage and strength to continue the fight for freedom and share our histories.

Today, we honor the Black voices of the past, present, and future.

05/23/2026

For the last 75 years, the Harlem Writers Guild has been home to several legendary writers, and as we continue to welcome exciting new voices into our talented and vibrant community, we're reminded of our role in ensuring that the current and future generation of Black writers have the space to share their stories with the world.

To honor the incredible writers who make the Harlem Writers Guild community what it is today and encourage us to keep evolving, we're spotlighting a few HWG members and their contributions to the literary community. And today, we're excited to be highlighting Marc Polite, poet, essayist, and founder and editor-in-chief of Polite on Society, who spoke at the Harlem Writers Guild's 75th Anniversary last October!

04/16/2026

Harlem Writers Guild Executive Director Diane Richards will be an honoree at the NAACP's New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)'s 2nd annual Women's History Month celebration this evening at 6 PM!

The event will be hosted in person at 90 Church Street, and virtually on
Google Meet. You can use this link to join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25973878907902?p=VaYXwTp7EoQsG8oSem

I am so excited to be participating in the NAACP's New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) 's 2nd annual Women's History Month celebration this evening, Thursday, April 16th, at 6 PM!

The theme for this year's event is "Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future," and will honor and celebrate the women who are building a more sustainable future through community action, ensuring everyone has equal access to opportunities, and creating systems that support both the environment and people. Attendees will hear meaningful conversations with powerful guest speakers, discover women-owned businesses, and have opportunities to network with other guests.

The event will be held in person and on Google Meet. You can use this link to attend virtually: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25973878907902?p=VaYXwTp7EoQsG8oSem

03/28/2026

Over the last 75 years, the Harlem Writers Guild has been home to several legendary writers, including Dr. Maya Angelou, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, and Lorraine Hansberry. And as we evolve and find new ways to support the current and future generation of Black writers, our vibrant community continues to grow and thrive with it.

This never-ending cycle of adding new members is what helps keep the Harlem Writers Guild running by increasing the diversity of our voices and ensuring we remain informed of changes affecting the literary industry.

To honor a few of the Harlem Writers Guild members who make this community what it is, we will be spotlighting members of the HWG and their contributions to the literature scene, starting today with Eartha Watts-Hicks.

03/14/2026

The Artist Anubis, Harlem Writers Guild member, and The Harlem Bomb Shelter will be hosting a special fundraiser event next Sunday, March 22nd, to celebrate the 14th anniversary of The Harlem Bomb Shelter's founding.

Founded in 2012, The Harlem Bomb Shelter is a non-profit dedicated to mentoring young poets through workshops, trainings, and open mics, and transforming them into accomplished spoken word performing artists.

The theme for the event is , and attendees will hear live poetry readings from The Artist Anubis, Feyisayo, Darius Lovehall, Slimm, AC Lightnin, and many more, and help honor two of Harlem's community leaders: Curtis Archer of the Harlem Community Development Corporation, Carolyn A. Butts & African Voices Communications Inc.

The dress code for the event is creative black tie, and tickets are required to attend. You can use this link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-is-the-blueprint-black-tie-affair-tickets-1982643238297?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

01/21/2026

Harlem Writers Guild Executive Director Diane Richards joined Danny Tisdale and HWG member Eartha Watts Hicks on the latest episode of the Harlem World Magazine podcast to reflect on 75 years of the Harlem Writers Guild and how our mission continues to endure.

You can listen to the full episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harlem-writers-guild-at-75-diane-richards-on-legacy/id1486227714?i=1000745643028

I am so excited to share that I was a guest on the latest episode of The Harlem World Magazine podcast to reflect on 75 years of the Harlem Writers Guild!

Thank you to Danny Tisdale and co-host and fellow Harlem Writers Guild member Eartha Watts Hicks for the amazing interview and giving me the opportunity to look back on when I first discovered the Harlem Writers Guild and what it meant to see so many successful Black writers, share my thoughts on writers using AI, why the Harlem Writers Guild is vital for the new writers, and share a little about what inspired my debut novel, ELLA!

You can listen to the full episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harlem-writers-guild-at-75-diane-richards-on-legacy/id1486227714?i=1000745643028