C-SPAN2's Book TV Airs NBWC Panels 

A conversation with broadcaster, author, advocate, and philanthropist Tavis Smiley about popular culture and publishing; moderated by Esther Armah.

We live in a society constructed by politics and our nation has developed a political consciousness that informs our elections, our media, our literature, our films, our economy, and our global interactions with the world. Our civil rights, religious, and societal movements are informed by politics. The panelists will discuss the impact of politics in the literature of Black writers from these varying perspectives.

Moderator: Obery M. Hendricks

Panelists: William Jelani Cobb, Keli Goff, Anthony Grooms, Lita Hooper, Michael Simanga, and the Rev. Conrad Tillard

The Role of Social Media: Black Writers Take Literature to the Web

The use of the social media for marketing, promoting, and publishing in the writing world is well-documented. There is an argument that social media techniques have leveled the playing field and have helped to make the writing and publishing of books more accessible for all writers. The panelists will discuss the implications of the Internet for Black writers and the ways in which the Internet can be used and/or has been used to affect the marketing and kind of writing produced by Black writers.

Moderator: Grace Aneiza Ali

Panelists: Angela Dodson, Joel Dreyfuss, Troy Johnson, Montague Kobbe, Akoto Ofori-Atta, and Laura Pegram

Being Sold or Selling Ourselves: Black Writers and the Marketplace

Black writers face a number of challenges in the publishing industry. The literary industry professionals on this panel, from mainstream, independent and small presses, discuss these challenges and offer their perspectives on solutions for overcoming these obstacles.

Moderator: Calvin Reid

Panelists: Regina Brooks, JLove Calderon, Linda A. Duggins, Lisa C. Moore, Johnny Temple, and Cheryl Woodruff