There is an active and coordinated attack on Black creatives, Black narratives, and the representation of Black people in the literary ecosystem.

Black storytellers, record-keepers, and illustrators are being silenced, de-shelved by major bookstores, excluded from marketing pipelines, and pushed out of publishing by the five corporations that dominate the industry: Penguin Random House, Macmillan, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster. 

These actions do not exist in isolation. They reflect a broader neo-segregationist agenda, one that seeks to control whose history is told, whose knowledge is legitimate, and whose voices are permitted in public life. Through coordinated book bans, censorship efforts, and policy blueprints like Project 2025, attacks on Black history and Black intellectual life are being normalized under the guise of “neutrality,” “parental rights,” and “market demand.”

Cultural erasure is not a side effect of this agenda. It is a strategy.

At a moment when government actors, right-wing extremists, and anti-intellectual movements are actively working to dismantle civil rights protections and rewrite history, the preservation and proclamation of Black stories is not optional, it is essential.

Why We Are Acting

Black narratives, literature, and creative expression are not niche interests—they are vital to democracy, education, and collective memory.

As Black stories are minimized by government policy, attacked by extremist movements, and erased through corporate decision-making aligned with neo-segregationist efforts like Project 2025, silence is complicity.

We refuse to allow our history to be erased, our voices to be sidelined, or our future to be rewritten without us.

Sign this petition to demand accountability, transparency, and justice for Black storytellers.

We call on Penguin Random House, Macmillan, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster to take immediate and concrete action to end their role in the suppression of Black voices and to repair the harm already done. 

1. Transparency & Accountability
Commission an independent investigation into publishing, marketing, and hiring practices affecting Black and other marginalized authors, and make all findings publicly available
2. Racial Equity Audits
Implement regular, independent racial equity audits before launching new publishing or marketing initiatives, and publicly report results with clear plans for corrective action.
3. Meaningful Reinvestment
Commit real resources, including dedicated budgets and a minimum of 10% of annual profits, to support Black and Brown authors, illustrators, and communities harmed by censorship and underrepresentation.
4. Invest in Representation
Fund ongoing research and programs that expand representation in the literary ecosystem and directly support Black creatives across genres and disciplines.
5. Public Education & Repair
Launch a sustained public education campaign that uplifts Black authors and actively counters book bans, censorship, and the erasure of Black history.

At a moment when government actors, right-wing extremists, and anti-intellectual movements are actively working to dismantle civil rights protections and rewrite history, the preservation and proclamation of Black stories is not optional, it is essential.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]