Prominent African-American poets, novelists, playwrights and essayists reflect on their storied careers in Black Writers in America. Introduced by actor Ossie Davis, each episode offers interviews with contemporary authors, who reveal the thoughts, process and intellect behind their exceptional creativity. These articulate artists thoughtfully discuss the issues of racial struggle, identity and sexuality which have informed their works.

Ishmael Reed / Elizabeth Nunez
Ishmael Reed is a novelist, playwright and essayist. His works include Multi-America: Essays on Cultural Wars & Cultural Peace, Japanese By Spring, Airing Dirty Laundry, Mumbo Jumbo and Writin' is Fightin'. In 1998, he was awarded the MacArthur Foundation's "genius grant." Elizabeth Nunez founded and directed the National Black Writers Conference for 14 years. Her publications include the novels When Rocks Dance, Beyond the Limbo Silence, Bruised Hibiscus, and Grace.

John A. Williams / Maryse Conde
John A. Williams is the author of Sissie, The Man Who Cried I Am, !Click Song, Clifford's Blues and If I Stop I'll Die: Comedy & Tragedy of Richard Pryor. He is a two-time recipient of the American Book Award and member of the National Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent. Maryse Conde is chairperson of the French and Francophone Institute at Columbia University. She is a novelist, playwright and scholar. Her novels include Crossing the Mangrove, Windward Heights, I, Tituba Black Witch of Salem, Segu, The Children of Segu and A Season in Rihata.

E. Lynn Harris / Sapphire
E. Lynn Harris is author of the best-selling novels Invisible Life, Just As I Am, If This World Were Mine and And This Too Shall Pass. Sapphire is the author of American Dreams, a collection of poetry cited by Publisher's Weekly as "one of the strongest debut collections of the '90s." Her novel, Push, won England's coveted Mind Book of the Year Award.

Fridays, 2/1-22/08 from 3:30-4:30 a.m. ET

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