As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, we’d like to shine a spotlight on some of the most exciting black British writers out there right now. From poets and novelists to screenwriters, the UK is home to some incredibly talented writers who have produced (and often performed) some amazing pieces of work. Here are a few of our favourites!

Benjamin Zephaniah

One of the UK’s best loved poets, Benjamin Zephaniah first burst on to the scene in the 1980s. His mission has been to make poetry accessible to everyone, whoever and wherever they may be. Zephaniah has won numerous awards and was included in the The Times list of 50 greatest post-war writers. His talents don’t stop at poetry however, he is a novelist, musician, and actor too!

Michaela Coel

Screenwriter, producer and actor Michaela Coel has been a big deal in recent times. She is perhaps best known as being the writer and lead character of the 2020 TV hit I May Destroy You, which was hugely popular and shed light on the realities of some difficult, dark issues. This year her new book Misfits: A Personal Manifesto has been released, and its autobiographical style telling of her experiences so far are a fascinating and thought-provoking read.

Sophia Thakur

Performing at events such as Glastonbury and Ted Talks is certainly impressive, but Sophie Thakur is more than deserving of these incredible stages. As a poet and spoken word artist, she has a wonderful way of captivating her audiences and expanding our imaginations. She is a brilliant performer who is able to bring her written creations to life. Her book, Somebody Give this Heart a Pen, which is a collection of stories written in verse, became a global number one bestseller and is well worth a read!

Linton Kwesi Johnson

Dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson is a big name in the poetry and reggae worlds. Johnson actually came up with the term ‘dub poetry’ himself, a concept consisting of the fusion of poetry and reggae music. He is well known to this day as a performer of this genre, and as a written poet too. His poetry is generally politically themed, and offers thought-provoking commentaries on historical and social issues. In his work he uses Jamaican English slang which is a real joy to listen to.

Zadie Smith

As one of the top British authors of our time, Zadie Smith is a big name in national literature. Since her debut novel, White Teeth, was published in 2000, she has had an impressive career and has published many top selling novels. She spent a number of years lecturing at Columbia and New York Universities in the field of fiction writing. Her most recent creation is a collection of short stories published in 2019 under the title Grand Union, which has been critically acclaimed.

Which other black British writers have inspired you? Let us know in the comments!