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Written by Meg Nielsen and Samantha Szumloz  Image Source: https://www.blackalbinism.org/blog/celebrating-black-history-month-in-october-honoring-black-heritage-and-progress-while-pushing-for-integration-of-albinism-into-the-black-community Black History Month
Welcome to February, the month of observing black achievements in our country. For over four decades, ever since the ASALH formally established Black History Month in 1976, our government (as well as classrooms across the nation) has been commemorating African American milestones. There have been many innovations within the black community that have advanced our country: Granville T. Woods with his induction telegraph system, Garret Morgan with his traffic signal, Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner with her sanitary menstruation belts, etc. These innovations are revolutionary, as they have made living easier for all people. With that being said, black innovations do not just lie in technology. They lie in art, too. Today, we will be taking a brief look at five black writers who have shaped (or are shaping) the literary world. #1: Jesmyn Ward Born in 1977 in Berkeley, California, Jesmyn Ward is an English Professor at Tulane University. She has studied at Stanford University and the University of Michigan, receiving her MFA. She has written novels such as Salvage the Bones, Sing, Unburied, Sing, Let Us Descend, and Where the Line Bleeds. She has won multiple awards throughout her writing career, including the MacArthur Fellows “Genius Grant.” She is additionally the only woman and only African American woman to have won the National Book Award for fiction twice. #2: Alice Walker Born in 1944 in Eatonton, Georgia, Alice Walker is an author, particularly a novelist, and social activist. Her most well-known novel is The Color Purple, which has been adapted into two movies, one made in 1985 and the other in 2023. Her other works include The Temple of My Familiar, The Third Life of Grange Copeland, and In Love & Trouble. In 1983, she won the Pulitzer Prize for The Color Purple and the National Book Award for fiction. #3: Octavia Butler Born in 1947 in Pasadena, California, Octavia Butler was a science fiction writer and major developer of the feminist dystopian genre. Perhaps her most notable work is Kindred, which was turned into a one-season TV series in 2022. Her other works include Fledgling, Bloodchild, and Parable of the Talents. Butler received multiple Hugo and Nebula awards from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers association. She passed away in 2006, but her soul lives on through her writings. #4: Toni Morrison Born in 1931 in Lorain, Ohio, Toni Morrison was an editor and novelist. Her most famous works include Sula, Song of Solomon, and Beloved. Thanks to Beloved, she won a Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 1988 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993, making her the first African American woman to gain the Nobel Prize in Literature. After her death in 2019, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. #5: James Baldwin Born in 1924 in Harlem, New York, James Baldwin was an essayist and creative writer. He has published works such as Giovanni’s Room, The Fire Next Time, and Go Tell It on the Mountain. Throughout his writing career, he centered on themes such as masculinity, sexuality, race, and class. His novel Go Tell It on the Mountain, according to TIME, is one of the top 100 English-language novels. He additionally received the Légion d'Honneur before his death in 1987. Conclusion These writers’ works are testaments to the black community. Without their contributions, we would not have the literature we have today. We would also have less black representation in our media. We urge readers to keep representing marginalized voices even in the face of oppression and injustice. Let our pens be our microphones. Work Cited Woods, Margaret M. “Black History Month: A Commemorative Observances Legal Research Guide.” LOC, 9 Aug. 2020, https://guides.loc.gov/black-history-month-legal-resources/history-and-overview. Jean-Phillipe, McKenzie, and Burnette, Jane. “15 African-American Inventors to Remember This Black History Month and Beyond.” Oprah Daily, 19 Jan. 2023, https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/work-money/g30877473/african-american-inventors/. “Department of English: Jesmyn Ward.” Tulane University School of Liberal Arts, https://liberalarts.tulane.edu/english/faculty-staff/jesmyn-ward. Accessed 24 February 2025. Alexander, Kerri Lee. “Toni Morrison.” National Women’s History Museum, 2019. Accessed 24 February 2025. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/toni-morrison#:~:text=In%201987%2C%20Morrison%20released%20her,the%20Nobel%20Prize%20in%20Literature. Grossman, Lev, and Lacayo, Richard. “All-TIME 100 Novels.” TIME, https://entertainment.time.com/2005/10/16/all-time-100-novels/slide/all/. Accessed 24 February 2025.
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Written by Meg Nielsen and Samantha Szumloz Introduction to Literary Magazines Literary magazines are small publications that feature new and emerging writers, publishing poetry, prose, and art from various genres. They give writers the chance to express their writing styles, connect with other artists, and work with editors in collaborative atmospheres. They additionally boost the prestige and credibility of rising writers, making them known in the literary community. Getting published is an important step in an aspiring author’s career because it draws readers to their work. If writers choose to keep their art to themselves, they have no eyes. We would also have less writing to fuel our inspiration to write ourselves. So submitting our work to literary magazines is a small step to getting our foot in the publishing door. Literary magazines have existed since the 1600s for the purpose of spreading the work of authors who may not have been recognized otherwise. In the modern day, there are thousands of literary magazines actively publishing work around the world. Many have gained prestige over the years, and may only accept work from authors who are equally as well-known. However, some magazines are willing to take work from writers who have never published before. We’ve compiled a list of magazines that are willing to give less experienced writers a chance.  #1: Moria Moria is an online national publication located at Woodbury University, north of Downtown Los Angeles. It is edited and managed by Woodbury undergraduate students. The editorial staff accepts unpublished poetry {a total of five poems or less}, fiction {one piece of fiction of 1,500 words or less}, and creative-nonfiction {one piece of creative-nonfiction of 1,500 words or less} from young and advanced writers. There is no reading fee. Every submitter is asked to provide a cover letter and a third-person bio along with their submission. Moria welcomes all styles of writing, including experiential, hybrid, and conventional forms. However, its staff is not interested in light verse, genre fiction, and any submission that exudes violence or discriminates against minorities. The publication does not pay its writers, but it does nominate them for awards such as Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize. Moria releases two issues each year, one in late spring and one in late fall. Its fifteenth issue is currently accepting submissions via Submittable until March 1st, 2025. For more information on how to submit to Moria, go to its “Submissions Guidelines” page: https://www.moriaonline.com/submissions.  #2: Blue Marble Review Blue Marble Review is a global online literary magazine that publishes young writers ages 13-22. It is run by Molly Hill, a Minneapolis based writer and editor. There is no reading fee when submitting to Blue Marble Review. The publication releases four issues per year, accepting unpublished poetry {three poems per submission}, fiction {maximum of three pieces per submission, 1,500 words or less}, nonfiction {memoirs, personal essays, travel adventures, etc., two pieces per submission, 1,500 word limit}, photography {four pieces}, and art {four pieces scanned and in jpeg format}. Writers published on the site receive $30 per piece. The selected cover art submitter receives $75 for their contribution. Writers, artists, and photographers may submit to Blue Marble Review through its submission form: https://bluemarblereview.com/submit/.  #3: Drexel Paper Dragon Drexel Paper Dragon is an online literary journal belonging to Drexel University’s MFA in Creative Writing program. Students within the program edit and manage the publication. They do not require a reading fee. Some of its issues are themed. For instance, this past fall, its issue was horror-themed. Some, however, are not themed. Its up-and-coming issue {now open for submissions until April 30th} is unthemed. So be mindful about what the editorial staff is looking for while submitting to them. Drexel Paper Dragon welcomes unpublished fiction {4,000 words maximum and only one piece per submission period}, nonfiction {4,000 words maximum}, poetry {250 words/50 lines maximum and only one poem per submission period}, and art pieces {see the requirements for art pieces on the publication’s “Submit” page: https://drexelpaperdragon.com/submit/}. Also be sure to include a third-person bio and check out the publication’s additional requirements, as individuals who do not fulfill the additional requirements will not be considered for publication. No exceptions.  #4: 3Elements Review 3Elements Review is an online publication that publishes digitally once every quarter of the year. The publication was founded by Mikaela Shea, a published writer residing in Iowa, and is run by numerous accomplished editors from various academic backgrounds. There is no reading fee when submitting to 3Elements Review. All of its issues have a theme or list of “elements”/words that submitters must use in their pieces to be considered for publication. The editorial staff only accepts unpublished pieces that do not discriminate or emanate violence. Nonetheless, they accept all genres. There is no minimum word count for written submissions, however, they do ask for fiction and nonfiction submissions to be kept under 3,500 words. Poetry must also be under two pages. 3 Elements Review is currently open for submissions until February 28, 2025. The elements are “prophecy,” “attic,” and “isolation.”  #5: The Baltimore Review As its name would suggest, The Baltimore Review is an online magazine based in Baltimore that aims to publish diverse work from both new and emerging writers. It was founded in 1996, and although the magazine exists mainly online, issues can be purchased in print on Amazon. They accept poetry (up to three poems), fiction (under 5,000 words, but they recommend shorter), and creative nonfiction (under 5,000 words). There is no fee to submit, and they accept simultaneous submissions. The vibe of the work accepted by The Baltimore Review varies, and the submission guidelines recommend reading previous issues. They also pay writers $50 for accepted submissions, which isn’t too common for less prestigious publications. To submit, go to: https://baltimorereview.submittable.com/submit.  #6: The New Delta Review New Delta Review is run by students of the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Louisiana State University. It was founded in 1984, and has been online since 2012. On top of publishing literary magazine issues, they also publish poetry chapbooks. In their lit mag issues, they accept fiction (under 3,000 words), poetry (up to five poems), creative nonfiction (under 3,000 words), book reviews & interviews (under 3,000 words), and artwork. There is no fee to submit, and they accept simultaneous submissions. According to their submission guidelines, they gravitate towards “weirder” work. Work may be submitted at https://newdeltareview.submittable.com/submit.  7: Lily Poetry Review The Lily Poetry Review publishes two issues a year, one in the winter and one in the summer. They publish poetry (up to five poems), art (up to three pieces), and book reviews (between 1,000-1,250 words). They also take chapbook manuscripts, and have a $50 poetry feedback service. They prefer contemporary work, and submissions open at the beginning of every month, closing when 400 submissions are received. There is no fee to submit, and they accept simultaneous submissions. To submit or take part in their other services, visit https://lilypoetryreview.submittable.com/submit.  #8: All Existing Literary Magazine
All Existing Literary Magazine is an online publication that focuses around “all things strange and beautiful”. They publish fiction (under 3,000 words), creative nonfiction (under 3,000 words), flash fiction (under 1,000 words), poetry (up to three poems), and art (up to two pieces). There is no fee to submit, and they accept simultaneous submissions. They also accept submissions that have been previously published elsewhere. All submissions can be sent to [email protected] Final Message We’d like to end by reminding our readers that rejected submissions don’t mean that your writing isn’t good. Your submission may not have fit in with the theme of the current issue, or maybe they just already had enough work in that genre. Many literary magazines have acceptance rates that can be as low as one percent. Don’t let rejection discourage you from writing and continuing to put your work out into the world. No matter what you write, there will always be at least one literary magazine that your work will fit perfectly into, it’s just a matter of finding it. |
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