Black Was the Ink

Michelle Coles is an accomplished civil rights attorney and a proud alumna of the University of Virginia and Howard University School of Law. As a ninth-generation Louisianan, she is highly attuned to the struggles African Americans have faced in overcoming the legacy of slavery and the periods of government-sanctioned discrimination that followed. She hopes that by revealing oft-hidden Black history, her debut novel will empower young people with tools to shape their destiny. Find her on the web at michellecoles.com.

Justin Johnson credits his mother and grandmother, both teachers, with inspiring his love of picture books and storytelling. He studied children's book illustration as well as animation at the Rhode Island School of Design, and now works as an illustrator, GIF animator, and aspiring art teacher. Justin lives in Washington, D.C. Find him on the web at justinjohnson.work or on Instagram as @the.k.in.cmyk.