Unsurprisingly, the twenty-first century has seen a significant rise in the influence of Black authors in the Christian book industry. There is growing demand for literature reflecting Black authors’ experiences and spiritual insights. This shift has opened doors to an expanding book marketplace, significantly impacting the world through their works on biblical studies, faith, social justice, and personal life experiences.
When valuing the contributions of Black authors, one publisher that has placed a high value on such development is Byron Williamson, a 21st-century Christian publishing entrepreneur. His publishing career spans three decades, working with influential Black pastors, sports stars, and personalities. Formerly president of Thomas Nelson and Word Publishing during the 1990s, Williamson left to found Integrity Publishers in 2001 and Worthy Books in 2011, accelerating the publication of books with Black authors. In 2021, the Christian book industry recognized him with ECPA’s The Chair Award for Lifetime Achievement.
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The messages Black authors bring to the table have inspired readers and challenged long-standing beliefs and prejudices. Williamson recognized the importance of ensuring all voices are heard, believing that the truth can only emerge when all perspectives are considered. For instance, at the passing of Whitney Houston, Williamson recruited her long-time good ‘brother’ BeBe Winans, a remarkable Gospel music artist in his own right, to pen a very personal tribute biography, The Whitney I Knew. Winans’ story reveals the truth about his complicated, funny, generous, and highly loyal, long-term friend, Whitney Houston. This was an inspirational book for a difficult moment in history. Williamson had also published BeBe’s sister and Christian music artist, CeCe Winans, and her book Throne Room.
As a Christian content innovator for over three decades, in 1998, Williamson went to LA and pitched Black co-author Denver Moore’s book, Same Kind of Different As Me, to four Hollywood studios. A few years later, the book was released as a major motion picture under the same title, featuring stars Renee Zellweger, Greg Kinnear, and Djimon Hounsou as Denver Moore.
Among the remarkable Black authors Williamson has published are bestseller Dr. Tony Evans and his book What A Way to Live, among others. Evans pastors the 10,000-member Oak Cliff Bible Church in Dallas, Texas. Byron collaborated with pastors and spiritual leaders like Rudy Rasmus in Houston and Dr. Kenneth C. Ulmer in Los Angeles. Rasmus’s highly publicized book Love Period explores the transformative power of unconditional love and how it can enrich the world. With Dr. Ulmer, Williamson published Passing the Generation Blessing, which focuses on passing blessings from one generation to the next. It includes a foreword from LL Cool J.
In the world of sports stars, Williamson published Michael Vick’s telling biography, Finally Free, written just after Vick was released from prison. Michael opens up and tells of his guilt, high-profile conviction, prison experience, and a change of heart regarding his respect for all life in God’s creation. And NFL superstar Deion Sanders’ book, Power, Money & Sex, was fully vulnerable, telling his life story, revealing how power, money, and sex could not satisfy the great void in his life-a vacuum, ultimately fulfilled only by his newfound faith in God.
As a result of his experiences publishing Black authors, Williamson, more profoundly than ever, believes all voices, regardless of ethnicity, must be pretty and fully heard, or there is little context for meaningful truth.
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