The African American Literary Awards Show, Inc. announced the nominees for its First Annual Open Book Awards. African American authors and writers were nominated in 30 categories. The nominees ranged from first time authors such as Erica Simone Turnipseed to celebrities like Al Roker, Patti Labelle, Beyonce and Alicia Keys to celebrated authors such as Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou to the works of deceased authors James Baldwin, Gwendolyn Brooks and Lorraine Hansberry to civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
Alicia is nominated in category Songwriter of the year together with Ashanti, Beyonce, Floetry and Kem.

Winners will be announced at the African American Literary Awards Show’s First Annual Open Book Awards on Wednesday, September 29, 2004.

Good luck Alicia!