Evaristo shines light on authors for Black History Month

Booker prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo has selected extracts from works by Paul Mendez, Irenosen Okojie, Nicola Williams, Judith Bryan and S I Martin to be published through short story stations at London's Canary Wharf for free throughout Black History Month. 

The short story stations work like vending machines that will dispense one, three and five-minute stories for free to help raise the profile of Black writers.

The initative is part of Evaristo’s Black Britain: Writing Back campaign to give Black authors the recognition they deserve. It is hoped the initiative will help give exciting Black authors the platform to showcase their work. Live readings from the writers will also take place later this month at Canary Wharf. 

Evaristo said: “This is such an innovative opportunity at Canary Wharf to shine the spotlight on black authors I admire and are deserving of a wider readership. Some of the chosen stories are part of my curated series with Penguin called 'Black Britain: Writing Back', and I hope that all of these writers find new readers. Great literature transcends all perceived boundaries and are for everyone.”

Camilla Mcgregor, arts and events planner at the Canary Wharf Group, said: “The short story stations at Canary Wharf are the first of their kind in the UK, having first gained popularity in the US, France and Hong Kong, with thousands of stories printed on recycled paper and read each week. Thousands of people visit Canary Wharf each month, which is a huge platform to showcase writing talent, so we’re proud to be able to play our part in helping Bernardine Evaristo put the spotlight on black authors to help them get the recognition they deserve.”

The stories inlclude an excerpt from Evaristo's Manifesto (Hamish Hamilton), Mendez's Rainbow Milk (Dialogue), Okojie's Nudibranch (Little, Brown), Williams' Without Prejudice (Penguin), Bryan's Bernard and the Cloth Monkey (Penguin) and Martin's Incomparable World (Penguin).