Schedule

The 2022 Library of Congress National Book Festival will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Sept. 3, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.). A selection of programs will be livestreamed online and videos of all programs will be available shortly after the Festival. View and download the Festival program; note that any last-minute schedule adjustments will only be updated on the website and will not be reflected in the Festival program PDF.

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Monday August 15, 2022

Event | lectures and symposia

Library of Congress National Book Festival Author Talk: Leslye Penelope and Lucinda Roy
Monday
August 15, 2022
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT Online Only PBS Books, in collaboration with Virginia Public Media, is hosting a conversation with Leslye Penelope, author of “The Monsters We Defy,” and Lucinda Roy, author of “Flying the Coop,” to discuss their work, their dedication to creating strong empowered female heroines and their involvement in the Library of Congress National Book Festival. The authors will be interviewed by VPM’s Samantha Willis and Angie Miles.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Science Fiction & Fantasy Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Book Series, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Partner Events, Science Fiction

Wednesday August 17, 2022

Event | lectures and symposia

Library of Congress National Book Festival Author Talk: Kate Clifford Larson
Wednesday
August 17, 2022
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT Online Only PBS Books, in collaboration with Chicago's WTTW, is hosting a conversation celebrating the Library of Congress National Book Festival with Kate Clifford Larson, author of “Walk with Me: A Biography of Fannie Lou Hamer,” to discuss her work and involvement in the Festival.
This event will be livestreamed on youtu.be .
Stage: History & Biography Interests: Biography, Black and African American Interest, Inspiring and Educational, Nonfiction, Partner Events, Social Justice, Understanding Racism

Tuesday August 23, 2022

Event | lectures and symposia

Library of Congress National Book Festival Author Talk: Clint Smith
Tuesday
August 23, 2022
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT Online Only PBS Books, in collaboration with Maryland Public Television, is hosting a conversation celebrating the Library of Congress National Book Festival with Clint Smith, author of “How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America,” to discuss his work and involvement in the Festival. The author will be interviewed American Black Journal’s Stephen Henderson.
This event will be livestreamed on youtu.be .
Stage: History & Biography Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, History, Nonfiction, Partner Events, Social Justice, Understanding Racism

Wednesday August 24, 2022

Event | lectures and symposia

Library of Congress National Book Festival Author Talk: Dhonielle Clayton
Wednesday
August 24, 2022
9:00 pm - 10:00 pm EDT Online Only PBS Books, in collaboration with San Diego's KPBS, is hosting a conversation celebrating the Library of Congress National Book Festival with Dhonielle Clayton, co-author of “Blackout: A Novel,” to discuss her work and involvement in the Festival.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Main Stage Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Book Series, Fiction, Fun and Funny, LGBTQ+, Partner Events, Romance, Young Adult

Saturday September 3, 2022

Event | lectures and symposia

How Racism Happens with Robert Samuels and Linda Villarosa
Saturday
September 3, 2022
9:30 am - 10:15 am EDT Ballroom B (Level 3, South Building) What is systemic racism? In “Under the Skin,” Linda Villarosa exposes forces in our healthcare system that cause Black people to "live sicker and die quicker." In “His Name is George Floyd,” Robert Samuels draws upon hundreds of interviews to illustrate how inequalities in housing, education, health care, criminal justice, and policing affected Floyd’s life and legacy. Moderated by Eric Deggans.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Society & Culture Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Debut, Health and Wellness, Nonfiction, Science, Social Justice, Understanding Racism
Event | lectures and symposia

Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction Honoree Jesmyn Ward
Saturday
September 3, 2022
9:45 am - 10:30 am EDT East Salon ABC (Street Level, South Building) Jesmyn Ward is the latest honoree of the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. During this program, she’ll talk about her work with Clay Smith and receive the Prize for American Fiction from the Librarian of Congress. Ward has received two National Book Awards and a MacArthur fellowship. This program occurs onscreen at the Writers Studio stage; Ward is unable to appear in-person.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Writers Studio Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Fiction, Performances and Special Programs
Event | lectures and symposia

Black Girls Sew with Hekima Hapa and Lesley Ware
Saturday
September 3, 2022
10:00 am - 10:45 am EDT Room 146 (Street Level, North Building) Black and brown girls and boys need a space where they do not have to encounter misrepresentation of their culture. “Black Girls Sew” offers the tools, knowledge and vocabulary to help young people take back their fashion narrative. In this program, writers and fashion designers Hekima Hapa and Lesley Ware will discuss their new book with Desiree Woodard.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Life/Style Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Debut, Inspiring and Educational, Nonfiction
Event | lectures and symposia

Because of You, John Lewis: The Story of a Young Activist's Friendship with His Hero with Andrea Davis Pinkney and Tybre Faw
Saturday
September 3, 2022
10:10 am - 10:35 am EDT Hall B (Lower Level) Join Andrea Davis Pinkney and Tybre Faw as they discuss “Because of You, John Lewis,” based on the true story of how 10-year-old history buff Faw befriended his idol, Congressman John Lewis. Enjoy a heartening story told in verse about activism, the friendship’s impact and how leaders of the civil rights movement have left unfading marks on future generations. Moderated by Lee Ann Potter.
Watch the event recording
Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, History, Inspiring and Educational, Nonfiction, Social Justice
Event | lectures and symposia

Jumping for Joy! with Brittany J. Thurman
Saturday
September 3, 2022
10:10 am - 10:35 am EDT Hall A (Lower Level) Come take flight with us in this program with Brittney J. Thurman as she discusses her latest book, “Fly,” which follows Africa, a young Black girl, as she tries to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and become a double Dutch champion. With perseverance, confidence and the support of her friends, Africa just might succeed! Moderated by Monica Valentine.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Please Read Me a Story Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Debut, Family, Fiction, Inspiring and Educational, Sports
Event | lectures and symposia

The Pioneers: Women Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement with Tomiko Brown-Nagin and Kate Clifford Larson
Saturday
September 3, 2022
11:05 am - 11:50 am EDT Ballroom C (Level 3, South Building) Constance Baker Motley and Fannie Lou Hamer were two crucial figures in the civil rights movement. Tomiko Brown-Nagin’s book “Civil Rights Queen” tells Motley’s story as an activist lawyer who became the first Black woman appointed to the federal judiciary. Larson’s book “Walk with Me” covers the life of Hamer, containing new interviews and materials about her life. Moderated by Neda Ulaby.
Watch the event recording
Stage: History & Biography Interests: BIPOC Authors, Biography, Black and African American Interest, Inspiring and Educational, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Understanding Racism
Event | lectures and symposia

Janelle Monáe Talks About "The Memory Librarian" with Yohanca Delgado and Alaya Dawn Johnson
Saturday
September 3, 2022
11:30 am - 12:30 pm EDT Hall D (Level 2, North Building) In “The Memory Librarian,” singer-songwriter, writer and actor Janelle Monáe brings to the written page the Afrofuturistic world of one of her critically acclaimed albums, exploring how different threads of liberation become tangled with future possibilities of memory and time. Contributors to “The Memory Librarian” Yohanca Delgado and Alaya Dawn Johnson will join Monáe onstage; Kyle Dargan moderates.
This event will be livestreamed on loc.gov.
Stage: Main Stage Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Debut, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Literary Collections, Science Fiction
Event | lectures and symposia

Ruby Bridges Talks About Her New Picture Book!
Saturday
September 3, 2022
11:30 am - 11:55 am EDT Hall A (Lower Level) Ruby Bridges was just six years old when she made history as the first Black student to integrate an elementary school in the South. In “I Am Ruby Bridges,” she tells the story of that day. Moderated by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Bridges is unable to appear in-person; their recorded interview airs onscreen and Pinkney will be there live to answer questions.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Please Read Me a Story Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Book Launch, Inspiring and Educational, Memoir, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Understanding Racism
Event | lectures and symposia

Time to Meet Her Majesty the Queen of Kindergarten! with Derrick Barnes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Saturday
September 3, 2022
12:10 pm - 12:35 pm EDT Hall A (Lower Level) The best way to greet the start of a new school year is with confidence—and a tiara! Companion to “The King of Kindergarten,” “The Queen of Kindergarten,” tells the story of MJ, a young Black girl, on her first day of kindergarten, where her tiara reminds her of all the good things she brings to the classroom. Moderated by Allina Migoni.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Please Read Me a Story Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Fiction, Fun and Funny, Inspiring and Educational
Event | lectures and symposia

You'll Be Okay: Graphic Novels About Kids Who Keep Going with Johnnie Christmas and Kat Fajardo
Saturday
September 3, 2022
12:10 pm - 12:45 pm EDT Hall B (Lower Level) Will kids ever be allowed to be in charge of their own lives? Johnie Christmas and Kat Fajardo talk about their new graphic novels that try to find the answer. “Swim Team” features Bree, a girl starting middle school forced to take a dreaded elective. “Miss Quinces” follows Sue, a girl whose summer is now heavy with her family's expectations. Moderated by Megan Halsband.
Watch the event recording
Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Debut, Fiction, Hispanic Interest, Sports
Event | lectures and symposia

Jason Reynolds Presents with Candice Iloh and Ebony LaDelle
Saturday
September 3, 2022
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT Hall D (Level 2, North Building) At the Library of Congress, we know that in addition to being a beloved writer, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds is also an excellent mentor to other writers, so we asked him to moderate this program to spotlight two talented writers he’d like you to know more about: Candice Iloh’s new novel is “Break This House;” Ebony LaDelle’s is “Love Radio.”
Watch the event recording
Stage: Main Stage Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Debut, Family, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult
Event | concerts and performances

The Library of Congress Crime Classics Series Presents a Performance from "The Conjure-Man Dies"
Saturday
September 3, 2022
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm EDT Ballroom A (Level 3, South Building) “The Conjure-Man Dies” by Rudolph Fisher is a groundbreaking American mystery, the first ever to feature a Black detective and all Black characters, recently republished in the Library of Congress’ Crime Classics series. During this program, actors will perform a scene from the original stage adaptation of the novel and you’ll hear from Crime Classics series editor and mystery expert Leslie S. Klinger.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Pop Lit Interests: Black and African American Interest, Fiction, Mystery, Performances and Special Programs, Thriller
Event | lectures and symposia

NBF and DCPL Present: DC Reads Writer Clint Smith
Saturday
September 3, 2022
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm EDT Ballroom C (Level 3, South Building) In this collaboration with DC Public Library, we present Clint Smith talking about his book “How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America,” the latest DC Reads selection. “How the Word Is Passed” was named a Best Book of 2021 by The New York Times, among other media outlets. Moderated by Frederick Wherry.
Watch the event recording
Stage: History & Biography Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, History, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Understanding Racism
Event | lectures and symposia

You're Such a Nightmare: Horror Novels with Tiffany D. Jackson and Ryan La Sala
Saturday
September 3, 2022
1:15 pm - 2:15 pm EDT Room 202 (Level 2, South Building) Move over, Carrie and Heathers: We’ve ramped it up with Maddie Washington and The Honeys. In “The Weight of Blood,” Tiffany D. Jackson exposes racism and bullying in a Georgia high school, culminating in a hair-raising prom night, and in “The Honeys,” Ryan La Sala exposes the rot behind the glittering group of popular girls in a dark academia setting. Moderated by Sasha Dowdy.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Young Adult Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Book Launch, Family, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Mystery, Thriller, Understanding Racism, Young Adult
Event | lectures and symposia

Come Into My World: Vivid Places and People in Fiction with Tochi Onyebuchi and Leslye Penelope
Saturday
September 3, 2022
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm EDT West Salon GHI (Street Level, South Building) Sometimes characters and places in novels can feel more vivid than reality. Tochi Onyebuchi’s sci-fi novel, “Goliath,” set in the 2050s, imagines what happens as the wealthy have fled Earth for space colonies. In Leslye Penelope’s fantasy “The Monsters We Defy,” it’s 1925 in Washington, D.C.—and Clara Johnson must ensure her community doesn’t disappear. NPR’s B.A. Parker moderates and records for “Code Switch.”
Watch the event recording
Stage: Science Fiction & Fantasy Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Nature, Science Fiction
Event | lectures and symposia

Dolen Perkins-Valdez on Her New Novel "Take My Hand"
Saturday
September 3, 2022
2:20 pm - 3:05 pm EDT Ballroom A (Level 3, South Building) Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s latest novel, “Take My Hand,” revolves around Civil Townsend, a Black nurse we follow from the early days of her career in 1973 to her eventual retirement. Inspired by true events, the novel lays bare the shameful history of state-sanctioned abuses against Black girls and women by medical professionals in America. Moderated by Linda Villarosa.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Pop Lit Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Understanding Racism
Event | lectures and symposia

Kwame Alexander Previews His New Novel!
Saturday
September 3, 2022
2:20 pm - 2:45 pm EDT Hall B (Lower Level) Kwame Alexander presents his forthcoming book “The Door of No Return,” which follows 11-year-old Kofi Offin, a boy who constantly dreams about water and swims like a minnow. One day, an unthinkable tragedy occurs during a wrestling match at a village festival. Kofi’s world turns upside down and sends him into a fight for his life.
Watch the event recording
Interests: Adventure, BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Book Launch, Historical Fiction, Poetry
Event | lectures and symposia

African American Genealogical Research
Saturday
September 3, 2022
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT Room 152 (Street Level, North Building) Doing genealogical research for African Americans can be quite challenging and requires some creativity when deciding what resources and records to search for information. Using real-life examples, this presentation will provide researchers with some of the basic tools and resources to begin their search.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Library of Congress Stage Interests: Black and African American Interest, Inspiring and Educational
Event | concerts and performances

Literature to Life Presents a Performance from Richard Wright's "Black Boy"
Saturday
September 3, 2022
2:50 pm - 3:35 pm EDT Hall A (Lower Level) Join us for a performance of Richard Wright’s “Black Boy,” presented by Literature to Life. Actor Tarantino Smith brings the book to life before your eyes: one person telling the story, performing all of the characters, and transforming an important work of American literature into a live theatrical experience. This production was adapted and directed by Wynn Handman.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Please Read Me a Story Interests: Black and African American Interest, Memoir, Nonfiction, Performances and Special Programs, Understanding Racism
Event | lectures and symposia

The Magic of Music and Movies with Alex Jennings and Nghi Vo
Saturday
September 3, 2022
3:05 pm - 4:05 pm EDT West Salon GHI (Street Level, South Building) Songs, sirens and spells! In Alex Jennings’ debut novel, “The Ballad of Perilous Graves,” Perry knows the rhythm of New Orleans like his own heartbeat and can tell trouble is brewing. And in Nghi Vo’s “Siren Queen,” Luli Wei wants to be a movie star but knows the worst monsters in Hollywood are not the ones she plays on screen. Moderated by Lupita Aquino.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Science Fiction & Fantasy Interests: Asian and Pacific Islander Interest, BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Debut, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+
Event | lectures and symposia

At the Heart of Modernity: Africa and Africans with Howard W. French
Saturday
September 3, 2022
3:25 pm - 4:10 pm EDT Ballroom C (Level 3, South Building) What happens when you consider the origins of modernity and center Africa rather than Europe? Howard W. French’s book, “Born in Blackness,” explores that very question as he investigates the forgotten history of how Africa and its relations to the Western world played an integral role in the development of the modern world. Moderated by Lanisa Kitchiner.
Watch the event recording
Stage: History & Biography Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, History, Nonfiction
Event | concerts and performances

Literature to Life Presents a Performance from James Baldwin's "If Beale Street Could Talk"
Saturday
September 3, 2022
3:50 pm - 4:35 pm EDT Hall A (Lower Level) Join us for a performance of James Baldwin’s “If Beale Street Could Talk,” presented by Literature to Life. Actor Channie Waites brings the book to life before your eyes: one person telling the story, performing all of the characters, and transforming an important work of American literature into a live theatrical experience. This production was adapted and directed by Elise Thoron.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Please Read Me a Story Interests: Black and African American Interest, Fiction, Performances and Special Programs, Romance, Understanding Racism
Event | lectures and symposia

The All-Stars of "Blackout" with Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk and Nicola Yoon
Saturday
September 3, 2022
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT Hall D (Level 2, North Building) Six young adult writers, six fictional couples, and now one novel that’s been called “a celebration of Black teen love and the magic of possibility.” Five of the six writers—Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk and Nicola Yoon—will be in conversation with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden about “Blackout” and the forthcoming sequel, “Whiteout” during this program.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Main Stage Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Book Series, Fiction, Fun and Funny, LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult
Event | lectures and symposia

Altered Americas with B.L. Blanchard and Lucinda Roy
Saturday
September 3, 2022
4:25 pm - 5:25 pm EDT West Salon GHI (Street Level, South Building) If you’ve ever asked what America would be like if things happened differently, then you’re in good company. In B.L. Blanchard’s “The Peacekeeper,” North America was never colonized and the U.S. and Canada don’t exist. The second in Lucinda Roy’s Dreambird Chronicle series, “Flying the Coop,” takes place in a near-future America where slavery is the norm. Moderated by Derrick Young.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Science Fiction & Fantasy Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Book Series, Debut, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Native American Interest, Science Fiction
Event | lectures and symposia

What Happens Next in Sequelland? with Victoria Aveyard, Namina Forna and Chloe Gong
Saturday
September 3, 2022
4:45 pm - 5:45 pm EDT Room 202 (Level 2, South Building) The worst thing about a good fantasy? The inevitable end. These authors are our heroes for expanding their worlds. A realm on the edge of destruction in “Blade Breaker” by Victoria Aveyard; West Africa-inspired Otera in “Merciless Ones” by Namina Forna; and a monstrous version of 20s Shanghai in “Our Violent Ends” by Chloe Gong are explored with moderators Austin Ferraro and Ava Luo.
Watch the event recording
Stage: Young Adult Interests: Asian and Pacific Islander Interest, BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Book Series, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult
Event | lectures and symposia

Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop with Danyel Smith
Saturday
September 3, 2022
5:35 pm - 6:20 pm EDT Ballroom C (Level 3, South Building) With a career in media and journalism spanning nearly three decades, Danyel Smith—host of the music podcast Black Girl Songbook—masterfully chronicles formerly unrecognized stories of Black women who shaped America’s music scene. Sidney Madden will join Smith to discuss "Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop."
Watch the event recording
Stage: History & Biography Interests: BIPOC Authors, Biography, Black and African American Interest, Inspiring and Educational, Memoir, Nonfiction
Event | lectures and symposia

Jason Reynolds Talks About His Latest Books
Saturday
September 3, 2022
6:00 pm - 6:45 pm EDT Room 202 (Level 2, South Building) We all want to be seen, to say “yes, that’s exactly how it is”! Jason Reyonlds is here to give us all that and more in his new poetry and art smash-up “Ain’t Burned All the Bright.” The Library’s very own National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is here to talk with Monica Valentine and Gabrielle Maitra and give what all of our souls…
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Stage: Young Adult Interests: BIPOC Authors, Black and African American Interest, Inspiring and Educational, Poetry, Social Justice, Understanding Racism, Young Adult

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