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Frederick Joseph (author)

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Frederick Joseph
BornYonkers, NY
OccupationAuthor, writer
LanguageEnglish
Alma materHunter College

Frederick Joseph is a Yonkers, New York-raised author, celebrated for his impactful contributions to literature and social justice. He is a two-time New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, known for his diverse range of works. His publications include the poetry collection We Alive, Beloved; two nonfiction books, Patriarchy Blues and The Black Friend; a collaborative work Better Than We Found It; and a children's book, The Courage to Dream, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Joseph’s books have garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including being named an Amazon Editors’ Pick, recognized by the International Literacy Association, and selected as Best Children’s Book of the Year by Bank Street College. His work has also been featured as a Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice selection, nominated for the In The Margins award, chosen as a Booklist Editors’ Choice, and listed as a Notable Trade Book for Young People by the National Council for Social Studies. Additionally, his books have been longlisted for the Green Earth Book Award and honored by various other literary organizations.

In addition to his books, Joseph has written for prominent publications such as The Boston Globe, Essence, Huffington Post, AdWeek, and Cosmopolitan. He has won both the Letter Review Poetry Prize and a Letter Review Essay Prize. His most recent writings on politics and culture can be found on his Substack.

Joseph's work extends beyond writing into philanthropy, where he has been recognized for his community investment efforts. He was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, received the Comic-Con Humanitarian of the Year award, and was featured on The Root 100 list of Most Influential African Americans. In 2023, he received the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award, and in 2024, he received the Allyship Award at Lincoln Center's Black Girl Magic Ball. He has also been a featured speaker at the UN HeForShe Summit and has collaborated with Fortune 500 companies and presidential candidates on their DEI initiatives.

Books

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The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person

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In December 2020, Candlewick Press released Frederick Joseph's first book, The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person. The book discusses racism and was written as a tool for White people to better understand problematic behavior.[1]

Patriarchy Blues: Reflections on Manhood

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In May 2022, Harper Perennial released Frederick's second book, Patriarchy Blues: Reflections on Manhood, which examines the culture of masculinity from the perspective of a Black man. It was an instant New York Times Best Seller and includes a collection of essays, poems, and short reflections on the concept of toxic masculinity and the experiences of men, particularly those of color. Joseph's personal and cultural standpoints on fatherhood, stereotypes, and what it means to be a man were his inspiration for this book. This autobiography discusses topics related to misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia.[2]

Better Than We Found It: Conversations to Help Save The World

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In Fall 2022, Candlewick Press released Frederick and Porsche Joseph‘s book, Better Than We Found It: Conversations to Help Save The World. This young adult nonfiction serves as a guide to social and political progressivism, and covers issues related to climate change, health care, economic inequality, and gun violence.[3]

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Courage to Dream

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In November 2022, Disney Publishing Worldwide released Frederick's debut picture book, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Courage to Dream.

We Alive, Beloved: Poems

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In June 2024, Frederick Joseph released We Alive, Beloved, a poetry collection that explores themes of resilience, love, and identity within the Black experience. The collection is a powerful reflection on the struggles and triumphs of Black life, capturing the emotional landscape of contemporary issues and the historical legacy of Black resistance. Joseph's poems in We Alive, Beloved blend personal narrative with broader social commentary, offering readers a deeply moving and introspective look at what it means to survive and thrive in a world that often marginalizes Black voices.

Philanthropy and activism

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Frederick, a fundraising consultant, has raised more than $1.5 million dollars for various causes through GoFundMe.[4][5]

Joseph is the founder of We Have Stories, a nonprofit marketing and fundraising agency that provides financial grants for those focused on representation and inclusion.[6]

In 2019, Girls Inc., in partnership with We Have Stories, raised more than $60,000 for girls to see Captain Marvel.[7] Frederick stated that "Everyone should have an opportunity to see women in roles they can aspire to one day be, roles that show women as strong, smart, and bold."[7]

In 2018, Frederick Joseph helped raise $1 million on GoFundMe for 73,000 children of color to watch Black Panther at no cost to them.[8][9] At the time, it was in the largest entertainment-related GoFundMe in the company’s history.[5] The campaign tripled its goal in 10 days and included support from public figures such as Chelsea Clinton, J.J. Abrams, and Jemele Hill.[10]

In 2020, Joseph launched a GoFundMe campaign called #RentRelief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign sent $200 payments to those who requested it.[11] Joseph also helped raise $40,000 for New York City’s food bank network during that time.[12]

Personal life

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Joseph was born and raised in Yonkers, New York and attended Saunders Trade and Technical. He cites his maternal grandmother, Thelma Ford, as one of his writing inspirations. Ford was a short story writer who was unable to become a published author because of racism and sexism.[9]

Joseph graduated from Hunter College in 2012 with a degree in Political science and Creative Writing. After graduating, Joseph worked in copy editing and marketing, which led to his career as an author.

In 2018, Joseph became engaged to writer Porsche Landon after two years of dating. They live in Queens, New York with their dog Stokely.[13][14]

Views

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Joseph frequently discusses racial issues. In a 2021 interview with Forbes about anti-blackness on social media, Joseph stated that the "algorithms were designed by White engineers with White individuals in mind" and that White consumers are "upholding systems of inequity."[15] He partnered with Yahoo Life on an antiracism called the Allyship Pledge.[16]

Awards and recognition

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  • 2023 Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award
  • International Literacy Association (ILA) Children's and Young Adult's Book Award[17]
  • 2021 Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of The Year
  • 2021 Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices Book List[18]
  • 2021 In the Margins Book Award[19]
  • 2020 New York Times Bestselling Author
  • 2021 New York Times Bestselling Author
  • 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 for Marketing and Advertising[20]
  • Comic-Con Humanitarian of the Year[21]
  • The Root 100 List of Most Influential African Americans[22]
  • 2024 USA Today Bestselling Author

Bibliography

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Adult Non-Fiction

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  • Patriarchy Blues: Reflections On Manhood (2022) ISBN 978-0-06-313832-2

Poetry

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Young Adult Non-Fiction

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Picture Book

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References

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  1. ^ Westmoore, Jean (January 22, 2021). "Books in Brief: The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph, Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore". The Buffalo News. The Buffalo News. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  2. ^ Brown, Malik (March 6, 2022). "Frederick Joseph discusses his book 'Patriarchy Blues". Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Maughan, Shannon (February 24, 2022). "Fall 2022 Children's Sneak Previews". Publishers Weekly. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  4. ^ DeSantis, Rachel (April 16, 2020). "Author Raises Over $270K to Help More Than 900 People Pay Bills: It's 'Become Survival Money'". Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  5. ^ a b O'Falt, Chris (February 14, 2018). "#BlackPantherChallenge Founder Explains How the Campaign's Success Proves the System Needs to Be Disrupted". Indie Wire. Indie Wire. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  6. ^ Jasper, Marykate (February 11, 2018). "The #BlackPantherChallenge Has Raised More Than $300,000 to Send Kids to See Black Panther". The Mary Sue. The Mary Sue. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Lewis, Rebecca (February 24, 2019). "Mini Captain Marvels steal Oscars red carpet to donate $10k to the Captain Marvel challenge". Metro. Metro. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  8. ^ Pannell, Ni'Kesia (October 24, 2020). "Black Panther' Inspires Worldwide Fundraisers For Kids: Here's How You Can Support". Essence. Essence. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Egan, Elisabeth (December 17, 2020). "Want to Talk About Racism? Sit Next to Frederick Joseph". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  10. ^ Lee, Lauren (January 10, 2018). "An activist starts a GoFundMe campaign to help kids in Harlem see 'Black Panther". CNN. CNN. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  11. ^ Vanderberg, Madison (April 19, 2020). "Author Is Venmo'ing Thousands Of $200 Cash Payments To Anyone That Needs It". Scary Mommy. Scary Mommy. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  12. ^ Ross, Janell (April 17, 2020). "As more black Americans die from coronavirus, community leaders are taking action". NBC News. NBC News. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  13. ^ Press, Candlewick (December 2, 2020). "'The Black Panther Challenge' Creator Frederick Joseph's New Book 'The Black Friend' is a Must-Read on Anti-Racism and White Allyship". Cision PR Newswire. Cision PR Newswire. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  14. ^ DeSantis, Rachel (April 16, 2020). "Author Raises Over $270K to Help More Than 900 People Pay Bills: It's 'Become Survival Money'". People. People. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  15. ^ Preston, Ashlee Marie (August 9, 2021). "Taking On Tech: Social Media's Anti-Blackness And Algorithmic Aggression In The Absence Of Accountability". Forbes. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  16. ^ Lee, Shanon (March 2, 2021). "How to commit to a life of allyship: 'create an actual home in your life for your allyship'". Yahoo. Yahoo. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  17. ^ "Children's and Young Adults' Book Awards, International Literacy Association". www.literacyworldwide.org. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  18. ^ "Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices Book List" (PDF).
  19. ^ "2021 YA NONFICTION AWARD". In the Margins Book Awards. February 9, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  20. ^ "30 Under 30 2019: Marketing & Advertising". Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  21. ^ "Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award". Comic-Con International: San Diego. December 5, 2012. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  22. ^ "The Root 100 – The Most Influential African Americans In 2018". The Root. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
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