Three Africans are on the 2021 Jhalak Prize Shortlist

by | Apr 20, 2021 | Gist Corner

The Jhalak Prize, launched in 2016, was created by writers Sunny Singh and Nikesh Shukla as well as Media Diversified. The  prize is awarded annually to British or British-resident BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) writers. Previous winners of the award have been Jacob Ross (2017), Reni Eddo-Lodge (2018), Guy Gunaratne (2019), and Johny Pitts (2020).

Afreecan Read is thrilled to announce that Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s The First Woman, and Nii Ayikwei Parkes & Avril Filomeno’s The GA Picture Alphabet, and Danielle Jawondo’s And the Stars Were Burning Brightly are on the shortlist for the 2021 Jhalak Prize.

Makumbi is on the shortlist for adult fiction judged by Yvonne Battle-Felton, Louise Doughty, and Peter Kalu.

Parkes and Jawondo are on the Children and YA literature shortlist. This is the first time the prize organisers will be including Children’s & YA literature which are being judged by Verna Allette Wilkins, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, and Candy Gourlay.

The winner will be announced on May 25, 2021.

Image source: James Murua’s blog