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Looking for a steady supply of african american short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

810+ African american Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Whether you want to read about African American author's hopes and resilience or their unique struggles, you'll find what you're looking for here.

African american Short Stories – Page 47 of 55

How is this happening?

Submitted to Contest #77

  I woke up early because I couldn’t contain my excitement and it didn’t help that it was hot, so I had to wake up in between my sleep and switch on and off the air conditioner for some reason this season of summer was different from the summers we were used to it was hotter, and the summer had just begun but it felt like we were all stuck in a frying pan and it didn’t get better as the day progressed. It was finally the day I had been waiting for, I had waited all year for this concert, Nicki Minaj was coming to Europe finally and...

9 likes 1 comment 1
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Sledding With Kizzy

Submitted to Contest #77

It was a cold snowy day, all the roads were occupied, my niece and I were snowed in. "Auntie Simone?" My 6 year old niece calls out. I was looking out of a window enjoying a cup of hot coca reminiscing. This particular snow day reminded me of an old friend that I haven't seen in years. I turned around to see niece holding some arts and crafts items. "Can we make something for mommy and daddy?" I smiled warmly "Sure we can honey, go set up the table I'll be right there. I looked out the window one more time taking in the breathtaking scene of...

7 likes 2 comments 2
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Slipping Away

Submitted to Contest #77

It's mid- January, a plane pulls in from Orlando, Florida, parks and opens its door where a young boy pauses to stare at the swirling white landscape of Chicago, Illinois on the shores of Lake Michigan before he carefully climbs down the steps. His uncle awaits him. 'Time you people got here. Not much I could do once I got him into my boat. No idea how long he was in there. I called 911 as soon as I hit the shore. I almost missed him but Sandy, my dog, here wouldn't stop yelping until I had to leave the wheel and find out why. Sandy's been...

6 likes 0 comments 0
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The Riddle of Snow Mountain

Submitted to Contest #77

It is summer in old Tanzania. And while people in their neighboring cities and towns are headed for the beaches the natives of Tanzania converge to Snow Mountain to witness a son's, a nephew's, a cousin's, a neighbor's, friend's or an enemy's Coming of Age or Rite of Passage.On the eve of the initiation, candidates should have been registered duly with the screening committee. The candidates should at least be twelve years old on the eve of the actual Rite or exactly thirteen years old at the stroke of midnight the following day. All qualifi...

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Rashaad and the Soul-Eater

Submitted to Contest #77

“Mama, I'm going to be home late. I have a lot to do before I can leave.” Rashaad said. “Baby, they say there’s going to be a blizzard. You need to leave now.” Mama replied, concerned. “Mom, the weatherman doesn’t have a good track record his week. He said it would be in the 70s, and it’s snowing now. I will be all right. Don’t worry.” “The work can wait. I don’t want you stuck in that building with the snow coming down as hard as it is.” “No, mama. I have a deadline. Two hours top, and I will be out the door.” “Ok, baby,” his moth...

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1847, 1914, 1940, 1982

Submitted to Contest #76

“Good morning Mr?” “Call me Malcolm, everyone does.” “Alright Malcolm, my name is William Gladwell. Please have a seat just right over there. Can I offer you anything? Coffee, tea, water?” “Some coffee if you please….do you mind if I light my cigarette?” “No, not at all.” “I swore to my momma I’d stop smoking after I got out of the army, she’d whoop me if- Oops...God damn.” “Oh let me, I have a lighter here. I don’t smoke but it’s always good to have one handy. My father always carried a book of matches himself, before he upgraded to a...

11 likes 5 comments 5
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Smallest minds

Submitted to Contest #76

Once, there was a girl named Madison. She was always scared to say how she felt. She always felt sad and frustrated because her mom never listened to her. Ever since her dad died Madison's mom wanted her daughter to live her dream, since she couldn't because her husband died from a gun shot. Madison's dad Bill, was walking from the store and was shot. She would try to tell her mom she didn't want to live her dream. She wanted to live ...

7 likes 1 comment 1
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Silent words , Loud thoughts.

Submitted to Contest #76

Why does this always happen to me ? Why can't I just be normal like everyone else? Janice must think that I'm really bovine when I was kneeling down beside her patting her shoulder , and staring at her with my mouth opening and closing like a fish deprived of water. That was my chance to help lead Janice to Jesus. God gave me an opportunity to talk to one of the most popular girls in school and I blew it. I sat their next to her petting her shoulder like a lap dog struggling to find the words to speak while she stared at me with a bewilder...

4 likes 1 comment 1
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The Obsidian Queen

Submitted to Contest #75

When I tell people, I don’t remember anything before 21, I get a handful of responses. “Oh, you poor thing,” an older woman would say. Her hand is on my shoulder or my arm and she’s looking at me with sorrowful eyes. In her eyes, I have become her daughter or her granddaughter and she will treat me as if I’m her own. The former frat boy laughs it off. Says he doesn’t remember anything before 21 either. He lost his memories to parties and underage drinking. Most people think it’s trauma. My brain is protecting me by making me forget whatev...

14 likes 3 comments 3
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Going Back

Submitted to Contest #75

TW: child abuse, gun violence The bishop began his homily, but I was only half paying attention. I could feel sweat gathering in my hands. Did I really want to do this? A year ago, I would’ve said,   “I’m never doing this!”    But now, I wasn’t so sure. Last year, I had stumbled in here. I had no home. No family. Well, not anymore. As soon as my parents found out what I did, they slammed the door in my face and told me to get lost. No real family would do that to you.    That thought seized m...

41 likes 34 comments 34
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When Kailani Wakes Up

Submitted to Contest #75

Kailani was starting to become the love of my life but now I felt as if I was dealt a hand of cards I can’t place on the table. One night I found her in her apartment beaten badly with laceration marks covering parts of her body, her clothes had been ripped and in her own blood the word pain had been written on her stomach. Seeing my baby like this really tore me down to shreds, the doctors are saying she’ll be lucky if she wakes up but I know for a fact that Kailani will wake up. She is a strong fighter.  Amber you know she had all t...

4 likes 1 comment 1
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Who I Am

Submitted to Contest #75

“I don’t know you.” The woman standing in front of my hospital bed looks like she’s about to burst from how red her face is turning. I don’t know how long she wants to put herself through this because it’s clearly not helping. I mean, who comes to visit a man who doesn’t know you every day and get angry at him like it’s his fault all this is happening. Honestly, I’m considering asking the nurses not to let her in anymore. This might set me free from this obsession she seems to have with me. “How can you not know me? You proposed to be two ...

10 likes 3 comments 3
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Ten Second Death (A Breonna Taylor Story)

Submitted to Contest #74

They say...when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. I think that life should flash before your eyes while you’re still living, so you can always treasure the good times. But as five loud bangs shatter my eardrums, and find their way into my body, I finally understand that saying. Memories I didn’t know I had fly to the forefront of my mind. I see myself as a baby, a handheld camera in my face as I utter my first words. Tears of joy slide down my mom’s face as she strokes my cheek tenderly. I didn’t know exactly how warm and pre...

25 likes 36 comments 36
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Nothing Up My Sleeve

Submitted to Contest #74

August 5th I peeked around the corner at the crowd that had gathered in the middle of Latimer Square. At the crowd’s center, slightly elevated above the rest, stood Cyrus Graves. As members of the retrieval team, Mayweather and I had been tasked with bringing Cyrus back home. Since he had ignored all of our attempts to make contact, we decided to go for a more direct approach. “Gather around,” Cyrus said with arms outstretched over the crowd. “Men and women. Children of all ages. As you can see there’s nothing up my sleeve.” He pulled open ...

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First Day of University

Submitted to Contest #74

Here it is. Room 204.Just breathe.As I step through the corridor and into my future, I clutch the straps of my backpack for dear life. This knapsack has piggybacked since, high school. Sophomore year to be exact. My grasp on it, a hiraeth. It seems to return my embrace. Its tattered arms have been stitched to its body, after detaching, more than once. More than twice. Yet, it hangs on to me. Steady. Its hug, intense. I can't tell whether its nostalgia is comforting or hindering. Is this what love feels like?-It brings my mind to wander,...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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