The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards (AWBA), established in 1935 and presented by the Cleveland Foundation, recognize outstanding books that contribute to our understanding of racism and celebrate cultural diversity. Known as the only American book prize focused on race and diversity, the annual awards honor influential works from several authors across genres.

As part of this year’s ninth annual Cleveland Book Week, AWBA will introduce a brand-new author symposium this Saturday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at The City Club of Cleveland’s new location in Playhouse Square,1317 Euclid Ave.

From From by Monica YounCalled “When Artists Go to Work,” the day-long symposium will feature Anisfield-Wolf Award-winning authors and the jurors in public discussions, readings, and Q&A sessions.

“The idea behind the symposium is really bringing this group of literary geniuses together under one roof to have more intimate and deeper conversations about themselves, their lives, and their work, and their connection to the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards,” says Allison Baker, Cleveland Foundation director of public relations and communications,

Attendees will be able to engage with the authors in 30-minute sessions, followed by 15 minutes of audience Q&A.

Baker notes that the event is designed for flexibility. “We hope [guests] stay for the whole symposium,” she says, “but they can come for different sessions if their schedule is more conducive to coming for the morning or afternoon.”

Themes and highlights

The symposium draws its theme from the late author Toni Morrison’s belief in literature’s power to inspire change, along with the concept of “Tikkun Olam,” a Hebrew phrase meaning “repair of the world.”

Morrison, an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winner and Northeast Ohio native, once wrote that in challenging times, “This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”

Baker says she finds inspiration from Morrison’s passage. “There's certainly no shortage of opportunities to be inspired by her words,” she says. “I think these words, in particular, are very transcendent—they really speak to the power of literature, regardless of what's happening in the world at the time.”

Baker says the same thought holds true with this year’s winners. “These authors are using their artistic abilities to create these incredible works that are pushing the needle and creating conversations on really intractable issues happening in the world,” she continues.

In line with the theme, AWBA symposium sessions Saturday, Sept. 28 will include:

• “Words and Wisdom”—(11 a.m.) Featuring jurors Rita Dove and Steven Pinker
• “A Warrior Reflects”—(12 p.m.) With 2024 lifetime achievement winner Maxine Hong Kingston
• “Poetic Justice”—2 p.m.) A discussion with 2024 poetry winner Monica Youn
• “Aftershocks”—(3 p.m.) A conversation with 2024 fiction winner Teju Cole

Tremor by Teju Cole

AWBA was founded in 2915 by Cleveland poet and philanthropist Edith Anisfield Wolf in honor of her father, John Anisfield and husband, Eugene Wolf, memorializing her family’s commitment to social justice.

“It’s remarkable how Edith Anisfield Wolf was ahead of her time in addressing these issues before they became mainstream,” Baker shares. “The fact that we’re here, 89 years later, continuing to celebrate and build on what she started is a powerful testament to her foresight.”

With former U.S. Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Anisfield-Wolf Book Award recipient Natasha Trethewey chairing the jury, the awards continue to foster thoughtful discussions on issues such as racial equity and diversity.

“I truly think that anyone from the public would enjoy being part of these conversations,” says Baker. “Sure, it’s about the awards and the authors and the books, but it's really about the broader conversation that is happening in the nation, and the world, at this time and how art and literature contribute and advance some of these issues, particularly related to racial equity and the celebration of diversity.”

General admission tickets for the symposium are $25, students tickets are $10, and can be reserved online. Free parking is included with validation, and all proceeds will support the American Library Association’s Unite Against Book Bans initiative. For those facing financial barriers, assistance is available by emailing the Cleveland Foundation.