Dr. Michael Datcher received his B.S. from UC Berkeley and his Ph.D. from UC Riverside in English Literature. He made his picture book debut with Harlem at Four, illustrated by Frank Morrison, which received two starred reviews. Dr. Datcher is the author of the New York Times Bestseller Raising Fences and the critically-acclaimed Ferguson-area historical novel Americus. His book Animating Black and Brown Liberation: A Theory of American Literatures was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Datcher has made numerous media appearances, including Oprah, Today Show and Dateline. Dr. Michael Datcher is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Writing at New York University's School of Liberal Studies.

Charly Palmer is an award-winning fine artist, graphic designer, and illustrator. He was born in Fayette, Alabama, raised in Milwaukee, and currently teaches at Spelman College in Atlanta, where he lives with his wife, Karida Brown. He has illustrated many children's books, including The Teachers March! How Selma's Teachers Changed History, My Rainy Day Rocket Ship, Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope With Her Song, which received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award, and The New Brownies Book: A Love Letter to Black Families which received an NAACP Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.