Highlighting the QCA Black Authors’ Forum
On Friday, August 21, 2026, the Fifth Annual Quad Cities Black Authors Forum was held from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center in Rock Island, IL. Of the authors pictured in the Author Group Photo, seven published their works for the first time during the last year. Authors write across a mix of genres, including poetry, children’s books, religious novels, military life, leadership and management, memoirs and biographies, and many more. As a result, this short blog highlights the QCA Black Authors’ Forum.
Who Attends the QCA Black Authors’ Forum?
The audience for the QCA Black Authors’ Forum was a large, varied, and diverse group of Quad Citizens who share a passion for reading and supporting new authorship. As always, a show of hands revealed that several audience members caught the ‘writing bug’ and plan to sit at the authors’ table next year. Who knows? We may even have a new author among Bill Bell’s descendants. The Forum is part of the Bill Bell Jazz and Heritage Festival. This year, we were honored to have Bill Bell’s widow, children, and other family members present. The outpouring of support for the iconic jazz legend moved the family. For this reason, this truly made it an event to remember and promoted our organization.
From a Forum to a Collective
One result from the 2022 Black Authors Forum was the creation of the Black Authors’ Collective. The Collective strives to support education, inspiration, and rejuvenation in our community for youth, struggling authors, and anyone interested in improving literacy rates. You can reach the Collective through our Facebook page named Black Authors’ Collective. In addition, all of our events are open to the public and free of charge. If you are interested in meeting authors from the Collective, just contact me using the “Let’s Chat” button below. To clarify, in the message section, write: Interest in the QCA Black Authors’ Collective.
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Dr. Burl Randolph, Jr., DM, Founder, MyWingman, LLC
Dr. Randolph is The Wingman for Inspired Leaders as he Inspires Legacies That Last (c). He coaches leaders to Find Your Purpose, Fulfill Your Mission, and Forge Your Legacy with Fervent Success. Schedule your Consultation without a Fee through the Contact Us page using the Let's Chat button or by email at info@mywingmanllc.com.
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