Griot and Grey Owl Blk Southern Writers Conference & Book Fest
Griot & Grey Owl Black Southern Writers Conference 2026
Join us November 13–15, 2026, in Durham, NC for the Griot & Grey Owl Black Southern Writers Conference, a three-day celebration of Black Southern literature, storytelling, culture, and community.
This year’s theme, “We Were Never Meant to Survive: Rest, Resilience and Radical Joy,” explores how Black writers and communities use storytelling to preserve memory, imagine possibility, reclaim rest, and create joy. Featuring Danez Smith as Keynote Speaker, the weekend brings together writers, readers, educators, artists, editors, and literary professionals for readings, workshops, conversations, panels, a literary arts fair, and community-centered programming.
Come gather with us as we honor the stories that have carried us, the voices shaping our present, and the possibilities we are writing toward.
November 13–15, 2026 | Durham, NC
Tickets & Information: griotandgreyowl.org/tickets-2026
Related Events
All event dates and times are listed as they were submitted to NC Humanities. We recommend reaching out to the event organization listed to confirm details. Have an event to submit? Please click here to add your upcoming events to our calendar. Please note that ‘Organizer’ on the Submit Event page refers to the host organization and not the individual planning the event. If you have submitted an event and need to make changes or updates please email nch@nchumanities.org. Thank you!