The National Book Award is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the United States. It was established in 1950 by the nonprofit organization National Book Foundation to celebrate the best of American literature. Over the years, several Black authors have been recognized by the National Book Award for their exceptional contributions to literature.

One notable Black author who has won the National Book Award is Ta-Nehisi Coates. In 2015, Coates won the award for Nonfiction for his book "Between the World and Me," a powerful exploration of race and identity in America. Coates' work has been celebrated for its incisive analysis of the Black experience and its impact on society.

Other Black authors who have been honored with National Book Awards include Jesmyn Ward, who won the Fiction award in 2011 and 2017 for her novels "Salvage the Bones" and "Sing, Unburied, Sing," and Jacqueline Woodson, who won the Young People's Literature award in 2014 for her memoir "Brown Girl Dreaming."

The National Book Award continues to be an important platform for recognizing and celebrating the diverse voices and stories of Black authors in American literature.