“Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”

Coordinated by the Georgia Writers Association, the John Lewis Writing Grants are inspired by the late civil rights icon and two-time Georgia Author of the Year Award winner.

Three grants of $500 each are awarded annually to emerging Black writers living in Georgia in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Recipients also receive a one year membership in the Georgia Writers Association, and are invited to give a reading of their work at the annual Red Clay Writers Conference. To increase the accessibility of the grants, we have always kept submissions fee-free.

Recently, we lost the crucial funding that has supported these grants for the past five years. We need your help to keep them going in 2026. All donations will go directly toward the recipients, and toward honoraria for the established authors who serve as final judges.

We hope you will make a contribution to keep these vital grants alive, and to continue the legacy of John Lewis here in Georgia. Let's keep on getting into good trouble.

Support the John Lewis Writing Grants!