Additional information
by Jan Buckner Walker (Author)
Celebrate Black culture and pop history in this unique and engaging collection of crosswords for puzzlers of all skill levels!
"Fun for the soul and a tease for the mind. If puzzles are your favorite way to unwind then these will bring a smile to your face."-Josh Johnson, comedian and co-host of The Daily Show The Original Black Puzzle Experienceâ"[ BlackCrosswords 1: In Our Own Words is a unique crossword collection that puts Black culture, history, achievements, and influence at the center of the puzzle-solving experience. Created by nationally syndicated crossword constructor Jan Buckner Walker--the creator of the Essence and Ebony crosswords and founder of BlackCrosswords.com--this engaging collection combines entertainment, learning, and cultural celebration in every grid. Featuring references to figures such as Lorraine Hansberry, N.K. Jemisin, BeyoncÃ(c), Barack Obama, Shonda Rhimes, and many more, BlackCrosswords 1 showcases the remarkable breadth of Black contributions across generations. Whether you're solving clues about literature, music, politics, sports, film, or pop culture, each puzzle offers an opportunity to test your knowledge while discovering fascinating new facts.
- Celebrates Black culture, history, and achievements through crossword puzzles
- Designed for puzzlers of all experience levels
- Combines learning, trivia, and puzzle-solving in one engaging experience
- Great for independent solving, family fun, or educational enrichment
A perfect gift for crossword lovers, trivia fans, educators, and lifelong learners, BlackCrosswords 1 offers a fun and meaningful way to celebrate Black history, culture, and achievement--one clue at a time.
Author Biography
A self-professed "word nerd," Jan Buckner Walker majored in journalism at Howard University, before graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where she served on the prestigious Penn Law Review as an editor. After practicing law for several years, she conceived of the world's first collaborative crossword puzzle, Kids Across Parents Down. In less than a year, Jan became the first African-American female syndicated cruciverbalist, and the puzzle became the #1 nationally syndicated family puzzle.
Jan soon launched BlackCrosswords.com. Following her work with Essence and Ebony magazines, she recognized that African-Americans have long felt disregarded by this American pastime, as mainstream crosswords historically have not focused significantly on the contributions of diverse people. In response to the worldwide demand from fans seeking more puzzles that reflect and celebrate the involvement -- and often, dominance -- of African-Americans in entertainment, sports, politics, literature, science and every walk of life, BlackCrosswords was born. (After all, why SHOULDN'T the answer to 1 Across be Beyoncé's "Lemonade"?!) Jan now lives in the Chicago area with her husband and business partner Reginald.
Number of Pages: 112
Dimensions: 0.3 x 9.9 x 7.9 IN
Publication Date: October 28, 2025
