Milton's Satan may have been kicked out of Heaven, but he had it made in Hell. Heritage Images/Getty Images hide caption

Originally from Limbe, Cameroon, Imbolo Mbue moved to the U.S. to go to college. She began writing Behold the Dreamers after she lost her job in the financial crisis. Kiriko Sano/Penguin Random House hide caption

Jace Clayton, a.k.a. DJ /rupture. Erez Avissar/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Hamdi Ali Musa saw her first book when she was 10. Now 25, she's one of Hargeisa's only librarians. "A revolution has been happening in publishing books, reading, writing and literature," she says. Gregory Warner/NPR hide caption

Cover detail from A Square Meal, by Jane Ziegelman and Andy Coe Harper hide caption

Jacqueline Woodson is also the author of Brown Girl Dreaming, Miracle's Boys, Show Way and Feathers. Juna F. Nagle/Amistad hide caption

In the world of books and literature, "diversity" has recently become hotly debated, along with other cultural and media spheres. Though a few writers of color seem to be getting more shine, the demographics of those working behind the scenes in publishing remain almost entirely white. malerapaso/Getty Images hide caption

Colson Whitehead is also the author of the novel Zone One, and the memoir The Noble Hustle. Doubleday hide caption