Obsidian Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora

About

Founded in 1975, Obsidian cultivates, through publication and critical inquiry, Black imagination, innovation, and excellence—supporting Black, African, and African Diaspora creatives globally.

Peer Review: This publication uses peer review for some or all submissions. Check for details.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 1975

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication: Published 2 x per year
Print Publication Print Publication: Published 2 x per year

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

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Collapse section Fiction Open

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 15 October 2026 11:59 PM CDT (in 30 days).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Africans, Blacks/People with African origins.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 5,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Query first

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 15 October 2026 11:59 PM CDT (in 30 days).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Africans, Blacks/People with African origins.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 5,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Academic, Critical, Literary.

Topics:

Literature/Books: Theory/Analysis/Criticism, See guidelines.
Performing Arts: Theory/Analysis/Criticism, See guidelines.
Visual Arts: Theory/Analysis/Criticism, See guidelines.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry Open

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 15 October 2026 11:59 PM CDT (in 30 days).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Africans, Blacks/People with African origins.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Up to 5 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Open

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Africans, Blacks/People with African origins.

Lengths:

Artwork: Up to 5 pieces.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race.
Other: May vary.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Submittable submission manager.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Image.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

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Obsidian Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:

Group by submission

Include outliers

Accuracy

We have received 2 reports from 2 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.

Pending

1 response is pending (86 days waiting).

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 180 days. (50.0 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 180 days.)
Do not query on the status of your submission before 180 days have passed.
Date compiled: 15 Sep 2026 09:48 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 04 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.