It started with a tweet. What if Harry Potter attended an HBCU? Now it’s a book series

By ALICIA RANCILIO
Associated Press

Frustrated with the lack of diversity in the fantasy genre, LaDarrion Williams posted a question on Twitter in 2020. “What if Harry Potter went to an HBCU in the South?” The proposal went viral and after a long road of trial and error and numerous rejections by people who thought the book was “not marketable,” “Blood at the Root” hits stores Tuesday. It’s the first in a three-book deal. Williams spoke with The Associated Press about the process of getting the story out into the world and creating the character of a young Black boy with magical powers.