Join the Stowe Center for Literary Activism as we celebrate Princess Joy L. Perry, recipient of the 2026 Stowe Prize for Literary Activism.

Perry’s acclaimed debut novel, This Here is Love, is a powerful historical work set in 1619 that explores love, resistance, and the human cost of oppression. Through vivid storytelling and unflinching prose, Perry examines the moral complexities of a society built on bondage while illuminating the enduring power of love, survival, and human connection.

The evening will feature a conversation with Perry about the role of literature in confronting injustice, preserving memory, and inspiring social change. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the author about her writing process, the historical research behind This Here is Love, and the responsibilities and possibilities of storytelling in our current moment.

The Stowe Prize for Literary Activism honors writers whose work advances social justice and carries forward Harriet Beecher Stowe’s legacy of using the written word to challenge injustice and move readers toward action.

About Princess Joy L. Perry

Princess Joy L. Perry is the recipient of a Virginia Commission for the Arts Fellowship and a winner of the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation Award. Her short fiction has appeared in All About Skin, African American Review, and Kweli Journal.

Her debut novel, This Here is Love (W.W. Norton & Company, 2025), was named one of The New York Times‘ 10 Best Historical Novels of 2025, longlisted for the 2026 Aspen Words Literary Prize, selected as a Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and recognized as a BookBrowse Best Book of the Year.