Alabama A&M University alumnus and longtime AAMU staffer Jerome Saintjones is earning national acclaim for his debut novel, “The Chinaberry Tree.” It was recently named a finalist for African American Fiction in the 2025 American Fiction Awards, sponsored by American Book Fest. The award recognizes standout literary work across mainstream, independent, and self-published categories.
Saintjones, who recently retired after a distinguished 32-year tenure as the Director of Public Relations at Alabama A&M, draws from his roots as an American descendant of slavery – to craft a powerful exploration of race, memory, and meaning in the American South. Set in the fictional town of Ebonia, “The Chinaberry Tree” follows Arnold Giovanni, a white professor at a Black college, whose fascination with the culture around him evolves into a complicated and sometimes uncomfortable journey of self-awareness. Through his observations at a neighborhood bar – also called The Chinaberry Tree – Giovanni becomes a reluctant witness to stories of trauma, joy, resilience, and Black legacy. His perspective, often flawed, is a lens through which the novel critiques allyship, cultural voyeurism, and the burden of historical truth…