What is The Black African Family?
The Black African Family is a literary publication by Charmaine Nyathi, devoted to delighting in Black African life on the continent and across the diaspora.
Here you’ll find essays about family, culture, literature, music, memory and the ordinary things that make a life, approached with curiosity, affection and utter delight.
When are new issues published?
New issues are published on the first of every month at 8pm Sydney time, beginning 1 January 2027.
Can I read The Black African Family if I’m not Black African?
Of course. I’m looking for my family, not hiding them.
The Black African Family began with my own cultural loneliness and a desire to go looking for connection across the continent and the diaspora. This publication gives me somewhere to share what I find, and a reason to keep looking.
The delightful thing I want to show you is us. You don’t have to be Black African to come along. After all, I did say:
“Come in. Sit down. Let me show you something delightful.”
Can I read The Black African Family for free?
The first issue is on me. Come in and see what you think.
From the second issue onwards, new monthly issues are for paid subscribers. If you’d like to keep your seat at the table, you’re very welcome to stay.
What does a paid subscription include?
A paid subscription gives you access to each new monthly issue and the paid archive for as long as your subscription is active.
Subscriptions are available for A$10 per month or A$100 per year. If you’d simply like to give a little more, you can become a Patron for A$1,000 per year.
What is a Patron?
A Patron is someone who simply wants to give a little more.
Patrons receive everything included with a paid subscription. There are no additional benefits or exclusive content. The higher price is simply a way to give additional support to The Black African Family.
Patron subscriptions are A$1,000 per year.
Can I give someone a subscription as a gift?
Yes. You can purchase a one-month or one-year subscription for someone else by visiting the subscription page and selecting Gift. You can include a message, send your gift anonymously or schedule it for later.
A one-month gift is A$10 and a one-year gift is A$100.
This is separate from the complimentary one-month subscriptions that eligible paid subscribers may receive to share with family and friends.
Do you offer group subscriptions?
Yes. Groups of 10 or more can receive 10% off annual subscriptions, bringing the price to A$90 per person per year.
To purchase a group subscription, visit the subscription page and select Group. Choose the number of people you’d like to subscribe, and Substack will take care of the subscription, with payments securely processed by Stripe.
How does the referral program work?
Every subscriber, free or paid, can participate in the referral program and share their personal referral link with others.
You don’t need to be a paid subscriber to earn complimentary access. If you’re reading for free, referrals are one way to earn time as a paid subscriber.
Bring 5 new readers to The Black African Family and you’ll receive one complimentary month. Bring 25 and you’ll receive six complimentary months. Bring 100 and you’ll receive one complimentary year.
There’s always room for one more.
Can I subscribe from outside Australia?
Of course. Have you seen the size of this family?
The Black African Family is for readers around the world. You can subscribe from wherever you happen to be.
What if I need help with my subscription?
The Black African Family is powered by Substack, with payments securely processed by Stripe. Together, they take care of subscriptions, payments and the technology that keeps everything running.
If you’re having trouble with a payment, your subscription, the Substack app or another technical issue, the Substack Help Centre is the best place to start. You can also contact Substack Support if you can’t find what you need there.