Speaking Engagements

The Writer’s Manifesto: How Belief Turns Pages into Bestsellers

What does it take to go from selling books out of the trunk of your car to becoming a bestselling author? In this inspiring talk, Sadeqa Johnson shares her journey from self-publishing hustler to literary success, powered not by luck—but by unshakable belief that there is a higher calling on her life. She reveals how vision boards, relentless focus, and the refusal to accept “no” became the blueprint for her success. More than a story about books, this is a testament to the power of mindset, manifestation, and the creative courage it takes to bet on yourself when no one else will. For anyone with a dream and the drive to chase it—this is your manifesto.

Audience: Community Reads, Libraries, Students, Writing Conferences, Motivational conferences

Keeper of Lost Children: Stories We Leave Behind

“Sadeqa Johnson has an uncanny gift for mining the past and transforming it into unforgettable fiction,” as praised by Nathan Harris, author of The Sweetness of Water.

Sadeqa Johnson, acclaimed author and historian, brings to light a hidden chapter of post-war history in her latest novel Keeper of Lost Children. She reveals the stories of thousands of biracial children born to German women and Black American GIs—children often abandoned, unwanted, and caught between two worlds that refused to claim them.

Johnson’s research led her to Mabel Grammer, a courageous journalist and advocate who adopted twelve of these children and launched the Brown Baby Plan, placing over 500 biracial children into loving African American families.

In this talk, she will explore the power of uncovering erased histories, especially those of women—stories too often marginalized, forgotten, or untold.

Audience: Community Reads, Libraries, Luncheons, Women’s groups, Black history, Women’s history, students

They Were Always There: Reclaiming the Stories of Forgotten Women in History

Sadeqa Johnson is a New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including three acclaimed works of historical fiction. While she always knew she was meant to be a writer, it was history that chose her. A walk along the Richmond Slave Trail led her to a marker honoring Mary Lumpkin and the infamous Lumpkin’s Jail—a discovery that sparked her breakthrough novel Yellow Wife. Years later, her own family’s hidden story—her maternal grandmother’s unmarried, teenage pregnancy in the 1950s—inspired The House of Eve, a powerful exploration of love, shame, and reproductive rights.

More recently, Johnson uncovered the little-known story of Mabel Grammer, a courageous Black journalist stationed in post-war Germany. Grammer adopted twelve biracial children—born to German mothers and Black American GIs—and launched the Brown Baby Plan, ultimately placing over 500 of these orphaned children into loving African American homes. Grammer’s story became the inspiration for Johnson’s latest novel, Keeper of Lost Children.

In this talk, Johnson weaves together personal legacy, historical erasure, and the power of storytelling to reclaim the often-overlooked contributions of Black women throughout history. Through fiction rooted in fact, she brings their lives to light—because they were always there. Now, we must remember them.

Audience: Community Reads, Libraries, Luncheons, Women’s groups, Black history, Women’s history, students

Keynote: From Surviving to Thriving: How I Transformed Shame Into Purpose

We all carry stories—of family, trauma, upbringing, and survival. But what if your past wasn’t your prison, but your power? In this transformative keynote, Sadeqa Johnson explores how to embrace where you come from without letting it define where you’re going.

By examining the ties that shaped you, letting go of shame and perfectionism, and meeting your inner child with compassion, you can step into a more honest, empowered, and authentic version of yourself. This talk is a call to those who are ready to stop hiding, start healing, and rewrite their narrative—from backstory to breakthrough.

Audience: Leadership conferences, Women’s conference, Women in Leadership, Ladies’ Luncheons, Women in Business, Motivational conferences