Saintjones ‘The Chinaberry Tree’ Garners National Recognition

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.

The novel has received critical praise, including a recent “BookLife” review slated to appear in “Publishers Weekly,” and has drawn comparisons to the work of Yaa Gyasi and Dolen Perkins-Valdez for its emotional depth and historical resonance.

A Tuscaloosa native and proud graduate of Tuskegee, Auburn, and Alabama A&M universities, Saintjones has devoted more than four decades to telling the stories of Black institutions. With “The Chinaberry Tree,” he now adds his own literary voice to that legacy.

For more information, visit TheChinaberryTree2025.com or Amazon.