his novel, "the avenue, clayton city", won the lillian smith book award for best southern fiction in 1988 and the international black writers' alice browning award in 1989. in 1990 he was elected to the fellowship of southern writers. he was friends with rev. dr. martin luther king, jr., malcolm x, and alex haley. in 1990, he was cited by pope john paul ii for "scholarly service to the church".