João Melo

João Melo (born 1955) is an Angolan writer, poet, journalist and academic born in Luanda, Angola. He studied Law in Portugal and Angola, later earning degrees in Journalism and Communication and Culture in Brazil.

A founding member of the União dos Escritores Angolanos (Union of Angolan Writers), Melo writes poetry, short fiction, essays and chronicles. His work often explores Angolan identity, politics, race, gender and the complexities of post-independence society. His notable works include Filhos da Pátria, O Homem Que Não Tira o Palito da Boca and Polis, Poiesis. In 2009, he received Angola’s National Prize for Culture and Arts in Literature. (portaldaliteratura.com)