OMAR RASHAD TYREE
 

Omar Tyree is an author, publisher, lecturer and performance poet who completed his undergraduate studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C, with honors in print journalism. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he graduated from the city's most prestigious Central
High School in 1987. He is presently thirtyone-years old and lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife, Karintha and two sons Ameer and Canoy.

After high school graduation, Tyree became one of thirty fortunate minority students to enroll at the University of Pittsburgh under a challenge grant scholarship program. He was later awarded the sum of $3,400 toward his school tuition after being recognized by the Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor Society
for academic excellence in math and science studies.

While attending the U. of Pitt. and studying to become a pharmacist, Tyree scored at the highest level of reading comprehension and discovered an uncanny ability to write.  He penned a journal, "The Diary of a Freshman," which was published in the minority counseling news pamphlet.  He then became one of few freshman allowed to enroll in a creative writing course during his first year of schooling after receiving an A grade mark in highest level of freshman English.

In 1989, Tyree transferred to Howard University and began a new career interest in writing. In his senior year of 1991, he became the first student in Howard University history to have a featured column, "Food For Thought," published in The Hilltop, the school's award-winning newspaper.

Following the completion of undergraduate studies in December of 1991, he was hired as a reporter and an assistant editor at The Capital Spotlight weekly newspaper in Washington, D.C., where he also sold advertising. He later served as the chief reporter for News Dimensions weekly newspaper while
freelancing for the Washington View Magazine.

Tyree made his next move writing and publishing books. After having first hand experience with print shops and typesetting at newspaper plants, he organized MARS Productions, a sole-proprietorship, to publish his first novel, "Colored, On White Campus." The small-scale book was published in
October of 1992, with financial help from friends and family, who offered him personal loans. "Colored, On White Campus" sold well enough to produce funds to publish his second effort, "FLYY-GIRL," in April of 1993. By July of 1993,Omar Tyree was self-employed.

Tyree was the youngest participant on a BET (Black Entertainment Television) talk-show pilot entitled, "For Black Men Only," which successfully aired in the fall of 1992. The show shared candid views of African-American men on stereotypes, lifestyles, social/economic politics, public issues and their
affects on them. Hosted by Washington Post columnist and BET news commentator Courtland Milloy, the program's taped shows aired continuously throughout the summer of 1993 with positive national response.

In the summer of 1993, Tyree was published in the Sunday "Outlook" section at the nations number two newspaper, The Washington Post ("Meet The New Invisible Man," 7/18/93). At twenty-four-years of age, he again made history as one the youngest African-American male journalists to be published in The
Post's commentary page with his views on the lack of attention positive young black men (YBM's) receive in the American media. The story became syndicated and printed by newspapers nationally and internationally. The British Broadcast Channel (BBC) then sought out an interview for a network special on young black men and stereotypes in the United States.

"Capital City: The Chronicles of a D.C. Underworld," was released in April of 1994, becoming Tyree's third successfully published book. In January of 1995, he republished "Colored, On White Campus" as "BattleZone: The Struggle to Survive the American Institution" with a new cover design. He was also
published in a Beacon Press release entitled "Testimony: Young African-Americans on Self-Discovery and Black Identity" in February of 1995. Soon after, he was invited for a television interview with host Julian Bond on America's Black Forum to discuss present issues facing blacks and education on predominantly white campuses at the advent of director John Singleton's film, "Higher Learning."

Most recently, Tyree was honored with an entrepreneurial spirit and leadership plaque by the Multicultural Youth Incorporation (MCY Inc.) in Washington, D.C. His three published books, "FLYY-GIRL," "Capital City" and "BattleZone" have all been picked up by book distributors in New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, Virginia, Baltimore and Chicago. Sales escalated to more than 25,000 copies, and are still selling through Tyree's of persistence in marketing.

In August of 1995, author Omar Tyree was picked up on a two-book contract deal, which included the republication of "FLYY-GIRL" in hardback form, by the major publishing house of Simon & Schuster.

Current Projects: 

Tyree has now published a total of six novels including; "Sweet St. Louis,"  "Single Mom," "A Do Right Man," "Flyy Girl," "Capital City," and "Battle Zone," and is continuously participating in national lecturing events to disseminate information to the African-American community and expand his
popularity among readers. He continues to lecture to organizations, at colleges, high schools and community events on a variety of subjects. He recently finished his latest novel entitled "Sweet St. Louis" to set the record straight in regard to Black Love and imagery in the 1990's.

At present, Tyree has secured a third two-book contract with Simon & Schuster and is working on future fiction titles; "For The Love of Money" and "Just Say No!", the first of which will be published in October of 2000. He will also pen a non-fiction book to discuss the amazing increase of Black American
authors and books in the 1990's. The non-fiction project, "Explosion, Black Books & Publishing; The Renaissance of The 1990's, The Journey of Author Omar Tyree." And last but not least, author Omar Tyree will soon be pitching film ideas to producers in Hollywood, starting with his most successful novel, "FLYY GIRL."