Each volume of Contemporary Black Biography contains 55 full-length biographies written in an easy-to-follow prose style, ranging from 2 to 4 pages each. Arranged alphabetically, entries are divided by subheads for quick scanning. Sections cover portrait (as available); date and place of birth; educational background; address; career data; memberships; awards received; detailed prose essay; and complete source citations.

Contemporary Black Biography is not limited to coverage of only notable black Americans, nor is it restricted by a manufactured definition of contemporary. Its multinational coverage spans this century and includes rising personalities as well as groundbreakers and newsmakers in a variety of fields.