Books to Get You Thinking
“…..I say, the night has been long,
The wound has been deep,
The pit has been dark
And the walls have been steep.
But today, voices of old spirit sound
Speak to us in words profound,
Across the years, across the centuries,
Across the oceans, and across the seas.
They say, draw near to one another….
The ancestors remind us, despite the history of pain
We are a going-on people who will rise again.
And still we rise."
Maya Angelou, “From A Black Woman to A Black Man”, in Madhubuti, H. and Karenga, M. eds., Million Man March / Day of Absence: A Commemorative Anthology, 30-31 (Chicago: Third World Press, 1996).
This African American History Month we highlight books from the Mercer County Library’s African American collection that take us back in time to revisit those many important moments that have shaped and changed the course of history and set the stage for a new America, moments of heart wrenching suffering and struggles as well as of extraordinary heroism, courage and fortitude. We also honor the countless voices that have risen throughout these tumultuous years and beyond, voices that have made an indelible mark on the entire fabric of American political, social and cultural life and celebrate the rich canvas of the African American contribution to the fields of literature, poetry, film, music, and sports.
Life Upon These Shores: Looking at African American History, 1513-2008 by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
The book is a beautiful amalgamation of images, and texts that together present the history of the African American people in the United States. Besides photographs, the images include ancient maps, manuscripts, portraits, posters, sheet music, cartoons and film stills. The historical events go back to 1513 and 1619 when the first ship with about 20 Africans landed in Jamestown, Virginia. The author traces landmark events, controversies and legislations that followed over the course of the next four centuries, each shaping the destiny of a people and a nation.
African America: Portrait of a People edited by Kenneth Estell
A treasure trove of essays, narratives, biographies, addresses, lectures, poems and rare photography compiled by Kenneth Estell guide the reader through four hundred years of African American history. Eighteen separate chapters penned by experts from different fields analyze historically important landmark events and legislation as well as cover the full spectrum of vital contributions made by African Americans to sports, music, the performing and fine arts, as well as different professions including science, medicine, education, business and entrepreneurship.
Ripples of Hope: Great American Civil Rights Speeches by Josh Gottheimer
A unique compilation of speeches, arranged chronologically, such that the reader gets a full view of the entire history of the Civil Rights Movement as well as minorities and women’s rights. In compiling this unique selection of 96 speeches, Gottheimer includes the voices of both famous historical figures as Dr. Martin Luther King as well as less familiar names who played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. What runs common throughout the selections is the passion, eloquence, and brilliant oration that exposes readers to the struggles, pain and ordeals of a large part of America. The author includes an introductory write up before each of the selected speeches to place the work in the totality of its historical context.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
An epic saga of the six million African Americans who left the Confederate States between 1915 and 1970 in search of a better future and a new life in the North. Using the railroads, they travelled to towns like Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia, transforming the political, social and cultural landscape of America. The author follows the stories and journeys of three African American migrants who moved to different places at different time periods. In narrating their story Wilkinson humanizes history, giving it a distinct and timeless voice.
The Music of Black Americans: A History by Eileen Southern
A musician , writer and an expert on Renaissance and African American Music , Eileen Southern rose to become Harvard’s first tenured African American female professor. In her book, she examined jazz, blues, gospel, classical as well as the full spectrum of musical genres to which African Americans have contributed in the last 450 years while at the same time skillfully relating the development of the music to the political, social and cultural milieu of the times.
Black Lenses, Black Voices: African American Film Now by Mark Reid
Mark Reid presents a fascinating exploration into the world of African American films focusing on the different genres and outstanding producers and directors that dominated the different historical time periods. The starting point of the book is Early American film from 1912-1940 and beyond when short documentaries, comedies and silent films were popular. The Black directed films from this era are compared with the post 1970s Black films made by University trained filmmakers. The late 60s and 70s saw the development of independently produced social documentary and fiction films covering domestic and social issues of urban America, Africa and the Caribbean as well as the Civil Rights Movement.
Norton Anthology of African American Literature by Henry Louis Gates and Nellie McKay
Over two thousand pages that trace the progression of the African American literary tradition over the centuries. The editors have selected authors and arranged the literary selections in different time periods – slavery and freedom, Reconstruction to the Negro Renaissance, Harlem Renaissance, and the more recent period Realism, Naturalism, Modernism. The comprehensive selection by the editors include the rich vernacular traditions of gospel, spiritual, work songs, jazz, and blues and traverse across poetry, drama, short fiction, autobiography and novels.
What Moves at the Margin: Selected Non Fiction by Toni Morrison, edited by Carolyn Denard
Nobel Laureate, Toni Morrison, currently a Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, is best known for her novels which portray and reflect the pathos and many dimensions of African American life. In this book, the editor, Carolyn Denard compiles essays and speeches of Morrison that reflect her unique reflections on the important subjects of family, race, African American women, African American history, the writers and books she admires most, and political issues at the forefront of American society. Included are Morrison’s thoughts on September 11 and her Nobel Lecture in Literature delivered in 1993.
The wound has been deep,
The pit has been dark
And the walls have been steep.
But today, voices of old spirit sound
Speak to us in words profound,
Across the years, across the centuries,
Across the oceans, and across the seas.
They say, draw near to one another….
The ancestors remind us, despite the history of pain
We are a going-on people who will rise again.
And still we rise."
Maya Angelou, “From A Black Woman to A Black Man”, in Madhubuti, H. and Karenga, M. eds., Million Man March / Day of Absence: A Commemorative Anthology, 30-31 (Chicago: Third World Press, 1996).
This African American History Month we highlight books from the Mercer County Library’s African American collection that take us back in time to revisit those many important moments that have shaped and changed the course of history and set the stage for a new America, moments of heart wrenching suffering and struggles as well as of extraordinary heroism, courage and fortitude. We also honor the countless voices that have risen throughout these tumultuous years and beyond, voices that have made an indelible mark on the entire fabric of American political, social and cultural life and celebrate the rich canvas of the African American contribution to the fields of literature, poetry, film, music, and sports.
Life Upon These Shores: Looking at African American History, 1513-2008 by Henry Louis Gates Jr.The book is a beautiful amalgamation of images, and texts that together present the history of the African American people in the United States. Besides photographs, the images include ancient maps, manuscripts, portraits, posters, sheet music, cartoons and film stills. The historical events go back to 1513 and 1619 when the first ship with about 20 Africans landed in Jamestown, Virginia. The author traces landmark events, controversies and legislations that followed over the course of the next four centuries, each shaping the destiny of a people and a nation.
African America: Portrait of a People edited by Kenneth EstellA treasure trove of essays, narratives, biographies, addresses, lectures, poems and rare photography compiled by Kenneth Estell guide the reader through four hundred years of African American history. Eighteen separate chapters penned by experts from different fields analyze historically important landmark events and legislation as well as cover the full spectrum of vital contributions made by African Americans to sports, music, the performing and fine arts, as well as different professions including science, medicine, education, business and entrepreneurship.
Ripples of Hope: Great American Civil Rights Speeches by Josh GottheimerA unique compilation of speeches, arranged chronologically, such that the reader gets a full view of the entire history of the Civil Rights Movement as well as minorities and women’s rights. In compiling this unique selection of 96 speeches, Gottheimer includes the voices of both famous historical figures as Dr. Martin Luther King as well as less familiar names who played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. What runs common throughout the selections is the passion, eloquence, and brilliant oration that exposes readers to the struggles, pain and ordeals of a large part of America. The author includes an introductory write up before each of the selected speeches to place the work in the totality of its historical context.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson An epic saga of the six million African Americans who left the Confederate States between 1915 and 1970 in search of a better future and a new life in the North. Using the railroads, they travelled to towns like Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Philadelphia, transforming the political, social and cultural landscape of America. The author follows the stories and journeys of three African American migrants who moved to different places at different time periods. In narrating their story Wilkinson humanizes history, giving it a distinct and timeless voice.
The Music of Black Americans: A History by Eileen SouthernA musician , writer and an expert on Renaissance and African American Music , Eileen Southern rose to become Harvard’s first tenured African American female professor. In her book, she examined jazz, blues, gospel, classical as well as the full spectrum of musical genres to which African Americans have contributed in the last 450 years while at the same time skillfully relating the development of the music to the political, social and cultural milieu of the times.
Black Lenses, Black Voices: African American Film Now by Mark ReidMark Reid presents a fascinating exploration into the world of African American films focusing on the different genres and outstanding producers and directors that dominated the different historical time periods. The starting point of the book is Early American film from 1912-1940 and beyond when short documentaries, comedies and silent films were popular. The Black directed films from this era are compared with the post 1970s Black films made by University trained filmmakers. The late 60s and 70s saw the development of independently produced social documentary and fiction films covering domestic and social issues of urban America, Africa and the Caribbean as well as the Civil Rights Movement.
Norton Anthology of African American Literature by Henry Louis Gates and Nellie McKayOver two thousand pages that trace the progression of the African American literary tradition over the centuries. The editors have selected authors and arranged the literary selections in different time periods – slavery and freedom, Reconstruction to the Negro Renaissance, Harlem Renaissance, and the more recent period Realism, Naturalism, Modernism. The comprehensive selection by the editors include the rich vernacular traditions of gospel, spiritual, work songs, jazz, and blues and traverse across poetry, drama, short fiction, autobiography and novels.
What Moves at the Margin: Selected Non Fiction by Toni Morrison, edited by Carolyn DenardNobel Laureate, Toni Morrison, currently a Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, is best known for her novels which portray and reflect the pathos and many dimensions of African American life. In this book, the editor, Carolyn Denard compiles essays and speeches of Morrison that reflect her unique reflections on the important subjects of family, race, African American women, African American history, the writers and books she admires most, and political issues at the forefront of American society. Included are Morrison’s thoughts on September 11 and her Nobel Lecture in Literature delivered in 1993.
-Nita Mathur
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