Darryl (Ted) Hall
The Horn of Africa and Neighboring Countries

 


Darryl (Ted) Hall's collection

The following books represent my work toward a more comprehensive understanding of the African American Experience. The works serve as only a starting point toward that journey. This annotated bibliography is a work in progress and it includes only a glimpse into the lives of African American people. All of the books included in the annotated bibliography are from my own private book collection.

My inspiration for collecting (and yes reading) and seeking to understand the African American experience is two-fold. As a Ph.D. student, my research interests examine the use of technology and its impact on learning in urban schools. Important toward that end, involves linking my empirical research to a larger body of knowledge in the field of technology and couching my research in a larger social historical context. Perhaps, then my research can have some relevance to this historical moment. Secondly, these works represent a difficult quest toward an understanding of my cultural identity as an African American person.


I must insert, however, that this annotated bibliography is only a snapshot of what has contributed toward my understanding of the African American experience. It does not represent the broad scope of knowledge, which stems from my lived experience. Nor does the annotated bibliography capture the breadth of emotion I shared as I deeply connected with its authors--from the courage I felt when I marched alongside the students in Haberstams's student movement, or the sheer delight I found in listening to Mile's voice through his horn, or the loneliness I felt while exiled with Baldwin in Europe, or the pain I felt as I sat with King in a Birmingham Jail, or the melancholy I felt as they scrambled for Africa, or the identity confusion I shared with Fanon in France, or the pride I experienced as I set sail with Van Sertima in Mali, or the inspiration I shared with Bell as she transgressed her teaching (and her students) or the Love I felt in Nikki's self affirmed Black love. Rather, these books serve as a window into the life of the mind of a budding scholar.

After I settled on using this medium to visually display my annotated bibliography, I wrestled with the ideal of using a lists or taxonomy to organize the work. These two organizational methods do not adequately represent a holistic model of the sum of my interpretations, i.e., a taxonomy fails to place the collective readings in a systematic order, so that readers (those who do) are able to see the overlaps and the disjointedness in history, like when in the early twentieth century, W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington debated the role of compensatory education in Black America. Furthermore, this taxonomy fails to interconnect the historical figures and their works across space and time, and across disciplines, like the similarities between Garvey's philosophies in Pan Africanism and Malcom's Nation of Islam Teachings. Like those before me, I was bound by the available tools of that historical moment, although only temporarily. The visual representation of this annotated bibliography is in its formative stage. In the days to come, I will perhaps use new technologies, like hypertext and flash, to link various authors and time periods, so that readers can scaffold the bibliographies. Perhaps, then a more definitive understanding of the African American experience will be achieved.

Darryl (Ted) Hall accepts his Finalist certificate from Judge Shirley Sliker.
Bibliography

AFRICAN HISTORY

If we are to discuss the African American experience, we must began with African History and its historical context prior to the Middle Passage. Therefore, most of the works here focus on the Pre Colonial Slave Trade. These works emphasize the prominence and splendor of the African Peoples (North and West) prior to their enslavement and subsequent journey through the middle passage to the Americas. In providing this historical backdrop, this research extends the work of scholars who use only Ante-bellum Slavery as a starting point to discuss African American History.

Cheikh Anta Diop Pre Colonial Black Africa Trenton: Africa World Press inc;1987 Renowned scholar Diop, presents an African history which existed prior to the slave trade
Basil Davidson The African Genius New York: Ayer Co Pub: 1937 Davidson discusses the Glory and Greatness of African People
John Jackson Introduction to African civilizations / by John G. Jackson ; introduction and additional
bibliograhical notes by John Henrik Clark.
New York : University Books, c1970.		 Jackson takes readers into the heart of the African civilization prior to the slave trade.
Chancellor Williams The Destruction of Black Civilization Chicago: Third World Press, c1976. Williams tells the grimacing story of how Pre Colonial Africa, fell victim to exploitation an imperialism
George James Stolen Legacy Trenton, NJ. Africa World Press, Inc. 1992 In this provocative work, Historian James argues that most of the genius ascribed to the Greeks was actually stolen from Pre-historic Egyptian culture
Walter Rodney How Europe Underdeveloped Africa Washington, D.C. : Howard University Press, 1982 Rodney, discusses the role of the Europe and colonization in how Africa's major institutions were used render the country prime for exploitation
Thomas Pekenham The Scramble for Africa. New York : Random House, c1991. Pekenham, gives a painful account of how explorers and missionaries invaded Africa and used the Berlin conference to divide and subjugate the countries to European control.
Drusilla Huston Wonderful Ethiopians
Baltimore: Black Classic Press, 1985		 Wonderful Ethiopians
Baltimore: Black Classic Press, 1985
Anthony T. Browder Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization Washington: Institute of Karmic Guidance, 1992 Browder sets out to correct some of the myths about the lack of contributions to the world from the continent of Africa.
Ivan Van Sertima The Golden Age of the Moors
New Brunswick, NJ : Transaction Publishers, c1992.		 Sertima provides an account of the great era of the Moors presence and influence in France and other parts of Europe.
Basil Davidson Africa in History London: G. Allen and Unwin, 1963 A detailed guide to the history of Africa.
Desmond Tutu The Rainbow People of God. New York:
Doubleday, 1994		 The autobiography of this famed S. African Archbishop.
Nelson Mandela Mandela
Boston : Little, Brown, c1994		 A splendid illustrated autobiography of this courageous and famed political prisoner and fomer S. African President.

AFRICANS of the DIASPORA

The Americas

Contrary to popular belief, not all the enslaved Africans were deported to the New England colonies. Some went to the Caribbeans, Latin and South America. Other Africans were deported to European colonies. While, dreadfully, many died in the Atlantic Ocean.

J.A. Rogers Worlds Great Men of Color Vol. II New York, Macmillan, 1972 In the second of a two volume series, Rogers provide readers with biographies of some of the world's greatest leaders of African descent
C.L.R. James The Black Jacobins New York, Vintage Books, 1963 A inspiring look at the Courageous leader Toussaint L'Ouverture as he mastermind the San Domingo revolution.
Ivan Van Sertima They Came Before Comlumbus. New York : Random House, 1976 Noted scholar Sertima, writes beautifully as he provides a detailed account about the existences of Africans in the Americas prior to Columbus arrival in the 15th century.
Tom Feelings The Middle Passage. New York : Dial Books, c1995. In a work that took almost a decade to complete, because of the intense emotions tied to it, illustrator and author Feelings provides a black and white pictorial of the middle passage.
Basil Davidson The African Slave Trade. Boston : Little, Brown, c1980. Davidison provides a detailed account of the sufferage that occured during passage.

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

But for those African's for whom the God's were watching and who made it over to the shores of Virginia, their story continues here. These important works help explain the presence of Africans in American History. Most African American's can trace their history to the west coast of Africa.

John Hope Franklin
 From Slavery to Freedom Boston : McGraw-Hill, 2000 In this Seminal work, historian John Hope Franklin chronicles the history of African American people. This book still stands as one of the most authoritative works on African American History.
Lerone Bennett, Jr. Before the Mayflower. New York: Penguin, 1993. A classic in African American history, this work presents a clear and concise history of the people of African descent in America.
Vincent Harding There is a River New York : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, c1981.
 This inspiring book, looks at the African American attempts to gain freedom in America.
W.E.b dubois The Souls of Black Folk New York : Vintage Books/Library of America, 1990 This widely recognized work, is a staple in any library and this unrivaled classic examines the contradictions and problems of the souls of black folk.
Carter G. Woodson The Miseducation of the Negro Trenton: Africa World Press, 1990 One of the most important and critical works on the edcuational processes that shape the minds of educated Black People.
Ira Berlin, Mark Favreau, Steven Miller Remembering Slavery New York: New Press, 1998 These brillian stories in recorded voice and printed word provide first hand accounts of African Americans who talk about their experiences with slavery.
Paul Robeson Here I stand. Boston: Beacon Press, 1971 This powereful autobiography takes a courageous look at the life of Paul Robeson from the height of his fame to his denial of a passport and exile.
David Levering Lewis W.E.B Dubois Biography New York: Holt, 1993 This important scholar presents a comprehensive look at the life of philosoper, educaotor, and writer W.E.B dubois.
Molefi Kete Asante Afrocentricity Trenton: Africa World Press, 1988. This explores the ideal of using an African centered approach in looking at history.
Harold Cruise The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual New York : Morrow, 1967 In this seminal work, Cruise examines the crisis of leadership in the Black community.

African American Literature

There is a wealth of material in this area. I thought about categorizing the works by genres (poetry, short story) or era's (Reconstruction Period, Harlem Renaisance), but decided to use a comtemporary paradigm--modernity and post modernity. In using this distinction, 1966 serves as a starting point for the Postmodernity Period.


Modernity(1900-1965)

James Baldwin The Fire the Next Time London : M. Joseph, 1963 Baldwin is prophetic in discussing the negative consequences of what would eventually happen, if America continued to treat Blacks as second class citizens.
James Baldwin Nobody Knows My Name New York, Dial Press, 1961. Baldwin looks at the role of cultural identity and what it feels like to be part of a marginalized group in America.
Richard Wright
 Black Power New York: Harper, 1954 Wright centers his philosophy around blacks gaining economic and political of their own doing and on their own terms.
James Weldon Johnson The Autobiography of an ExColored Man
New York, Hill and Wang [c1960]		 Negro national Anthem author Johnson, discusses the life of a bi-racial man during the Jim Crow era.
Zora Neal Hurston Their Eyes were Watching the Gods New York : Chelsea House Publishers, 1987 Harlem Renasance writer Hurston, explores american social phenomenons from a feminist perspective.
Langston Hughes Story: The Best of Simple New York: Hill and Wang, 1961 Hughes uses comedy and satire to discuss american life for blacks.
Edited by Dudley Randall The Black Poets: A new Anthology Bantan: NY, 1971 A wonderful collection of poems from many of the greatest black poets of the twentieth century.
James Weldon Johnson Saint Peter Relates an Incident selected poems. New York: The Viking press, 1935. A number of important poems by one of the most distinguished American writers.
Ralph Ellison Flying Home: and Other short stories. New York : Random House, 1996. A book of short stories by the author of "The Invisible Man".

Post modern (1966-Present)

Nikki Giovanni Love Poems New York : Morrow, c1997. In this heartfelt work, activist Giovanni presents her softer side by expressing different kinds of black love in popular culture.
Alice Walker Anything We Love Can Be Saved New York : Random House, c1997. Walker invokes a pro-active stance for helping to define black womanhood.
Alice Walker
Color Purple: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, c1982A		 This critically acclaimed book explores black female/male relationships in the South.
Toni Morrison
 Beloved. New York : Knopf : Distributed by Random House, 1987
 In this classic work, Putlizer prize Winner Morrison, shows an act of love as demonstrated by a slave mother for her children.
Toni Morrison A Song for Solomon Philadelphia Chelsea House, c1999. An inspirational work about relationships in the South-pain and love.
J. California Cooper Homemade Love New York : St. Martin's Press, 1986 Coopers explore the boundaries of emotion in black relationships.
June Jordan Civil Wars New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995. Renowned poet and activist Jordan, presents a collection of essays about love, power and race.
Ntozake Shange For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide when the Rainbow is Enuf.
New York: Collier , 1975		 This dramatic prose poem shows the human spirits ability to triumphover pain.
Walter Mosely A Devil in a Blue Dress New York : Norton, c1990. In the his Easy Rollins Series, writer Mosely presents a mystery that can only be solved by detective Rollins.

Civil Rights Movement

Historical Events of the Movement

Historical recounts of the movement. Momumental works that provide readers a comprehensive overview of this important period in world history.

Taylor Branch Parting the Waters New York, NY:Simon & Schuster, 1989. A Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this study examines the civil rights movement from 1954-1963.
Taylor Branch Pillar of Fire New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1998. The second volume of his America in the King Years trilogy, this work portrays the civil rights movement in its glory from 1963-1965.
David Halberstam The Children New York: Random House, 1998. This book looks at the role that student groups played in reinvigorating the the civil rights movement.
David Garrow Bearing the cross : Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference New York : Vintage Books, 1988 Another authoritative piece on the entire civil rights movement. This is a must for anyone who's want a comprehensive understanding of the events behind the movement.
Aldon D. Morris The origins of the civil rights movement : Black communities organizing for change New York : Free Press ; London : Collier Macmillan, c1984. The early incidents which led to the later more publicized civil rights events.

People of the Movement

Historical figures who loomed large in the movement. Certainly Malcom and Martin stand out as the two central figures in this era. Though their ideologies were different, their goal was the same--freedom for African American people. Others, however, played a significant role in the struggle.

Martin Luther King Jr. A Testament of Hope
San Francisco : Harper, 1991.		 A collection of MLK's speeches, writings, and interviews, this is a must for anyone interested in the life of King.
Martin Luther King Jr. Where Do We go From Here Philadelphia: Fortress, 1987. A series of writings that talk about the Montgomery boycott. Told by King.
Edited by Clayborne Carson The Autobiography of Martin Luther King
New York: Warner, 1998		 The life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
King, Coretta Scott My Life with Martin Luther King: The Autobiography of MLK. New York: Puffins, 1994 A window into the intimate life of King. Told through the the eyes of his widow Corretta.
Martin Luther King Jr. Strength to Love
New York: Harper & Row,1989
 A selection of some of King's most coveted sermons, put together by his wife Corretta.
Martin Luther King Jr. TheMeasure of a Man Philadelphia : Fortress Press, c1988. Looking at the sum of man, King draws from one of his sermons, in looking at three measures of a man's life the height (spirituality), the width (service), and the length (identity).
Martin Luther King Jr. A Trumpet of Conscieness San Francisco: Harper, 1967 Written toward the waining of his popularity, King makes his final statements on racism, poverty, and war before his untimely death.
Edited by Clayborn Carson A Knock at Midnight New York: Warner, 1998 This work is a definitive collection of eleven of King's most inspirational sermons. It accompanies a series of audio tapes.
Malcom X The Autobiography of Malcom X New York: Grove Press, 1966 A comprehensive look into the life of one our nations most feared and loved leader. It reveals the transformation of a life lived.
Evanzz Karl judas Factor: The Plot to Kill Malcom X New York: Thunder's Mouth, 1992 This book looks at the intelligence community's survellince of the Nation of Islam's doings and Malcoms; it hints at the possiblity of the FBI's role in the death of Malcom.
Malcom X By Any Means Neccessary New York: Pathfinder, 1970 A collection of Malcom's speeches, writings, and interviews. This is a must for anyone interested in the life of Malcom.
Thulani Davis Malcolm X: The Great Photographs. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1993. Through pictures and text, this book offers insight into the life of Malcom X.
Andrew Young No Easy Burden New York: Harper-Collins, 1996. An autobiography on this former U. S. Ambassador and Civil Rights leader.
John Lewis Walking With the Wind: A memoir of the Movement New York: Simon and Schuster, 1998 A intimate look at the civil rights movement from one of its most courageous leaders.
Marshall Frandy Jessee: Autobiography New York: Random House, 1996. An autobiography on this religious leader and Civil Rights leader.
Micheal Dyson I May Not Get There with You New York: Free Press, 2000 A more critical look at the life of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King. Dyson looks at King's mortality.
Carl Rowan Dream Keepers, Dream Makers Boston : Little, Brown, c1993. A national bestseller on the life of former civil rights leader and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
Ralph Abernathy And the Walls Came Tumbling Down New York: Harper Perrenial, 1990 This controversial autobiography by former friend of MLK, looks at the Civil Rights Movement.
Jervis Andersen Troubles I've Seen New York: Random House, 1996. A biography about the former stragetist and organizer of the civil rights movement.
Eldridge Clever Soul on Ice New York: Dell, 1968 A spiritual and intellectual autobiograhy, written while in prison, on the life of Black Panthers Party member Eldridge Clever.

AFRICAN AMERICAN
INSTITUTIONS AND SCHOLARS


This final section includes many African American Scholars from various disciplines in the Academy. Many of these scholars continue to produce work on the contemporary conditions of African Americans. Their scholarship, often crosses discplines, and links to other historical periods, like African American linguists Dr. Geneva Smitherman, whose work influences public policy in education, or like educator and historian Dr. Asa Hilliard.

Legal Institutions

This section includes the works of freedom fighters in the legal system and their scholarship.

Adam Clayton Powell Adam by Adam: The Autobiography of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
New York, NY: The Citadel Press, 1971. 		The autobiography of one of America's most flamboyant, most controversial, and most popular
politicians.
Randall Kennedy Race Crime and The Law
New York : Pantheon Books, c1997.		 In this revealing book, Kennedy examines the inequities in the criminal justice system.
Derrick Bell Gospel Choirs New York: Basic, 1996 A book in Bell's Gevena Crenshaw series, he uses acclaimed narrative style in discussing many important issues in the African American Community.
Derrick Bell Confronting Authority Boston : Beacon Press, c1994. Bell discusses his confrontation with the Harvard Law school as professor who sacrificed his tenure position for the cause of women of color.
Derrick Bell Faces at the Bottom of the Well : the permanence of racism New York : BasicBooks, c1992. In brilliant storytelling format, Bell looks at how racism ascribes a caste status to African Americans in the U.S
Derrick Bell And we are not savedNew York : Basic Books, c1987 Bell uses storytelling to popular culture to criticque racism and its impact on various aspects of African American life
Lani Guinier Lift Every Voice
New York : Simon & Schuster, c1998.		 Guinier looks at her rise to popularity in American politics and the public scrutiny she had to endure and overcome.
A. Leon Higginbotham Shades of Freedom
New York : Oxford University Press, 1996.		 The late judge Higginbothan discusses the legal systems and its injustices toward African Americans.

Family Child Ecology

This area has many important books on the African American family. Arguably the institution which most influences the cultural identity of individuals.

Harriet Pipes McAdoo The Black Family
Newbury Park, Calif. : Sage Publications, c1988		 Scholar McAdoo, presents an authoritative work on Black Family Life in America.
Harriet Pipes McAdoo Family Ethnicity
Thousand Oaks: Sage, 1992		 This scholar offers a demographic overview of families in the US.
Andrew Billingsley Climbing Jacob's Ladder
New York : Simon & Schuster, c1992		 This seminal piece of scholarship provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of African American families.
E. Franklin Frazier The Black Bourgeoisie
New York : Simon & Schuster, 1997.		 In this important work, Frazier takes a critically examines America's Black middle class, including their values and lifestyle.
Brian Lanker I dream a world : portraits of black women who changed America / New York : Stewart, Tabori & Chang : Distributed in the U.S. by Workman Pub., 1989. Portraits of many important african american women.
Darrell Dawsey Living to Tell about it
New York : Anchor Books, 1996.		 An african american male discusses the obstacles of growing up in the inner-city
William Julius Wilson When Work Disappears: the world of the new urban poor New York : Knopf, 1996. Well respected Sociologist Wilson discuss the new economic trends in American society, and its impact on people of colore and poor people.
June Jordan Family First
New York: Harper Perrenial, 1996		 The Mother of MJ, discusses the values that shaped the childhood of a superstar.
Bill Cosby Fatherhood New York: Dolphin, 1986 Comedian Bill Cosby provides wisdom in parenting skills.
Henry Louis Gates Thirteen Ways of looking at a black man New York : Random House, c1997. Gates presents the biographies of 13 African American men and their lives
Robert Allen Brotherman: The odyssey of Black Men in America New York: Ballentine, 1995 Winner of the American Book Award, an African American male discusses the great achievements of AmericanMen in various fields.
Nathan McCall Makes Me Wanna Holler
New York, NY : Random House, p1994.		 An African American male a personal story of the obstacles of he faced while growing up in the inner-city.
Keith Brown Sacred Bond Boston : Little, Brown, c1998 Black men and their mothers, as told through their biographies.
Kenneth Clark Dark Ghetto New York: Harper Row, 1965 A solid piece about the white problem and the economic inequalities that exist in american society.
Andrew Hacker Two Nations Black, White, Separate, Hostile, Unequal. New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 1995. This is an insightful and disturbing reflection on the state of America society.
Lawrence Graham Our Kind of People New York: Harper, 1999 A look at the elite upper middle class families and their assimilation into american culture--Bryant Gumbel, Andrew Young, amongst others.

Religion and Philosophy

This area inlcude the works of black intellectuals and black religious scholars. The works conceptualizes Christianity from a black perspective.

James Cone Black Theology and Black Power New York: Orbis, 1992 In this critical work, James Cones uses a Christian ethos in trying to provide a model for Black Christianity.
James Cone God of the Oppressed
San Francisco: Harper, 1975		 In this follow up work, Cone discusses the role of African American Christians in the these times of suffering.
Cornel West Race Matters
New York: Vintage, 1994		 This national bestseller, provides a commentary on philosophy, religion, and leadership in the African American community.
Cornel West Cornel West Reader
New York: Basic, 1999		 This collection of essays, interviews, excepts is important to anyone wanting to understand the work of this brilliant intellectual.
Cornel West Prophesy Deliverance
Philadelphia: Westminister, 1982		 This critically acclaimed book, offers an Afro-American Revolutionary to the Christian ethos.
Cornel West Prophetic Thought in Postmodern Times Monroe, Maine: Common Courage, 1993 Winner of the American book award, this book looks at moving beyond Eurocentrism and into Multiculuralism
Howard Thurman The Luminous Darkness
New York, Harper Row, 1965		 In this inspirational work, theologian Howard Thurman uses a Christian and moral ethos in looking at segregation.

Education and Pychology

There is a wealth of material in education and psychology as it relates to the African American Experience. These books are all from another of my book collections on education.

Asa Hilliard The Maroon Within Us selected essays on African American community socialization / AsaBaltimore, MD : Black Classic Press, c1995. A seminal piece, in which Hilliard looks at the role culture plays in the learning styles of African American children.
Asa Hilliard Testing African American Students Chicago: Third World Press, 1991 This timely piece, becomes important again, in this work a number of African American scholars discuss the historical and inappropriate use of assessment measures for African American students.
Lisa Delpit Other People's Childrencultural conflict in the classroom New York : New Press : W.W. Norton, c1995. This seminal work looks at the disconnect between teachers and students of colors around issues of language and life experiences.
Bell Hooks Teaching to Transgress New York: Routledge, 1994 Hooks takes a look at the challenges associated with being a black female post modern thinker in working with students in higher education.
Franz Fanon Black Skin White Masks
New York: Grove Press, 1967		 Martiniques Psychiatrist Fanon looks at the impact of colonialism and its impact on the psyche of black people in france and theworld
Paulo Freire Pedagogy of the Oppressed
New York: Continum, 1997		 In this seminalt piece, Friere uses a socialist constuct to examine issues of power that influence language arts instruction
Janet Hale Black Children: Their Roots, Culture, and Learning Styles. Baltimore: John Hopkins University, 1986 A classic piece, in which Benson looks at the culture relevance in the socialization process of African American students
John Ogbu Minority education and caste : the American system in cross-cultural perspective New York : Academic Press, c1978. In this important work, Ogbu looks at the pearmency that race ascribes to the status of African Americans and how that shapes their educational experiences.
Naim Akbar From miseducation to education
Jersey City, N.J. : New Mind Productions, 1984.		 A call for African Americans to learn their own history.
Kwanza Kunjufu Developing positive self-images and discipline in Black children Chicago, Ill. : African-American Images, c1984. An important work for anyone who has an interests in the socialization process of African American males.
Jonathon Kozol Savage inequalities : children in America's schools New York : Crown Pub., 1991. In this seminal work Jonathon Kozol shows the gross economic disparities in the lives of poor children which decrease their educational opportunities.
Johanthon Kozol Death at an Early Age
New York: Plume, 1985		 This national award winner, looks at the inequities that shape the lives of inner-city students.
Jonathon Kozol Amazing grace : the lives of children and the conscience of a nation NewYork : Crown, c1995 In this seminal work Jonathon Kozol chronicles the lives of poor children up close in New York Neigborhoods.
Beverly Tatum "Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?" and other conversations about
race / New York : BasicBooks, c1997.		 In this book, Tatum looks at issues of race and how black students often isolate themselves as a way to create solidarity.
Earl Ofari Hutchnison The Assasination of the Black Image
New York, Touchstone, 1994		 This work looks at the portrayal of African American men by the media and offers its criticisms of the media.
James Loewen Lies my teacher told me : everything your American history textbook got wrong New York : New Press : Distributed by Norton, c1995.Lies My Teachers Told Me A critique of how history is taught in public schools and its impact on shaping the minds of its students.
Fracis Cress Welsing The Iseys Papers
Chicago: Third World, 1995		 This controversial book, makes a comparisons between symbolism and racism in america.

Language Expression and Contemporary culture

This section provides keen insights into the modes of communication and expression within the African American Community.

Geneva Smitherman Black Talk: Words and Phrases from the Hood to the Amen Corner
Boston: Houghlin, 1990		 In this important work, Smitherman provides the ultimate guide toward the complexities of Black Talk in all facets of the Black Community.
John Baugh Beyond ebonics : linguistic pride and racial prejudice Oxford : New York ; Oxford University Press, c2000. In this important work, Baugh examines the role language in the African American community.
J.L. Dillard Black English; its history and usage in the United States New York, Vintage Books, 1972 An important work toward the understanding the language of African American people.
William Labov Language in the Inner City
Phildelphia: U.Penn Press, 1972		 This important work studies the black english vernacular.
Johanna Destephano Language Society, and EducationWorthingto, Oh: Jones, 1973 A lengthy piece of work that profiles black english.
Bell Hooks Outlaw Culture
New York: Routledge, 1994		 In this critical work Hooks looks at the representations in pop culture that are produced by the market culture and its impact on american culture.
Bell Hooks and Cornell West Breaking Bread: Insurgent Black Intellectual Life Boston: Southend Press, 1990 These two prominent black intellectuals discuss issues related to the black community, including post-modernity, music, film, education on pop culture
Bell Hooks killing rage: ending racism
New York: Holt, 1995		 In these black feminist essays, hooks express ideals about the use of resistance toward ending racism
Henry Louis Gates and Cornel West

Loose canons : notes on the culture wars New York : Oxford University Press, 1992.

 An important discussion on how America decides what books to canonize and the role culture and power plays in this process.
John Rickford Spoken soul : the story of Black English /foreword by Geneva Smitherman.
New York : Wiley, c2000.		 Rickford looks at the unique language patterns of African American students

Performing arts

These works look at many African American artists and their contributions to American Society.

Davis, Miles Miles: The Autobiography of Miles Davis New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989 This national best seller takes readers on an intimate journey into the life of one of Americas musical giants.
Mel Watkins On the real side : a history of African American comedy Chicago : Lawrence Hill Books, c1999.In the Real Side: Black Comedians A comprehensive history of legendary African American comedians.
Edward Kennedy Ellington Music is my mistress, by Edward Kennedy Ellington.
Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, 1973.		 An intimate look into the life of America's greatest Composer-Duke Ellington.
Imamu Amiri Baraka Blues people; Negro music in white America. New York, W. Morrow, 1963. A splendid book on the insurgence of jazz and blues into the African American culture.
Chuck D Fight the Power New York: Delacorte Press, 1996 This important work looks at rap music and its impact on popular culture told by Public Enemy's founder.
Robert Gottieth Reading Jazz: A Gathering of Autobiographies, and Collective Criticisms New York: Pantheon, 1996 A collection of autobiographies from different people within this splendid genre of music.
Tim Motion Jazz Portraits: An eye for the Sound
New York: Smithmark, 1995		 An intimate collection of photographs on jazz greats from the forties to the nineties.
Thomas Houser Muhammad Ali in Perspective
New York: Collins, 1996		 An intimate illustrated biography on the life of Muhammad Ali.
Edited by Gerald Early The Muhammad Ali Reader
New Jersey, Ecco, 1996		 A splendid collection of essays written about the "Champ".
Rodney Dale The World of Jazz Edison, NJ: Chartell, 1996 A look at jazz from various time periods in American history.

 
 
Past Contest Winners and Finalists:
1998 2000 2002 2004 2006  
1999 2001 2003 2005    

 
 
Return to Home MSU Libraries Home Page
     
Page Editor: Breezy Silver
May 10, 2005