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"Trayvon Martin s parents take readers beyond the news cycle with an account only they could give: the intimate story of a tragically foreshortened life and the rise of a movement. On a February evening in 2012, in a small town in central Florida, seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin was walking home with candy and a can of juice in hand and talking on the phone with a friend when a fatal encounter with a gun-wielding neighborhood watchman ended his young life. The watchman was briefly detained by the police and released. Trayvon's father, a truck driver named Tracy, tried to get answers from the police but was shut down and ignored. Trayvon's mother, a civil servant for the city of Miami, was paralyzed by the news of her son's death and lost in mourning, unable to leave her room for days. But in a matter of weeks, their son's name would be spoken by President Obama, honored by professional athletes, and passionately discussed all over traditional and social media. And at the head of a growing nationwide campaign for justice were Trayvon's parents, who driven by their intense love for their lost son discovered their voices, gathered allies, and launched a movement that would change the country. Five years after his tragic death, Travyon Martin's name is still evoked every day. He has become a symbol of social justice activism, as has his hauntingly familiar image: the photo of a child still in the process of becoming a young man, wearing a hoodie and gazing silently at the camera. But who was Trayvon Martin, before he became, in death, an icon? And how did one black child s death on a dark, rainy street in a small Florida town become the match that lit a civil rights crusade? Rest in Power, told through the compelling alternating narratives of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, answers, for the first time, those questions from the most intimate of sources. It s the story of the beautiful and complex child they lost, the cruel unresponsiveness of the police and the hostility of the legal system, and the inspiring journey they took from grief and pain to power, and from tragedy and senselessness to meaning" #restinpower #sybrinafulton #tracymartin #blackbooks #blacklit #blackliterature #blackstudies #aframbooks #aframstudies #aframlit #aframliterature #AfricanAmericanbooks #AfricanAmericanstudies #AfricanAmericanliterature #blackbookoftheweek #bookoftheweek

"On December 3, 1976, just before the Jamaican general election and two days before Bob Marley was to play the Smile Jamaica Concert, gunmen stormed his house, machine guns blazing. The attack nearly killed the Reggae superstar, his wife, and his manager, and injured several others. Marley would go on to perform at the free concert on December 5, but he left the country the next day, not to return for two years. Deftly spanning decades and continents and peopled with a wide range of characters—assassins, journalists, drug dealers, and even ghosts—A Brief History of Seven Killings is the fictional exploration of that dangerous and unstable time and its bloody aftermath, from the streets and slums of Kingston in the �70s, to the crack wars in �80s New York, to a radically altered Jamaica in the �90s. Brilliantly inventive and stunningly ambitious, this novel is a revealing modern epic that will secure Marlon James’ place among the great literary talents of his generation." #abriefhistoryofsevenkillings #marlonjames #books #blackbooks #bookoftheweek #blackbookoftheweek #aframbookoftheweek #aframlit #aframstudies #blacklit #blackstudies #aframbooks

"One of Africa's mos renowned philosophers and political leaders, Kwame Nkrumah was not only at the center of what he called "The African revolutions," but he also articulated its ideology. In this book he sets out his personal philosophy, which he terms "consciencism," and which has provided the intellectual framework for his political action. Why "consciencism"? The answer is that in this concept Dr. Nkrumah draws together strands from the three main traditions that make up the African conscience: The Euro-Christian, The Islamic, and the Original African. He characterizes traditional African society as essentially egalitarian and argues that a new African philosophy must draw its nourishment chiefly from African roots. But he reviews Western philosophy in some detail to illustrate the thesis that philosophy, however academic, is always trying, explicitly or implicitly, to say something about society. In this relevance of philosophy to society, and to social and political action in particular, that chiefly interest him. Dr. Nkrumah shows how his philosophical beliefs are related to special problems of "The African Revolution," and states his case for socialism and the most valid expression of the African conscience at the present time." #blackbookoftheweek #bookoftheweek #consciencism #kwamenkrumah #blacklit #blackliterature #blackstudies #blackphilosophy #africanlit #africanliterature #africanstudies #africanphilosophy

An anthology of classic black short stories written by black writers from 1899 to 1976 edited by Langston Hughes. Was previously published as "the best short stories by negro writers." #thebestshortstoriesbyblackwriters #langstonhughes #shortstories #blackbookoftheweek #blackbooks #blackauthors #blackwriters #blackstudies #aframbooks #aframauthors #aframwriters

"Girls at War and other stories reveals the essence of life in Nigeria and traces twenty years in the literary career of one of this century's most acclaimed writers. In a dozen stories displaying an astonishing range of experience, Chinua Achebe takes us inside the heart and soul of a people whose pride and ideals must compete with the simple struggle to survive. Hailed by The New York Times Book Review as 'first-rate fiction,' this classic book recreates with energy and authenticity major issues and daily life in Africa." #blackbookoftheweek #girlsatwar #chinuaachebe #blackbooks #blackauthors #blackliterature #africanbooks #africanauthors #africanliterature #blackfiction #blackstudies #africanfiction #africanstudies

"First published in 1923, Jean Toomer's Cane is an innovative literary work-part drama, part poetry, part fiction-powerfully evoking black life in the South. Rich in imagery, Toomer's impressionistic, sometimes surrealistic sketches of Southern rural and urban life are permeated by visions of smoke, sugarcane, dusk, and fire; the northern world is pictured as a harsher reality of asphalt streets. This iconic work of American literature is published with a new afterword by Rudolph Byrd of Emory University and Henry Louis Gates Jr. of Harvard University, who provide groundbreaking biographical information on Toomer, place his writing within the context of American modernism and the Harlem Renaissance, and examine his shifting claims about his own race and his pioneering critique of race as a scientific or biological concept."

#cane #jean toomer #blackbooks #books #black literature #black studies #african american books #African American literature #african american studies #Black book of the week

Black Men and Depression: Saving our Lives, Healing our Families and Friends by John Head "In mainstream society depression and mental illness are still somewhat taboo subjects; in the black community they are topics that are almost completely shrouded in secrecy. As a result, millions of black men are suffering in silence or getting treatment only in extreme circumstances–in emergency rooms, homeless shelters, and prisons. The neglect of emotional disorders among men in the black community is nothing less than racial suicide. In this groundbreaking book, veteran journalist and award-winning author John Head argues that the problem can be traced back to the time of slavery, when it was believed that blacks were unable to feel inner pain because they had no psyche. This myth has damaged generations of African American men and their families, creating a society that blames black men for being violent and aggressive without considering that depression might be a root cause. Black Men and Depression challenges the African American community and the psychiatric community to end the suffering of black men, and address what can be done by loved ones to help those who need it most."

#African American books #black men and depression #john head #African American studies #psychology #black books #black studies

Black Men and Depression: Saving our Lives, Healing our Families and Friends by John Head "In mainstream society depression and mental illness are still somewhat taboo subjects; in the black community they are topics that are almost completely shrouded in secrecy. As a result, millions of black men are suffering in silence or getting treatment only in extreme circumstances–in emergency rooms, homeless shelters, and prisons. The neglect of emotional disorders among men in the black community is nothing less than racial suicide. In this groundbreaking book, veteran journalist and award-winning author John Head argues that the problem can be traced back to the time of slavery, when it was believed that blacks were unable to feel inner pain because they had no psyche. This myth has damaged generations of African American men and their families, creating a society that blames black men for being violent and aggressive without considering that depression might be a root cause. Black Men and Depression challenges the African American community and the psychiatric community to end the suffering of black men, and address what can be done by loved ones to help those who need it most."

#African American books #black men and depression #john head #African American studies #psychology #black books #black studies

" A selection of eighty-one folktales from the many cultures that exist south of the Sahara, African Folktales includes tales of the Hausa and the Ashanti, the Bantu, the Bushmen, and the Zulu. The narratives, which range from the mythical tale to the humorous anecdote, are divided into four categories: I. The Universe and Its Beginnings II. The Animal and His World III. The Realm of Man IV. Man and His Fate"

#African Folktales #books #Paul radin #African books #african literature #African studies #black books #black studies #black literature

"The New Press is thrilled to publish the autobiography of a hitherto unknown hero, adventurer, and rebel - Nelson Peery. This remarkable and highly dramatic memoir was finished when Peery was "old enough to be honest with [him]self and the typewriter." But it was started when Peery was only twenty-four, and it retains all the innocence, sauciness, and hope of a young man who fully expected the world to live up to the promises and values he fought for in World War II. Raised during the Depression, Peery is the second son of the only black family living in a rural Minnesota town, where he quickly learns about race and class. Fleeing a life of limited opportunity and following an innate sense of adventure, Peery boards a train heading west, where he is taken in by a group of hoboes. Rarely have we seen - and never through the eyes of a young black man - the extraordinary resourcefulness and camaraderie that enables these men to survive the hardships of the Depression. When the war begins Peery joins the all-black 93rd Infantry Division: he is stationed first in the Jim Crow South and ultimately in the South Pacific. Frustrated by the hypocrisy of fighting abroad for opportunities denied blacks at home, Peery prepares to do battle, with both his mind and sword. Culminating in his increasingly insurrectionary acts, this is the classic story of the making of a revolutionary. It tells of the climate and experience that convinced Peery to war against racism and classism. Though he will be compared to Eldridge Cleaver and Malcolm X, the world Peery describes is a different one - that of Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright. Like Wright, Peery was eventually drawn to communism, but one of his owninvention: a worldwide revolution of people of color - which in the heady days of 1945 Peery thought would be the way of the future. Whether he's raising hell in Minnesota, fighting racism in Louisiana, or being seditious in the Philippines, Peery's adventures, coupled with his wry,"

#black fire #Nelson Peery #black books #black studies #black literature #African American books #African American studies #African American literature

" One of the most important works of twentieth-century American literature, Zora Neale Hurston's beloved 1937 classic, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is an enduring Southern love story sparkling with wit, beauty, and heartfelt wisdom. Told in the captivating voice of a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams, it is the story of fair-skinned, fiercely independent Janie Crawford, and her evolving selfhood through three marriages and a life marked by poverty, trials, and purpose. A true literary wonder, Hurston's masterwork remains as relevant and affecting today as when it was first published - perhaps the most widely read and highly regarded novel in the entire canon of African American literature." #theireyeswerewatchinggod #zoranealehurston #books #africanliterature #africanstudies #blackbooks #blackstudies #africanstudies #blackliterature

#theireyeswerewatchinggod #zoranealehurston #books #blackbooks #blackliterature #blackstudies

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates "In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden? Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward." #books #betweentheworldandme #tanehisicoates #africanamericanliterature #africanstudies #blackbooks #blackliterature #blackstudies

#books #between the World and Me #ta-nehisi coates #African American books #African American literature #African American studies #black books #black literature #black studies

Sex and Racism in America by Calvin C. Hernton "As remarkably and chillingly pertinent today as when it was first published in 1965, this now classic study dissects the intersecting myths of sex and race as they are played out in America. No one concerned with issues of race relations in the United States can overlook the conclusions of this book."

#books #sex and Racism in America #Calvin c. Hernton #African American books #African American literature #African American studies #black books #black studies #black literature

Taking Bullets: Black Boys and Men in Twenty-First Century America, Fighting Terrorism, Stopping Violence and Seeking Healing by Haki R Madhubuti Taking Bullets: Black Boys and Men in Twenty-First Century America Fighting Terrorism, Stopping Violence, and Seeking Healing starts a national debate on Black male empowerment with an urgency for the survival of a generation of Black men and boys who are confronted with disparity and adversity on the streets of every city in America. Haki Madhubuti speaks directly to these young men with an empathic understanding of their plight, yet he sees hope and a vision for their future. In Taking Bullets, he challenges community leaders, educators, and all of those individuals who directly impact the lives of our young men to develop sustained strategies to confront and challenge the systematic problems of police violence, mass incarceration and economic disparity. #books #hakirmadhubuti #takingbullets #africanamericanliterature #africanamericanstudies #blackliterature #blackstudies #blackbooks

#books #taking Bullets #Haki R. Madhubuti #African American books #African American studies #African American literature #black books #black studies #black literature

Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting by Terrie Williams Terrie Williams knows that Black people are hurting. She knows because she's one of them. Black Pain identifies emotional pain -- which uniquely and profoundly affects the Black experience -- as the root of lashing out through desperate acts of crime, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, workaholism, and addiction to shopping, gambling, and sex. Few realize these destructive acts are symptoms of our inner sorrow. Black people are dying. Everywhere we turn, in the faces we see and the headlines we read, we feel in our gut that something is wrong, but we don't know what it is. It's time to recognize it and work through our trauma. In Black Pain, Terrie has inspired the famous and the ordinary to speak out and mental health professionals to offer solutions. The book is a mirror turned on you. Do you see yourself and your loved ones here? Do the descriptions of how the pain looks, feels, and sounds seem far too familiar? Now you can do something about it. Stop suffering. The help the community needs is here: a clear explanation of our troubles and a guide to finding relief through faith, therapy, diet, and exercise, as well as through building a supportive network (and eliminating toxic people). Black Pain encourages us to face the truth about the issu In Black Pain, Terrie has inspired the famous and the ordinary to speak out and mental health professionals to offer solutions. The book is a mirror turned on you. Do you see yourself and your loved ones here? Do the descriptions of how the pain looks, feels, and sounds seem far too familiar? Now you can do something about it. Stop suffering. The help the community needs is here: a clear explanation of our troubles and a guide to finding relief through faith, therapy, diet, and exercise, as well as through building a supportive network (and eliminating toxic people). Black Pain encourages us to face the truth about the issue that plunges our spirits into darkness, so that we can step into the healing light. You are not on the ledge alone

#black pain #books #Terrie Williams #African American studies #African American books #African American literature

Visions for Black Men by Na'im Akbar "Visions for Black Men raises issues which are not only important to black men but to all of us. How do we restore African manhood to those whom the society has not viewed as the chosen people? Discover the startling prediction of the mystical tradition of Ancient Africa-- that the descendants of a once great nation will raise again." #naimakabar #visionsforblackmen #books #africanamericanliterature #africanamericanhistory #africanamericanstudies #blackliterature #blackstudies #blackbooks

#Na'im Akbar #Visions for Black Men #books #African American books #African American literature #African American studies #black books #black literature #black studies

Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o Ngugi describes this book as '"a summary of some of the issues in which I have been passionately involved for the last twenty years of my practice in fiction, theatre, criticism and in teaching of literature.' East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda): EAEP" #ngugiwathiong #decolonisingthemind #books #africanliterature #africanstudies #blackbooks #blackliterature

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