BOOKSHELF - books on African American issues - Bibliography

Ebony, Feb, 2000

FOR African-Americans, February has a double meaning. It's the time to celebrate Black love and Black history--two sides of our collective soul. The love of African-Americans enabled us to survive the terror of slavery and its aftermath. History reminds us that we regain unity through remembering our greatness and accomplishments. What follows are some new titles that speak to this tradition of history and love:

Forced Into Glory: Abraham Lincoln and the White Dream (Johnson Publishing Company, $29.95), a revolutionary book that attacks one of America's long-standing "truths"--that Lincoln freed enslaved Africans, by author of the Black history classic Before the Mayflower and Ebony executive editor Lerone Bennett Jr. Forget everything you think know about Lincoln and his role as the "Great Emancipator," says the author, and prepare to be shocked: Lincoln was a racist who hoped to cleanse America by deporting Blacks to Africa. Bennett proves this statement with painstaking research and detail using sources such as historians, Lincoln contemporaries and even the words of the former President himself. It's a provocative notion made convincing through the story-telling and exhaustive research of this journalist and scholar.

It's About the Money (Times Business, $23), a guide to financial empowerment and independence, by the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. and Jesse L. Jackson Jr. with Mary Gotschall. Laced with anecdotes of everyday people who have learned the secrets of money management, the authors share important lessons for getting your financial house in order, including eliminating debt, buying a home, preparing for retirement and teaching children about saving. Just as emancipation, integration and enfranchisement helped to liberate African-Americans, wealth-building and money management, the Jacksons say, will be the fourth movement in the symphony for freedom.

The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks (Dutton, $24.95), a provocative analysis of the institution of slavery and the debt the U.S. owes African-Americans, by TransAfrica president and founder Randall Robinson, an activist who helped change policies during apartheid and toward Haitian refugees. This time, the author turns his sights on the shortcomings of America. Arguing that the country will never move forward until it deals with its legacy of slavery and discrimination, Robinson challenges Blacks to stop settling for political promises and instead gain self-determination through fighting for reparations and a place in history.

Through My Eyes (Scholastic, $16.95), a moving memoir written in the voice of a 6-year-old Ruby Bridges, the first African-American to integrate a New Orleans public elementary school, by Ruby Bridges. Unlike other accounts of the author's life, this one stands out for its immediacy. Readers get to experience the moment memorialized in a Norman Rockwell picture through the innocent eyes of youth, placing them in the authors' shiny first-day-of-school white shoes. The book is filled with fresh observations, like the one in which Bridges recalls her thoughts on facing a crowd of protesters and policemen outside her new school: "I thought maybe it was Mardi Gras ... Mardi Gras was always noisy." Written for children, the book is also a must-read for adults who seek greater understanding of Civil Rights history.

Understanding the Tin Man: Why So Many Men Avoid Intimacy (Doubleday, $22.95), a relationship book that opens a door on the Black male psyche--understanding the ways men cope with intimacy and love, by William July II. From the player to the well-meaning-but-confused, the author presents a primer on the different relationship styles of Brothers--how to decipher what they really mean, what they really want and when to stay and when to cut your losses. It's an engaging book that's full of insights for men and women on relationships, life and love.

All About Love: New Visions (William Morrow & Company, $22), a book that describes new ways to think about love, by bell hooks. Exploring concepts such as romance, destiny and healing, the author unravels common notions about love and weaves instead an understanding of a holistic love of community, family and self.

A Love Supreme: Real-Life Stories of Black Love (Warner Books, $23.95), a treasure-house of stories about Black couples whose love endures, by TaRessa and Calvin Stovall. From the marriage of Colin and Alma Powell to the bond of everyday couples, the authors share touching tales of lifetime unions.

Together for Good: Lessons from Filly-Five Years of Marriage (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $19.95), a memoir of more than a half-century of love and friendship, by Ella P. and Henry H. Mitchell. Sharing the secrets of their longevity, the couple recounts their struggles and successes in making their marriage and ministerial careers work.

American Slave Narratives (The Library of America, $40), a treasury of 10 narratives on the horrors of American slavery and the resilient spirit of Blacks who struggled for survival, edited by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and William L. Andrews. Sharing the stories of Olaudah Equiano, Nat Turner, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Jacobs among others, the editors present a comprehensive look at a defining time of history.