African American Studies – Selected Biographies II

African American Studies – Selected Biographies II

	Al Sharpton by Hal Marovitz The life and achievements of Al Sharpton, minister, civil rights activist, and politician.
	Alice Walker: A Life by Evelyn C. White A full-length portrait of the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer draws on letters, journals, and interviews to discuss her birth into a family of Georgia sharecroppers, the childhood accident that left her blind in one eye and sympathetic to human suffering, her activism during the 1960s, and her literary achievements. 30,000 first printing. – (Baker & Taylor)
	And Not Afraid To Dare: The Stories Of Ten African- American Women by Tony Bolden Biographical portraits of ten African-American women including Leontyne Price, Toni Morrison, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
	Becoming Something: The Story Of Canada Lee by Mona Z. Smith A former investigative reporter for The Miami Herald reconstructs the largely forgotten life of Canada Lee, a famous black actor, civil rights advocate, and political activist, who was “blacklisted” and buried in the anti-Communist backlash of the McCarthy era. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Benjamin Banneker: Astronomer And Mathematician by Laura B. Litwin A biography of the eighteenth-century African-American who taught himself mathematics and astronomy and helped survey what would become Washington, D.C.
	Betty Shabazz: A Remarkable Story Of Survival And Faith Before And After X by Russell Richford Profiles Betty Shabazz's life before, during, and after her marriage to Malcolm X, exploring her efforts to move beyond the often extraordinary personal tragedy touching her and her family. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Black Hands, White Sails: The Story Of African American Whalers by Pat McKissack A history of African-American whalers between 1730 and 1880, describing their contributions to the whaling industry and their role in the abolitionist movement. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Damn Rare: The Memoirs Of An African American Bibliophile by Charles Blockson
	The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. And The Speech That Inspired A Nation by Drew Hansen Describes the 1963 March on Washington and continues with an analysis of King's history-making speech, examining it as a political treatise, a work of poetry, and an effectively delivered sermon filled with biblical imagery. 100,000 first printing. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Dream Boogie: The Triumph Of Sam Cooke by Peter Guralnick A portrait of the influential gospel singer and songwriter covers his early experiences as a choir boy, the impact of the civil rights movement on his career, and the mystery surrounding his death. – (Baker & Taylor)
	A Gentleman Of Color: The Life Of James Forten by Julie Winch In A Gentleman of Color, Julie Winch provides a vividly written, full-length biography of James Forten, one of the most remarkable men in 19th-century America. – (Oxford University Press)
	Harriet Tubman: The Road To Freedom by Catherine Clinton A biography of the fugitive slave turned “conductor” on the Underground Railroad describes Tubman's youth in the South, her escape to Philadelphia, her efforts to liberate slaves, and her work for the Union Army. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Her Dream Of Dreams: The Rise And Triumph Of Madam C.J. Walker by Beverly Lowry A portrait of the first female self-made millionaire describes her birth in 1867 to former slaves, the creation of her cosmetics empire, and her work as a philanthropist and women's rights champion. – (Baker & Taylor)
	In Black And White:the life of Sammy Davis, Jr. by Wil Haygood Traces the entertainer's entry into the vaudeville circuit at the age of six, his early career, and his achievements on Broadway, in Hollywood, and in Las Vegas in the face of pre-civil rights movement racial tensions. – (Baker & Taylor)
	In The Black: A History Of African Americans On Wall Street by Gregory S. Bell In the Black tells the heroic stories of intrepid pioneers who battled against overwhelming odds to prove that they had the intelligence, ambition, and drive to succeed in the heady world of high finance. Author Gregory Bell, the son of Wall Street pioneer Travers Bell, introduces you to scores of unsung heroes whose vision and tenacity opened doors for many who were to follow. – (WILEY)
	Hope In Search Of The Promised Land: A Slave Family In The Old South by John Franklin Focuses on the experiences of the Thomas-Rapier family to analyze race relations in the antebellum South, as well as to provide an in-depth look at the turbulent nature of American society in the era that followed. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Knocking Down Barriers: My Fight For Black America by Truman K. Gibson Follows Gibson's career from his time as a member of President Truman's “Black Cabinet” to his struggle for civil rights in the military. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Langston Hughes: American Poet by Alice Walker Accompanied by stunning illustrations that capture the Harlem Renaissance, an intimate portrait introduces readers to Langston Hughes, one of the greatest American poets of the twentieth century, by tracing the life of this literary master who fought for freedom for African Americans in his writings. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Last Man Standing: The Tragedy And Triumph Of Geronimo Pratt by Jack Olsen Describes the twenty-seven-year battle to vindicate Elmer Gerard “Geronimo” Pratt, a Vietnam veteran and Black Panther Party leader convicted in a trumped-up case of murder, in an intriguing study of government conspiracy and judicial abuse. 25,000 first printing. – (Baker & Taylor)
	A Lawyer’s Life by Johnnie Cochran The lawyer best known for his part in leading O.J. Simpson's defense team traces his career, efforts to promote change, participation in several high-profile cases, and work for race relations. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Mirror To America: The Autobiography Of John Hope Franklin by John Franklin An eminent African-American scholar recalls a century of memories as an advocate for civil rights, from urging the Roosevelt administration to respond to the Cordie Creek lynching through his involvement in the Civil Rights movement. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Mrs. Lincoln And Mrs. Keckly: The Unlikely Friendship Between A First Lady And A Former Slave by Jennifer Fleischman A historical portrait set against the backdrop of the antebellum South and the Civil War explores the remarkable friendship between First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and her dressmaker and confidante, Elizabeth Keckly, a former slave. – (Baker & Taylor)
	On Our Way To Beautiful: A Family Memoir by Yolanda Young The nationally syndicated columnist describes growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, her coming of age in a lively African American family, and the hard-won values and religious faith that she discovered along the way. – (Baker & Taylor)
	The Pact: Three Young Men Make A Promise And Fulfill A Dream by Sampson Davis Follows the experiences of the authors, three friends who grew up in impoverished families in Newark, New Jersey, and who supported one another in their dreams of becoming doctors in spite of tremendous disadvantages. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Richard Wright: The Life And Times by Hazel Rowley Traces Wright's rise from a Mississippi sharecropper's shack to international fame, describing his writings, his role as an outspoken critic of racism, his expatriate life, and his relationship with other notables of his time. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon by Aram Goudsouzian The life and career of Sidney Poitier are analyzed in this biography of the actor, highlighting his work as the only black leading man during the civil rights era and the honors he has received for his work for racial equality in Hollywood. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Somebody’s Someone: A Memoir by Regina Louise A foster-care child recounts her abandonment by her parents, her victimization at the hands of more than thirty abusive foster caretakers, her rediscovery of her dysfunctional birth parents, and her ongoing quest to find love and acceptance. – (Baker & Taylor)
	The Soul Of A Butterfly: Reflections On Life’s Journey by Muhammad Ali The legendary boxer discusses the spiritual values that have shaped him, reflecting on the deepest meanings of life, the principles of Islam, moral courage, belief in God, and the responsibilities of fame and family. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Spike Lee: That’s My Story And I’m Sticking To It by Kaleem Aftab The provocative filmmaker describes his early achievements in the 1986 film, She's Gotta Have It, through his contributions to such movies as Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X, in a personal portrait complemented by numerous firsthand accounts that also discuss the role of race in his work and his relationships with famous stars. 40,000 first prinitng. – (Baker & Taylor)
	The Thunder Of Angels: The Montgomery Bus Boycott And The People Who Broke The Back Of Jim Crow by Donnie Williams A detailed look at the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott, based on extensive interviews and exclusive documents. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Toni Morrison: Great American Writer by Lisa Rhodes Describes the life and work of the author of “The Bluest Eye” and “Beloved,” who became the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature for her novels depicting the African American experience. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Vernon Can Read: A Memoir by Vernon Jordan Describes his coming-of-age in the pre-Civil Rights south, education at a predominantly white college, efforts to register African American voters, presidency of the National Urban League, and survival from an assassination attempt. – (Baker & Taylor)
	Unchained Memories: Readings From The Slave Narratives by No Author A highly personal history of slavery delves deeply into the personal histories of slaves for firsthand accounts of this terrible institution, in a collection of period reminiscences of the back-breaking labor, abuse, family life, slave auctions, and emancipation. – (Baker & Taylor)
	What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted: A Memoir by E. Lynn Harris The author recounts his life, from his childhood in Arkansas as a lonely closeted gay boy, through his years at the University of Arkansas and employment at IBM, to his hard-earned success as a bestselling author. – (Baker & Taylor)
	What Color Is A Conservative: My Life And My Politics by J.C. Watts A portrait of the U.S. congressman covers such topics as his confrontation with Jesse Jackson on race and victimization, and the role of his faith in his political career. – (Baker & Taylor)