Celebrating Black Stories Titles

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Titles Found: 61
98% Funky Stuff
98% Funky Stuff (4 Formats) ›
By Maceo Parker
Trade Paper Price 15.99

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Published May 2016

Revealing the warm and astonishing story of an influential jazz legend, this personal narrative tells the story of a man’s journey from a Southern upbringing to a career touring the world to play for adoring fans. It tells how James Brown first discovered the Parker brothers—Melvin, the drummer, and Maceo on sax—in a band at a small North Carolina nightclub in 1963. Brown hired them both, but it was Maceo’s signature style that helped define Brown’s brand of funk, and the phrase “Maceo, I want you to blow!” became part of the lexicon of black music. A riveting story of musical education with frank and revelatory insights about George Clinton and others, this definitive autobiography arrives just in time to celebrate the 70th birthday of the author—one of the funkiest musicians alive—and will be enjoyed by jazz and funk aficionados alike.

A Seat at the Table
A Seat at the Table (3 Formats) ›
By Glenn L. Starks, By F. Erik Brooks
Cloth Price 30.00

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Published Mar 2024

When Shirley Chisholm was asked why she would dare run for president, her response was, why not her?
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm rose from being the child of immigrants to the United States to running for the highest office in the land. She was both the first African American woman elected to the US Congress and the first African American woman of a major political party to make a serious run for president of the United States.
These achievements were not in spite of her background but rather because of it. She persevered by being steadfast in her political convictions and unwilling to compromise on the issues she believed in. Chisholm directly challenged the political establishment and gave a political voice to so many segments of society that were historically ignored—women, racial minorities, young people, the gay community, domestic and agricultural workers, and the poor—not only in her home district in Brooklyn, New York, but across the country.
Her run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination may not have ended in victory, but it was successful in forging a grassroots campaign that united diverse Americans behind a candidate who championed their collective interests. Her efforts laid the groundwork for change then, now, and in the future.
Without Shirley Chisholm there may not have been a Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, or Kamala Harris.
Afrofuturism
Afrofuturism (4 Formats) ›
By Ytasha L. Womack
Trade Paper Price 16.95

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Published Oct 2013

Comprising elements of the avant-garde, science fiction, cutting-edge hip-hop, black comix, and graphic novels, Afrofuturism spans both underground and mainstream pop culture. With a twofold aim to entertain and enlighten, Afrofuturists strive to break down racial, ethnic, and all social limitations to empower and free individuals to be themselves. This book introduces readers to the burgeoning artists creating Afrofuturist works, the history of innovators in the past, and the wide range of subjects they explore. From the sci-fi literature of Samuel Delany, Octavia Butler, and NK Jemisin to the musical cosmos of Sun Ra, George Clinton, and the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, to the visual and multimedia artists inspired by African Dogon myths and Egyptian deities, topics range from the “alien” experience of blacks in America to the “wake up” cry that peppers sci-fi literature, sermons, and activism. Interviews with rappers, composers, musicians, singers, authors, comic illustrators, painters, and DJs, as well as Afrofuturist professors, provide a firsthand look at this fascinating movement.

Against All Tides
Against All Tides (4 Formats) ›
By Marv Truhe
Cloth Price 28.99

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Published Oct 2022

Simmering racial tensions inflamed by discriminatory punitive measures sparked a violent confrontation aboard the USS Kitty Hawk while it was engaged in air strikes off the coast of North Vietnam. 

The US Navy charged Black sailors with rioting and assaults on White sailors in an incident referred to as a race riot, while totally ignoring violent unprovoked assaults committed by White sailors and Marines.

Author Marv Truhe was a Navy JAG defense lawyer seeking justice for the accused Black sailors. Truhe possesses one of the most complete collections, personal or institutional, of original source documents of the Kitty Hawk incident and its legal aftermath—trial transcripts, investigation reports, hundreds of sworn statements and medical reports, federal court pleadings, and case files and witness interviews.

How could virtually all official and unofficial accounts of the incident have placed blame for the incident solely on twenty-three Black sailors? How could they have been subjected to blatant racial injustices without their story being told until now? 

It is time to reveal the uncomfortable answers to these questions and expose the injustices perpetrated against these twenty-three young men.
All the Dreams We've Dreamed
All the Dreams We've Dreamed (5 Formats) ›
By Rus Bradburd
Cloth Price 26.99

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Published May 2018

Shawn Harrington returned to Marshall High School as an assistant coach years after appearing as a player in the iconic basketball documentary film Hoop Dreams. In January of 2014, Marshall’s struggling team was about to improve after the addition of a charismatic but troubled player. Everything changed, however, when two young men opened fire on Harrington’s car as he drove his daughter to school. Using his body to shield her, Harrington was struck and paralyzed. The mistaken-identity shooting was followed by a series of events that had a devastating impact on Harrington and Marshall’s basketball family. Over the next three years it became obvious that the dream of the game providing a better life had nearly dissolved. Author Rus Bradburd tells Shawn’s story with empathy and care, exploring the intertwined tragedies of gun violence, health care failure, racial assumptions, struggling educational systems, corruption in athletics—and the hope that can survive them all.
All These Sunken Souls
All These Sunken Souls (4 Formats) ›
Edited by Circe Moskowitz, By Kalynn Bayron, By Ashia Monet, By Liselle Sambury, By Samira Ford, By Joel Rochester, By Joelle Wellington, By Brent C. Lambert, By Donyae Coles, By Ryan Douglass
Cloth Price 18.99

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Published Oct 2023

Welcome to the Dark.
 
We are all familiar with tropes of the horror genre: slasher and victims, demon and the possessed. Bloody screams, haunted visions, and the peddler of wares we aren’t sure we can trust. In this young adult horror anthology, fans of Jordan Peele, Lovecraft Country, and Horror Noire will get a little bit of everything they love—and a lot of what they fear—through a twisted blend of horror lenses, from the thoughtful to the terrifying.
 
From haunted, hungry Victorian mansions, temporal monster–infested asylums, and ravaging zombie apocalypses, to southern gothic hoodoo practitioners and cursed patriarchs in search of Black Excellence, All These Sunken Souls features the chilling creations of acclaimed bestsellers and hot new talents.
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Contributors
Kalynn Bayron @KalynnBayron
Ashia Monet @AshiaMonet
Liselle Sambury @LiselleSambury
Sami Ellis @themoosef
Joel Rochester @fictionalfates
Joelle Wellington @joelle_welling
Brent C. Lambert @BrentCLambert
Donyae Coles @okokno
Ryan Douglass @ryandouglassw
Circe Moskowitz @circemoskowitz
America's Black Founders
America's Black Founders (4 Formats) ›
By Nancy Sanders
Trade Paper Price 18.99

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Published Jan 2010

Celebrating the lesser known but significant lives and contributions of our nation’s early African American leaders, this multicultural complement to most children’s books on the American Revolution covers a wide spectrum of subjects, including military, art, religion, and science. Weaving the histories of dozens of men and women—soldiers, sailors, ministers, poets, merchants, doctors, and other community leaders—to properly recognize them among the founders of the United States of America, this text gives a better sense of what these individuals accomplished and the times in which they lived. Activities include celebrating Constitution Day, cooking colonial foods, publishing a newspaper, petitioning their government, and more. This valuable resource also includes a time line of significant events, a list of historic sites to visit or explore online, and Web resources for further study.
Assata
Assata (4 Formats) ›
By Assata Shakur, Foreword by Angela Davis
Trade Paper Price 18.95

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Published Nov 1999

This presents the life story of African American revolutionary Shakur, previously known as JoAnne Chesimard.
Be The Artist
Be The Artist (4 Formats) ›
By Thomas Evans
Cloth Price 21.95

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Published Feb 2020

This go-to guide can be your handbook as you enter the art world and navigate the nuances of becoming self-sufficient. Instead of feeding you new techniques, it will provide you with insights to help you make decisions based on your specific situation and goals. By the end of this book, you will have a set of guidelines for scenarios that range from taking on commission work and conducting negotiations to dealing with rejection and improving your organization. Be the Artist is designed to help up-and-coming creatives educate themselves on essential yet seldom-discussed strategies, learn about new and relevant artists, and gather the resources they need to build their business.
Bessie Stringfield
Bessie Stringfield (2 Formats) ›
By Joel Christian Gill, Foreword by Sheena C. Howard
Trade Paper Price 23.95

Trade Paper, PDF

Published Oct 2016

Imagine a five-foot-two-inch-tall woman riding a Harley eight times across the continental United States. Now imagine she is black and is journeying across the country in the pre-Civil Rights era of the 1930s and ’40s. That is the amazing true story of Bessie Stringfield, the woman known today as The Motorcycle Queen of Miami and the first black woman to be inducted into the American Motorcyclist Association Hall of Fame and the Harley Davidson Hall of Fame. Stringfield was a pioneer in motorcycling during her lifetime; she rode as a civilian courier for the US military and founded the Iron Horse Motorcycle Club in Miami, all while confronting and overcoming Jim Crow in every ride.
Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll
Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll (3 Formats) ›
By Jean Beauvoir, With John Ostrosky, Foreword by Kermit Blackwood
Cloth Price 27.99

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Published Mar 2022

The life and career of Haitian American musician Jean Beauvoir, a member of the legendary New York City punk band the Plasmatics

Jean Beauvoir joined the Plasmatics in 1979, playing bass and keyboards for the most notorious band to emerge out of the New York City punk scene. By 1982, he was a member of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, a retro-rock revival act headed by Steven Van Zandt. The Disciples of Soul videos played on MTV during the network’s earliest years, making Beauvoir one of the first Black recording artists to cross the start-up music channel’s “color line.” 

Beauvoir went on to become a multi-platinum artist, producer, and songwriter. Bet My Soul on Rock 'n' Roll follows his ride through the American music industry, detailing his encounters with rock stars such as Bruce Springsteen, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Lita Ford, as well as the actor Sylvester Stallone, the billionaire executive Richard Branson, and even Donald Trump. Beauvoir also considers the manner in which his Haitian heritage has shaped his public image, his music, and his role as an activist for the dispossessed and the poor.
 
Beauvoir’s collaborations—and stories—span genres, including work with KISS, Debbie Harry, Lionel Richie, and the Ramones
 
Birthing Liberation
Birthing Liberation (3 Formats) ›
By Sabia Wade
Cloth Price 28.99

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Published Mar 2023

Birthing Liberation presents reproductive justice as the pathway to equity and the birthplace of liberation.

Sabia C. Wade, renowned radical doula and educator, speaks to the intersections of systemic issues—such as access to health care, house transportation, and nutrition—and personal trauma work that, if healed, have the power to lead us to collective liberation in all facets of life.

Collective liberation rests on the idea that in order for us all to have equity in this world—from the safety of childbirth, to the ability to bring a baby home to a safe community, to having access to resources, safety, and opportunities over the long term—we must all become liberated individuals.

Birthing Liberation creates a path to social and systemic change, starting within the birthing world and expanding far beyond.
Black Girl IRL
Black Girl IRL (3 Formats) ›
By Gail Hamilton Azodo
Trade Paper Price 19.99

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Published Mar 2024

Ebony Get Lit! March 2024 Pick 

Whatever happened to the regular Black girl?
The one who works a nine-to-five or maybe owns her own business or is completing her master’s. Or how about the one figuring out how to be a good mom or wife or daughter? Or the one that’s doing all the above?
Hi, that’s a lot of us. Black women are doing it all, and it’s not just the Oprahs and Beyoncés. There’s an entire group of us that are just, well, regular. We’re handling things, like determining if we should speak up in that work meeting and risk becoming the “voice” for all Black women, or considering whether tonight is the night to introduce our silk hair bonnet in the relationship that is just getting serious. These decisions range from impactful to trivial, but they shape who we are.
So where is our place for this type of girl talk and unfiltered sharing? Gail Hamilton Azodo is your thirtysomething corporate ladder climber turned entrepreneur, mom, wife, and Black Girl IRL. In her dinners, happy hours, and group texts with Black women, they shared everything from motivational quotes to the latest in Black girl advice. Whether it’s how to cut ties with friends who no longer align with our purpose or how to talk about money and embrace Black women’s wealth, Gail is here to share these authentic stories of everyday Black women—with a fair number of frills.

Black Lives, American Love
Black Lives, American Love (3 Formats) ›
By D.B. Maroon
Cloth Price 27.99

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Published Nov 2023

"An eloquent and perceptive series of essays on Black lives in America" — Kirkus Reviews

In this hard-hitting collection of essays, D.B. Maroon presents a personal biography of America, Blackness, and racial politics with unflinching style, and delivers a relentless truth-telling on some of the country’s fiercest debates and most profound challenges.
 
From the birthplace of the Black Lives Matter movement to the murders of unarmed Black people, this essay collection invites readers to ask questions as much as it asks for accountability. Moving through debates on the 1619 Project to the rippling impact of resurgent white nationalism, the golden thread of each essay is the hopeful continuance of the Black community, as well as a call to greater truth as the first step toward reconciliation.
 
Intersectional, personal, and ultimately centered on truth, love, and perseverance, Black Lives, American Love details and tends to the fractures in American culture. It is a meditation on how we can all do more to secure America’s vastly beautiful possibilities for all its citizens, rather than a few.
Conviction
Conviction (4 Formats) ›
By Denver Nicks, By John Nicks
Cloth Price 26.99

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Published Jun 2019

On New Year’s Eve, 1939, Elmer Rogers and his wife, Marie, were preparing for bed when a shotgun blast sent buckshot deep into Elmer's rib cage. When Marie ran from the room, screaming for help, a second gunshot erupted. The eldest Rogers child grabbed his baby brother and ran while the middle child clung to the bed frame, paralyzed with terror. The intruders poured coal oil around the house and set fire to the front door before escaping. Within a matter of days, investigators identified several suspects: convicts who had been at a craps game with Rogers the night before. Also at the craps game was a young black farmer named W. D. Lyons. As anger at authorities grew, political pressure mounted to find a villain. The governor's representative settled on Lyons, who was arrested, tortured into signing a confession, and tried for the murder. The NAACP's new Legal Defense and Education Fund sent its young chief counsel, Thurgood Marshall, to take part in the trial. The NAACP desperately needed money, and Marshall was convinced that the Lyons case could be a fundraising boon for both the state and national organizations. It was. The case went on to the US Supreme Court, and the NAACP raised much-needed money from the publicity. Conviction is the story of Lyons v. Oklahoma, the oft-forgotten case that set Marshall and the NAACP on the path that led ultimately to victory in Brown v. Board of Education and the accompanying social revolution in the United States.