Biography

A groundbreaking book two decades in the works that tells the story of how a brilliant writer-turned-activist, granddaughter of a mulatto slave, and the first lady of the United States, whose ancestry gave her membership in the Daughters of the American...

The Space Age began just as the struggle for civil rights forced Americans to confront the long and bitter legacy of slavery, discrimination, and violence against African Americans. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson utilized the space program...

The acclaimed author of "The Other Wes Moore "continues his inspirational quest for a meaningful life and shares the powerful lessons--about self-discovery, service, and risk-taking--that led him to a new definition of success for our times. "The Work...

Best known for his 1970 polemic "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," Gil Scott-Heron was a musical icon who defied characterization. He tantalized audiences with his charismatic stage presence, and his biting, observant lyrics in such singles as "The...

"Essence "magazine is the most popular, well respected, and largest circulated black women's magazine in history. Largely unknown is the remarkable story of what it took to earn that distinction." "The Man from Essence" depicts with candor and insight...

In THE NOBLE HUSTLE Colson Whitehead does for participatory journalism what he did for zombie novels in ZONE ONE: Take one literary genius, add $10,000 and a seat at the World Series of Poker, and stir. On one level, Colson Whitehead's THE NOBLE HUSTLE...

In this "inspiring memoir about the real power of courage and hope" (Kirkus Reviews), lifelong activist Shirley Sherrod explains why she was fired from the USDA under false charges and how she stood up against the politics of fear. Sherrod was a lifelong...

A riveting eyewitness account of the Davis family's courageous struggle against America's flawed criminal justice system.ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2011, Troy Anthony Davis was put to death by the State of Georgia. Davis's execution was protested by hundreds of...

Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker is the first installment in the long-awaited portrait of one of the most talented and influential musicians of the twentieth century, from Stanley Crouch, one of the foremost authorities on jazz...

A groundbreaking neuroscientist shares the harrowing and inspiring story of his life growing up in one of Miami's toughest neighborhoods. He reveals how it led him to his pioneering work that is redefining our ideas about drug addiction. A pioneering...

This collection includes compelling conversations between acclaimed writer Walker and other significant literary and cultural figures, including Gloria Steinem, Howard Zinn, and Pema Chodron. Noted scholar Byrd sets Walker's work into context with an...

In 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Johnson and five fellow soldiers were captured and taken as prisoners of war. Johnson, America's first black female prisoner of war, shares the story of her capture and imprisonment in Iraq and her rescue. In...

Frank B. Wilderson, III is the award-winning author of Red, White, &Black: Cinema and the Structure of US Antagonisms(forthcoming) and the director of Reparations . . . Now(in progress).In 1995, a South African journalist informed Frank B. Wilderson, one...

Published on the 100th anniversary of Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson's world-famous arctic journey Originally published in 1912 as "A Negro Explorer at the North Pole" by the renowned African American explorer Matthew Henson, this compelling...

Poet, dramatist, novelist, critic, teacher, and political activist Amiri Baraka, born LeRoi Jones, vividly recounts his crusading role in African American literature. A driving force behind the Black Arts Movement, the prolific Baraka retells his...