African American Lives-2000

Biography and Memoir

Black History Month 2000

Alexander, Adele Logan. Homelands and Waterways: The American Journey of the Bond Family. 1999.

This author’s family history explodes the stereotypes of the African American as the family rises from privation to middle class.

Armstrong, Louis. Louis Armstrong, in His Own Words. 1999.

A typewriter was Louis Armstrong’s constant companion during his life on the road, and he used it to compose a prodigious number of essays, letters, magazine articles and memoirs. Editor Thomas Brothers has compiled an engrossing selection of those writings in this volume. They span Armstrong’s entire life and reveal his thoughts on a wide array of subjects including race relations.

Barrett, Paul (Paul M.). The Good Black: A True Story of Race in America. 1999.)

As the true story of a poor boy who goes to Harvard and begins what he thought would be a successful rise up the corporate ladder, The Good Black is both a courtroom drama and an exposé of the racism that exists in the corridors of power in America.

Baxter, Freddie Mae. The Seventh Child: A Lucky Life. 1999.

What makes this memoir of a relatively poor, now elderly woman in New York City extraordinary is the resolve and outlook of Freddie Mae, the narrator. Born the seventh child in a small, poor South Carolina town, Freddie Mae saw her father leave the family when she was a child, and at the age of 19 she tried her fortunes in New York City, alternately as a domestic in white homes and as a saxophone player. Her pride and independence gives a broader meaning to the phrase, "a lucky life."

Beals, Melba. White Is a State of Mind. 1999.

Warriors Don’t Cry author Melba Beals continues her memoir in California living with a white family and healing from wounds inflicted by an angry country.

Bergreen, Laurence. Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life. 1997.

Recent best-selling movie soundtracks have re-awakened interest in the music of Louis Armstrong and have introduced a new generation to this cultural icon. Unfortunately, these songs and Armstrong’s sometimes clownish film persona do not do justice to the complex musician who revolutionized an art form and broke racial barriers—all while endearing himself to his audiences and colleagues. Bergreen’s new biography utilizes previously unavailable writings and recordings to paint a more complete portrait.

Black, Johnny. Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Experience. 1999.

A chronicle of Jimi Hendrix’s life in the words, memories and anecdotes of people who knew him best—family members, friends, and other musicians like Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney. Included are beautiful photographs which help convey the full flavor of Hendrix’s passion for music and performing.

Children of the Dream: Our Own Stories of Growing Up Black in America. 1999.

Thirty-eight African Americans, ages eleven to seventy-five, describe their formative experiences, covering everything from desegregation to hair-straightening.

Collins, Rodnell P. Seventh Child: A Family Memoir of Malcolm X. 1998.

Written by the sister and nephew of Malcolm X, one of the most powerful and controversial figures in American history, Seventh Child reveals an intimate, family-oriented man, as well as the stirring public figure.

Diedrich, Maria. Love Across Color Lines: Ottilie Assing and Frederick Douglass. 1999.

An examination of the 28-year relationship Douglass had with German journalist Assing.

Douglass, Frederick. Frederick Douglass: Selected Speeches and Writings. 1999.

This one-volume abridgement of the five-volume set compiled by Phillip S. Foner between 1950 and 1975 contains supplemental texts left out of the original work.

Dyson, Michael Eric. I May Not Get There with You: The True Martin Luther King, Jr. 2000.

Dyson reexamines King’s life to dispel the myths about him from both left and right and to reveal his complexities and thus his greatness.

Edelman, Marian Wright. Lanterns: A Memoir of Mentors. 1999.

This inspiring memoir written by the president of the Children’s Defense Fund celebrates the mentors she has had from her childhood in the segregated South of the ’40s and ’50s to the present. Her mentors have included the famous (Martin Luther King, Jr.) and the obscure (Theresa Kelly, a community elder). Edelman’s larger purpose, however, is to stress that everyone has the potential to be a mentor and to guide and enrich the lives of others.

Epstein, Daniel Mark. Nat King Cole. 1999.

Nat King Cole, a musical legend even while living, was as famous as Frank Sinatra and had sold more records than Bing Crosby. This absorbing biography brings Cole and his times to vivid life, exploring the exciting world of show biz along with Cole’s private life and personal turmoil.

Face of Our Past: Images of Black Women from Colonial America to the Present. 1999.

Some famous faces like Billie Holiday, Wilma Rudolph, and Rosa Parks appear in this grand collection of photographs, but the emphasis is on ordinary black women. Divided into nine parts including "Family Life," "Hair," "Resistance," and "Inner Life," the pictures constitute an outstanding addition to black women’s history.

Franklin, Aretha as told to David Ritz. Aretha: From These Roots. 1999.

Raised in Detroit, Franklin made her solo singing debut at age 10 at her father’s church. She went on to receive 17 Grammies and have more than 20 number-one hits. Her autobiography tells it all.

Graetz, Robert S. A White Preacher’s Memoir: The Montgomery Bus Boycott. 1998.

As pastor of a Lutheran church in a black neighborhood of Montgomery during the 1950s, Robert Graetz was drawn into the bus boycott that began the civil rights movement. By breaking through well-established racial barriers, he and his family became the object of white retaliation. This memoir recounts those days as a time of great risk and great reward.

Green, Ben. Before His Time: The Untold Story of Harry T. Moore, America’s First Civil Rights Martyr. 1999.

A biography of Moore from his early work for the NAACP and his defense of the Groveland Four (young black men convicted of assaulting a white couple) to his murder on Christmas Eve in 1951.

Havens, Richie. They Can’t Hide Us Anymore. 1999.

This warm, personal narrative by Richie Havens recounts a musical career that began amidst the creative explosion of Greenwich Village in the ’60s and brought together amazing talents, lush poetry, and social conscience, all to the betterment of American popular music.

Henry, Charles P. Ralph Bunche: Model Negro or American Other? 1999.

A penetrating biography of the first black Nobel Laureate, capturing the essence of Bunche’s services to America and the world.

Holden, Adele V. Down on the Shore: The Family and Place That Forged a Poet’s Voice. 1999, c2000.

What life was like growing up in the segregated area along Maryland’s eastern shore.

Jordan, Michael. Michael Jordan Speaks: Lessons from the World’s Greatest Champion. 1999.

Janet Lowe has compiled easy-to-read verbal snapshots of Michael Jordan from childhood to retirement. They reveal a well-balanced man, generous of spirit and modest about his great talent.

Kenan, Randall. Walking on Water: Black American Lives at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century. 1999.

The result of a six-year journey throughout the United States and over two hundred interviews, this moving narrative explores what it means to be black in the 1990s.

King, Martin Luther, Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: His Great Speeches in Their Original and Complete Form. 1986.

Includes his speeches recorded from 1963-68.

Kunjufu, Jawanza. Great Negroes, Past and Present. 1999.

A wide range of people from all walks of life are profiled; included are contemporary portraits of those in the arts and the world of athletics.

Liebowitz, Daniel. The Physician and the Slave Trade: John Kirk, the Livingstone Expeditions and the Crusade Against Slavery in East Africa. 1999.

A biography of a remarkable man, called upon by David Livingstone, who traveled across Africa as a physician, explorer, and botanist as well as a diplomat, trying to end the African slave trade.

Lydon, Michael. Ray Charles: Man and Music. 1998.

Not the usual "celebrity" biography of the musical genius, Ray Charles. The author tells of Charles’ Depression-era upbringing, his blindness and his driving musical ambition.

Majozo, Estella Conwill. Come Out the Wilderness: Memoir of a Black Woman Artist. 1999, c1998.

Noted poet, performance artist, and professor Estella Conwill Majozo chronicles her journey from a poor, segregated neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky, to being awarded one of the first Ph.D.s in African American literature.

Manis, Andrew Michael. A Fire You Can’t Put Out: The Civil Rights Life of Birmingham’s Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth. 1999.

The first biography of an unsung hero of the Civil Rights Movement, Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights founder Fred Shuttlesworth.

Marqusee, Mike. Redemption Song: Muhammad Ali and the Spirit of the Sixties. 1999.

Marqusee examines events and relationships in Muhammad Ali’s life that focus on black politics and culture in the 1960s. Ali’s refusal to fight in Vietnam, his embracing the Nation of Islam, and his associations with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X are used to illustrate the spirit of the sixties.

Massaquoi, Hans J. Destined to Witness: Growing Up Black in Nazi Germany. 1999.

A deeply felt memoir by the well-to-do son of a Liberian diplomat and German mother who witnessed Hitler’s rise and the horrific events that followed. Ostracized, living in constant fear, Hans’ gripping story is a testament to survival.

McDonald, Janet. Project Girl. 1999.

An honest and stark look at one woman’s journey from a low-income housing project in Brooklyn to becoming a graduate of Vassar and NYU Law School, ultimately to becoming a practicing attorney in Paris.

McMurry, Linda O. To Keep the Waters Troubled: The Life of Ida B. Wells. 1998.

In 1883, at age twenty, Ida B. Wells sued a railroad company for expelling her from a first-class coach. McMurry here illuminates the raging spirit of a leader who rivaled DuBois and presaged King.

Morgan, Joan. When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: My Life as a Hip-Hop Feminist. 1999.

An intimate look into the life of the modern black woman who finds her truth no longer in shades of black and white but in the subtler shades of gray.

Notable Black American Scientists. 1999.

Two hundred fifty-four biographical vignettes of scientists, educators, and physicians.

Patrick, Diane. Terry McMillan. 1999.

The unauthorized biography of the voice of a young professional African American woman.

Phillips, Donald T. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Leadership: Inspiration & Wisdom for Challenging Times. 1999.

Phillips here expands a series in which the lives and writings of famous Americans are scrutinized for lessons in how to lead.

Pioneers of the Black Atlantic: Five Slave Narratives from the Enlightenment, 1772-1815. 1998.

These autobiographies of a small group of Black Atlantic writers from the late 18th and 19th centuries refuted the popular idea that the blacks were unfit for letters.

Primus, Rebecca. Beloved Sisters and Loving Friends: Letters from Rebecca Primus of Royal Oak, Maryland, and Addie Brown of Hartford, Connecticut, 1854-1868. 1999.

This collection of letters penned by two 19th-century New England friends helps lay to rest the idea that average African American women left no written record of their historical existence. Two such women, Rebecca Primus and Addie Brown, were prolific letter writers. Differences in social status and education did not prevent Primus, a teacher, and Brown, a domestic servant, from becoming friends. It was a friendship that grew into romantic love, as Addie’s passionate letters to Rebecca demonstrate. Editor Farah Jasmine Griffin’s commentary provides social and historical context for the letters.

Robertson, David. Denmark Vesey. 1999.

This meticulously researched and gracefully written account of the attempted, massive slave rebellion in the early 1800s in the U.S. focuses on the leader, Denmark Vesey, the almost forgotten events themselves, and the social and political consequences still meaningful to our society today.

Robinson, Eddie. Never Before, Never Again: The Autobiography of Eddie Robinson, the Winningest Coach in the History of College Football. 1999.

This is a heartfelt, plain-spoken autobiography by the longterm football coach of Grambling University in Louisiana. Eddie Robinson downplays his achievements in sport and emphasizes his commitment to his family and his players. Having survived segregation and the upheaval of the civil rights movement, he sees hard work and responsible action as the best antidotes to racism.

Sampson, Anthony. Mandela: The Authorized Biography. 1999.

This treatment of one of the 20th century’s principal figures is an engrossing read. From his youth in the Transkei through his trial for treason and subsequent 27-year imprisonment, to his rise to the presidency of South Africa, Mandela’s story is one of courage, tenacity and, finally, triumph.

Shakoor, Jordana Y. Civil Rights Childhood. 1999.

The daughter of civil rights organizer Andrew Jordan uses her father’s journal and her own memories to document one family’s stand during turbulent times.

Shields, David. Black Planet: Facing Race during an NBA Season. 1999.

A wickedly funny, observant account of a season in the NBA. Following one team, the Seattle SuperSonics, we learn a lot about that team and a great deal more about the volatile forces of greed, racism, vanity and ignorance. Written with searing honesty by a white guy who loves basketball, this book is about much more than a popular sport.

Shipton, Alyn. Groovin’ High: The Life of Dizzy Gillespie. 1999.

In-depth portrait of the great jazz trumpeter and his pioneering role in the development of bebop.

Slevin, Kathleen F. From Stumbling Blocks to Stepping Stones: The Life Experiences of Fifty Professional African American Women. 1998.

This text uses in-depth interviews of 50 retired African-American professional females to intimately relate the challenges faced in their quest for success. This is an engaging portrayal of people actively confronting racism, sexism, and classism to take control of their lives and futures.

Snoop Doggy Dogg. Tha Doggfather: The Times, Trials, and Hardcore Truths of Snoop Dogg. 1999.

The rags to riches rapper Snoop Dogg (formerly Calvin Broadus) tells his life story in an energetic, streetwise style. He’s straightforward about his gang-banging days with the Crips but drops no new information about who murdered his good friend Tupac Shakur or Biggie Smalls. He gives credit to his mother and brothers for helping him survive his early days and to his wife, high-school sweetheart Shanté, and God for his new commitment to "increase the peace."

Souls Looking Back: Life Stories of Growing Up Black. 1999.

Can white folks ever understand what it’s like to grow up a person of color? Sixteen black and biracial students offer eye-opening first-person narratives.

Townsend, Henry. A Blues Life. 1999.

An enchanting oral history of the life of blues guitarist Henry Townsend. A firsthand account of a world long gone, the 1920s of St. Louis, that continues to influence a new generation of artists.

Vanzant, Iyanla. Yesterday, I Cried: Celebrating the Lessons of Living and Loving. 1998.

The latest from empowerment specialist Vanzant, touching on such themes as personal growth and forgiveness. Vanzant describes many of her own hardships and lessons she learned from them.

Walker, Alice. Anything We Love Can Be Saved: A Writer’s Activism. 1997.

Best-selling author Alice Walker speaks from the heart about her role as an activist and her belief that we can save the world, if only we act. These are the challenging words of a wise woman as she explores a variety of issues, large and small, private and public.

Wamba, Philippe E. Kinship: A Family’s Journey in Africa and America. 1999.

Both a family memoir and a well-researched exploration of three centuries of shared history between African-Americans and Africans, this deeply-felt book is an account of the author’s multinational childhood.

Weisenburger, Steven. Modern Medea: A Family Story of Slavery and Child-murder from the Old South. 1998.

The true story of fugitive slave Margaret Garner, whose actions were brought into focus again through Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved.

White, Armond. Rebel for the Hell of It: The Life of Tupac Shakur. 1997.

The first full-length biography of the famous rap singer explores his early exposure to racism and political activism, his drama studies, and the contributions he made to hip hop culture. The book also examines the larger issues of rap and ghetto culture and the black struggle for self-expression.

White, Barry. Love Unlimited: Insights on Life and Love. 1999.

Barry White’s distinctive mellow voice comes through in this autobiography which he wrote with Marc Eliot. In telling the story of his escape from the mean streets of South Central Los Angeles to present-day fame and affluence, he attributes his success to the two women most important in his life, his mother and "Lady Music." Photos of White from skinny childhood to robust adulthood and a discography complete the book.

Wiencek, Henry. The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White. 1999.

With the belief that only in acknowledging and embracing the past will we heal and transcend, The Hairstons is the story of seven generations of an American family—both black and white—coming to terms with the legacy of slavery.