Social Science : African-American Studies

Breaking nearly eight decades of silence, Essie Mae Washington–Williams comes forward with a story of unique historical magnitude and incredible human drama. Her father, the late Strom Thurmond, was once the nation's leading voice for racial segregation (one of his signature political achievements was his 24–hour filibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1957, done in the name of saving the South from "mongrelization"). Her mother, however, was a black teenager named Carrie Butler who worked as a maid on the Thurmond family's South Carolina plantation. Set against the explosively changing times of the civil rights movement, this poignant memoir recalls how she struggled with the discrepancy between the father she knew–one who was financially generous, supportive of her education, even affectionate–and the Old Southern politician, railing against greater racial equality, who refused to acknowledge her publicly. From her richly told narrative, as well as the letters she and Thurmond wrote to each other over the years, emerges a nuanced, fascinating portrait of a father who counseled his daughter about her dreams and goals, and supported her in reaching them–but who was unwilling to break with the values of his Dixiecrat constituents. With elegance, dignity, and candor, Washington–Williams gives us a chapter of American history as it has never been written before–told in a voice that will be heard and cherished by future generations. more...

Price: $11.95

In Revolution Televised, Christine Acham offers a complex reading of African American television history, finding within programs like Sanford and Son and Good Times opposition to dominant white constructions of African American identity. Revolution Televised deftly illustrates how black television artists operated within the constraints of the television industry to resist and ultimately shape the mass media’s portrayal of African American life. more...

Price: $57.00

Beloved Friends, Acts of Faith, more affectionately known as 'the purple book,' has truly taken on a life of its own. It has crossed gender lines to foster understanding, racial divides to create peace, religious barriers to encourage tolerance, and has become somewhat of a lantern for those seeking a better way of life. I have been told it has .. more...

Price: $17.99

This book explores the significant relationship between western classical mythology and African American women's literature. more...

Price: $69.95

Presents profiles of more than 25 African American religious leaders for young adults. Part of the "Black Stars" series, this book tells the stories of African American religious leaders from different periods in history, including Peter Williams; Henry McNeal Turner; Martin Luther King, Jr; and T D Jakes. more...

Price: $24.95