Races Books

This is an excellent book to be used in a history class I'm taking. Normally I'm not too sure about books I'm asked to get for classes such as this, but it turned out to be an excellent read. I would recommend it to anyone.

Gary Nash has done it again. He ponders whether abolition following the Revolutionary War would have been possible. He provides the most detailed argument to date as to how and why it could of happened. I, being a historian myself, had previously accepted the opposition side and thought abolition would not of been possible following the revolutionary war due to states rights and the loose union established by the thirteen colonies during the war for independence, but Nash brings up some interesting points as to why this train of thought is an inaccurate portrayal of the times. The book also discusses some of the black leaders following the revolution and their attempts to gain an equal footing for blacks within the new republic. The political struggle of blacks during this period of American History is often untold, and Nash does an outstanding job of summing up what occurred in such a short and easy read that will leave you wanting more. I wholeheartedly reccomend this book to those who wish to explore a forgotten part of our history. For further reading on the subject I would reccomend "Washington's Decision," "Water from the Rock," and "The Negro in the American Revolution."

Gary Nash's _The Forgotten Fifth: African Americans in the Age of Revolution_ is an excellent introduction to early U.S. history, particularly the Revolutionary Period, from an African American perspective. What becomes clear from his study is that American history and the story of the nation's founders cannot be understood without a thorough examination of the lives and contributions of African Americans.

Much of the groundwork for these lectures is contained in Nash's 1991 work, _Race and Revolution_, which is an excellent companion to this work because it excerpts the writings and petitions of the black founding fathers: people like Richard Allen, Benjamin Banneker, Prince Hall, and James Forten. Nash reminds readers of an important fact: African Americans were actively involved in the debates of the Revolutionary Period and in the military action as well, fighting on both the American and the British side. In terms of the military involvement, white and black soldiers fought side-by-side in integrated units in the Revolutionary War, a phenonemon which would not re-occur until the Korean War, nearly two hundred years later.

The first chapter "The Black Americans' Revolution" discusses African Americans' participation in the Revolutionary War, a subject that is generally not widely known in the United States. Nash describes the large flight of slaves and freemen to the British-side who offered emancipation in 1775 through Lord Dunmore's Emancipation Proclamation. In contrast, the American forces offered freedom in exchange for one year of military service. For the colonials, wide-spread emancipation was never offered despite the enlightenment rhetoric expressed in the Declaration of Independence and in state constitutions.

Nash begins chapter one by crediting previous historians and, in particular, William C. Nell, whose _Colored Patriots of the American Revolution_ (1855) was the first historical account of black soldiers fighting for the Americans. Nash discusses how Nell, a black school teacher in Boston, focused exclusively on black patriots, de-emphasizing black participation on the British side. The emphasis of Nell's history advanced a political argument for black citizenship and rights in the 1850s, during a period when rights were being retracted in the North.

Chapter two "Could Slavery Have Been Abolished?" looks closely at the contradiction between the Declaration of Independence, with its statements about unalienable rights, and the Constitution, which inscribed legal slavery. Nash makes a convincing case that there was an opportunity for abolition at the beginning of the Republic, which was later sacrificed to short term political interests reflecting the North and Mid-Atlantic states' lack of conviction. Nash criticizes the trend among professional U.S. historians to apologize for the founding fathers' inaction on abolition--the view that historical circumstances did not permit abolition at this time. Nash offers insights about the conflicted views and attitudes of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson on slavery.

The third chapter discusses citizenship and the hardening of racial codes in the 1800s. African Americans' rights and freedoms in the North and Mid-Atlantic states were being curtailed by legislation barring blacks' participation in civic life and foreclosing economic opportunities. Much of the chapter contrasts the views of two Philadelphians: James Forten, a black patriot of the Revolutionary War, and Tench Coxe, a white politician who published pamphlets on race in American in the 1810s and 1820s. Nash threads the discussion of Forten's and Coxe's views throughout the chapter in order to discuss black and white views on race and citizenship in the early 1800s.

A final comment is that this book is very readable in a way that academically-oriented histories often are not. Nash is a diligent scholar and a strong writer with a gift for brevity. As a result, the book can be enjoyed in a few sittings, yielding rewards well worth a reader's time. The footnotes lead in many different directions, and point out new areas of interest for amateur and professional historian alike. There is a wealth of knowledge in this short book.

_The Forgotten Fifth_ can be read profitably by high school, college, and graduate students. It is an important study that will enrich and deepen one's understanding of American history.

This book should be mandatory reading for any course about the civil rights or black arts movement of the 60s. Freedomways magazine, edited by Esther Cooper Jackson, chronicled the entire civil rights and black arts movement with insightful analysis, critique and articles. Includes work by W.E.B. DuBois, James Baldwin, Alice Walker, Angela Davis, and other legendary Black poets and writers who first started out by publishing in the magazine. Also, it provides interesting research on the struggle for social, civil, and political rights here in this country and abroad. A must read as many of the articles within the "Reader" have never been published elsewhere.

this is a Great book that covers so much Historical important information.a wide view of knowledge of the struggle all here.a must have.books like this cover so much.

From 1961 to 1986, Freedomways published the words and thoughts of the leaders of the freedom movement; yet few modern Americans have heard of the publication. Esther Cooper Jackson and Constance Pohl's Freedomways Reader gathers key writings from the pages of the various Freedomways booklets, charting the struggles for racial equality and providing an oral history of black freedom struggles, from reports of the Freedom Riders to short stories.

This book will make you think. It may make some people angry, but when reading it, it is worth asking yourself if it is disturbing because the author is challenging the message of the bible, or challenging the way you have always understood what the bible says about race.

Some people may not like it because they want the bible to be racist.

Hays writes from personal expeirence of race issues, and has carefully researched the biblical corpus on this topic.

The New Studies in Biblical Theology series, edited by Don Carson, contains many terrific books, of which this is one of the most interesting that I have read, though I eagerly await the opportunity to delve into more of them.

At the tiem of writing there are 21 in the series, including several beauties from fair dinkum Aussie authors.

Another book that complements this one is Yamauchi's Africa and the Bible.

Finally, someone has written a book that is unbiased about race. As Hays points out, as a white person, its not uncommon to hear the belief that there is not a race problem. Ask a black person that same question and he will say there is a problem. Well, if one side says there isn't a problem and the other side says there is a problem...then there is a problem in fact. Hay presents a clear biblical, archeological, and historical proof of blacks role in the Bible--which is bigger than some want to know which is sad. This is a must read for all people, black or white (or any other color). This book will encourage you and help you to move past seeing people's colors and to start seeing them as God sees them.

I praise God for Hayes' work! As an African American Pastor it is difficult to adequately express how breath taking I found Hayes' book. From Every People and Nation is a work that speaks powerfully and eloquently on what I judge to be the most important ecclesiastical issue of our generation! Is that an overstatemenet? I would argue that to have that reaction is to prove that it isn't. The evangelical Church on American soil will never amaze anyone and will hardly rise to the level of a city set on a hill, unless it confronts its racism on both sides of the black white divide.

From Every People and Nation is todate the finest work I've encountered on the subject. It is well written, evincing compelling exegesis of the relevant biblical texts and moves along redemptive historical lines. The conclusions Hayes draws are sober, sane, and sagacious. From Every People and Nation will long stand as in invaluable resource to any preacher, missionary, or Christian worker struggling for ways to formulate a thoughtful, relevant, theology of race in the postmodern era. It is a shot in the arm and invaluable suppliment to the many woefully inadequate biblical anthropologies and ecclesiologies of our day.

Oh, how I wish that this book would come to enjoy a wide circulation. It should be required reading in every seminary and bible college in the country!

Sara Mitchell Parsons was one of the true heroes of the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta. As a white woman from a privileged background, she took on the racist status-quo of Atlanta as a school board member and constantly and intelligently challenged the city to provide quality education for black and white students alike and to integrate the schools. She knew when it was time to leave her hidebound racist husband and she knew when it was time to leave the Civil Rights Movement though she continued to work for equal education for her entire life. She was a courageous and forceful influence for many young men and women of the 60s in Atlanta. I was one of those.

I'm standing in the Great Hall of one of Birmingham, Alabama's largest cathedrals, chatting amicably with two nicely-dressed white women who are pillars and patrons of their church. Wonder how it is possible that these two genteel ladies turned out to be so very, very different form their contemporary, Sara Mitchell Parsons.
These three women are Privileged White Class people, educated in the ways of the Old South, conversant with all-white country clubs, free from racial persecution of any kind.
What made Parsons reverse direction, give up social standing and become an Atlanta civil rights activist in a day and time when to do so was actually a life-endangering act?
Why did the other two women remain placid and content in their social roles and blatantly disdainful of all civil rights activities of black people, even to this day? "They (Those Black People) just aren't grateful. They don't appreciate the fact that we (White Folk) gave them good livings and brought them up from the savages they were."
This book is a plain-spoken narrative about a white person's journey through the confines of bigotry, racism, intolerance, hatred and concrete-solid Tradition. Parsons comes out on the other side feeling a lot better about herself and a lot less tolerant herself--intolerant toward the status quo of Southern White Bigotry.
Take a look at this modest book. It came out at a time when the McWhorter book about Birmingham got lots of well-deserved attention, occluding the release of smaller books like this. But this, too, deserves your notice. It tells a similar story, but without all the spice, lenghthy detail and scholarly overstatement. Both books should be issued together in a slipcase.
(For a copy of the entire review of this book, contact me at jimreedbooks.com)

Sara Perry was raised as the typical southern white lady. She was to assume the role of dutiful wife, devoted mother and hostess for her husband's social set. As Sara Mitchell she carried out her role of the southern house-wife which included a lovely home, Negro maid and status in the upper class community of Buckhead in Atlanta, GA.

All was going well for this southern white matron but the seeds of discontent stirred in her life. She wanted more out of life than a role. Slowly but surely a change was to occur which would change her life and the fabric of the world in which she grew up.

Contained in these pages in the memoir of a woman who had it all but made the step to get involved in the battle for civil rights regardless of the cost. Her battle ground was the Atlanta school board, her church, family and marriage. Caught up in the fervor of the Civil rights movement we see how a woman of privilege made the steps of becoming an activist.

Parsons' story is an eye-opener of the role southern white women played in the movement. Her being a part of the affluent class makes her story all the more remarkable due to the pressures she would endure. Her tale is one in which everyone should read to get an understanding of the thoughts and feelings of a woman who put her status at risk.

What I find most interesting concerning her tenure on the Atlanta school board are the issues she addresses concerning education in addition to the integration question. The issues she addressed in the 1960s are the same ones with us in the year 2000. You will get an idea about how "concerned" the majority of the board was with education.

This dynamic woman broke the rules of convention of her day. She of course is not a saint but an example to follow in having the courage and fortitude to step out for what is right. I highly recommend this as a primary text for those studying education, civil rights, and female empowerment.

Anyone interested in community organizing, legal advocacy on behalf of community groups, and environmental justice work will benefit from this book's in-depth analysis of the struggles and achievements of neighborhood groups battling environmental injustice, and its valuable insights into community organizing strategies and the role of lawyers and the legal system in promoting social change. Although the authors fully acknowledge the prevalence of racism in our society and the lack of easy fixes to the problems faced by disadvantaged communities, they nevertheless convey an inspiring sense of idealism and optimism about the future possibilities for "the movement".

The story tells about history and environment racism. It has a very good idea of racism. It also talks about environmental justice. People would like this book. Two thumbs and eight fingers up!

For those people who want a wide-ranging introduction to the environmental justice movement and its legal arm, this is the place to turn. Written by a movement lawyer activist and a legal academic, this book captures the social and legal evolution of the environmental justice movement in a way that highlights the work of the communities themselves. Vigorously written, the book would be worth the price just for the chapter on transformative politics and its comprehensive annotated bibliography. A must have.

a wonderful roller coaster ride for both children andadults. you will be enthralled as you read these beautiful poems ofchildhood discovery,written with beautiful and heart tugging imagery, humor, and prose. Run and add to your shopping cart.

Quiddle with words, swing to the tree tops with ghosts, jump and giggle with frogs. Kristine O'Connell George must surely be a sprite who has a pixie philosophy seasoned with an empathic maturity. Kids love these poems and so do I! Read them aloud, one a night, little gifts for your child to imagine just before sleep. The Kate Kiesler illustrations light up the page and capture attention.

This book is a must buy!

A wonderful thing happened to me as I read Kristine O'Connell George's poems. I discovered a younger, quirkier me--the child I once was. There she was, taking the time to talk to a tree, to notice the polliwogs, "stubby as toes", to stand in the rain's "strands of wet thread". And there she was again, dreaming of "wind in my hair" atop an old nag that wasn't going anywhere.

I like to remember myself as a kid who saw life and movement and humor in the most surprising of places. Surely that was Kristine George, too. Even now she doesn't think it's odd to imagine the "strong-jawed grin" of a monkey wrench or the loyalty of an old metal bucket, or the dreams of the garden hose as it "wonders what to be when it grows up". Maybe if Kristine and I had been best friends then, or if I'd had this lovely, compassionate, dream-affirming book, I'd have taken the time to write more poems. I would have been inspired to "quiddle" with words and images that gave me pleasure. And that's just what the poet invites her readers to do.

Every time I read this book I marvel at the perfection of the poetic images. My ear takes pleasure in the music of the words. I am drawn into the lush, evocative paintings by Kate Kiesler.

But best of all, there's The Great Frog Race of my childhood, "over quickly", but recaptured beautifully in this book

My daughter and I read book 2 in the series before book 1. Both were wonderful. We can't wait for book 3. Why don't we hear more about authors like this?

This is a wonderful book for children. I bought it for my niece, who is nine; however, my nephew, twelve, loved it. He an his friends couldn't put it down. It should be marketed more gender neutral than for girls. It's fun and exciting. I can't wait to read the other title!

I read this book with my second grader and was delighted at how fast paced it was. We couldn't put it down. The story was fun and lively and the characters were likeable and could be easily related to. We can't wait for more!

This is a first-rate history of the Communist Party and its fellow-travelers in Alabama during the depression. It describes the Party during the "third period" and the popular front era. While it does not discuss the ulterior motives of the Party in any great detail, it does help to establish the positive role of the Communists in the prehistory of the civil rights movement. It also gives glimpses of the life in the Party in Alabama including Communist songs sung to the tune of spirituals, and African-American Young Pioneers. In addition, book discusses the courage of the Communists in resisting racism.

The attempt by radicals in the 1930's to change this country for the better has not found its rightful place in popular or high school history. This book helps to remedy that omission.

Kelley has produced a powerful and startling history of the deep south in the 1930s. He tackles a difficult subject both historically and ideologically (the relationship between poor black sharecroppers and the American Communist party). His tireless efforts at writing this book shine out of the pages unquestionably as does his deep, thoughtful intelligence. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in subversive U.S. history or just in a good read.

This book is great, it undermines the conventional treatments of afro-american history and although it is focused in the south it takes a genuine look at the struggle to free the shackles from Afro-americans and lift the blanket of opressions.

This moving saga carries the reader through the changing tapestry of events and emotions that punctuate the daily lives of four-year-old Will Falke and his family. We are part of the most intimate experiences of Will, his parents, his sisters and others he loves, who love him. These are experiences that touch us deeply. We feel the stinging pain of the injured eye, the poignant implications of memories lost, the depth of an anger that resists release. In the family's meadow, in the milk barn with Sister, the library stacks with Miss Jones, the music captures us, the poetry engages us, the honesty speaks to us. William Wallis has penned moments of sadness, fear, joy and the simple but endearing love that bonds the family and captures our hearts.

Unresolved grief, guilt, pain and sadness from family members play a large part in young Will Falkes' life. Considering him a "dreamer" his father, Ray, directs unspeakable rages toward him. Because of her poor health moments with his mother, Ruth, are rare but precious. Will has own pain from a split-second accident to his eye. Many strangers become friends, teachers, and storytellers to the eager Will. A savior to the family is Lennie, Ray's sister. She understands and loves them all and helps to bring a measure of healing. Lennie's relationship with Ruth is biblical like Ruth and Naomi. Recalling the Hawk's graceful soaring Will can escape from strife to a place of peace and quiet.

Louise Martin Brown

The art of Southern storytelling lives in William Wallis' Hawk. With touching memories and haunting scenes, the reader is drawn into the basic courage of young Will's life. Memorable characters such as Alma, a kind and patient nurse who teaches Will to read; Ruth, Will's fragile mother who teaches him a love for classical music and singing; Tyree, his gentle neighbor who pays attention to him; and his complexly cruel father, Ray, shape this narrative as well as our protagonist's life. Throughout the story the image of a wild hawk emerges to carry Will and the reader through to a sense of freedom. Though each of our own memories are personal, shared they become universal. In this homage of a young boy trying to make sense of his life, we all finally appreciate beauty and truth.

Wow, Wendell Berry wrote this book when he was only 34. At the Wisconsin Book Festival, Rick Bass said it was his favorite Wendell Berry book. It is an amazing chronicle of a man looking honestly at his beliefs and his culture regarding racism and trying to wipe away the cob webs and face the real life effects on blacks and whites alike.

This book was published in 1970 and I don't think our culture has yet faced the "wound" as Berry tries to in this book as illustrated by the reaction to Barack Obama's "Racism" speech. By chance the next book I picked up to read is a compilation of essays about the state of America, "These United States: Original Essays by Leading American Writers on Their State Within the Union" edited by John Leonard. The first essay is by Diane McWhorter as she discusses these same issues in present day Alabama. It is subtitled "The Past is Still Not Past". I highly recommend it as a continuation of the issues discussed in "The Hidden Wound".

It's hard to believe Berry first published this essay in 1970. It is still a cutting edge exploration of the way in which racism is a disaster for white people. He writes beautifully and movingly about the self interest of white people to end racism and the deep life changes necessary to do it.

Wendell Berry, English professor at the University of Kentucky and farmer of his family's farm in Kentucky, comes to grips with the burden of being the descendent of slave owners. Like so many white Americans, he wants racism to end and does not want to pass either the guilt or the racism on to the next generations. Here he tries to address the many complex issues of racism in this country. People of all races will be engaged by his fine writing and sensitivity. You might want to look at some of his other books as well. Fidelity is a series of gracious short stories exploring the relationships between individuals and families in a small Kentucky town called Port William. He has picked up this theme in several other books as well. He is well known for his poetry which is published in collections and in another one of my favorites, Sabbath.