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The Black Calhouns: From Civil War to Civil Rights with One African American Family
In The Black Calhouns, Gail Lumet Buckley—daughter of actress Lena Horne—delves deep into her family history, detailing the experiences of an extraordinary African-American family from Civil War to Civil Rights.
Beginning with her great-great grandfather Moses Calhoun, a house slave who used the rare advantage of his education to become a successful businessman in post-war Atlanta, Buckley follows her family’s two branches: one that stayed in the South, and the other that settled in Brooklyn. Their paths intersected with many prominent figures including Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Walter White, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Langston Hughes. Through the lens of her relatives’ momentous lives, Buckley examines major events throughout American history. From Atlanta during Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow, to New York City during the Harlem Renaissance, from world wars to the civil rights movement, this ambitious, brilliant family witnessed and participated in the most crucial events of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Combining personal and national history, The Black Calhouns is a unique and vibrant portrait of six generations during dynamic times of struggle and triumph.
Beginning with her great-great grandfather Moses Calhoun, a house slave who used the rare advantage of his education to become a successful businessman in post-war Atlanta, Buckley follows her family’s two branches: one that stayed in the South, and the other that settled in Brooklyn. Their paths intersected with many prominent figures including Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Walter White, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Langston Hughes. Through the lens of her relatives’ momentous lives, Buckley examines major events throughout American history. From Atlanta during Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow, to New York City during the Harlem Renaissance, from world wars to the civil rights movement, this ambitious, brilliant family witnessed and participated in the most crucial events of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Combining personal and national history, The Black Calhouns is a unique and vibrant portrait of six generations during dynamic times of struggle and triumph.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
368 pages, Paperback
Published February 14, 2017
About the author
Gail Lumet Buckley
17 books32 followersGail Lumet Buckley is a journalist and the daughter of Lena Horne. Her family history — The Hornes — became an American Masters documentary, and she narrated a documentary on black American families for PBS. She has written for the Los Angeles Times, Vogue, the New York Daily News, and The New York Times. She lives in New York.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/gail-lum...
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/gail-lum...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 4, 2018
#9 of 120 books pledged to read in 2018
February 2, 2017
This book is historical, political, and memoir. It covers an extensive period -- from civil war and Reconstruction to the Civil Rights movement. The author, Gail Lumet Buckley, traces generations of her family, beginning with her great-great grandfather, Moses Calhoun to her mother, Lena Horne. Moses, an ex-slave, through perseverance and literacy established a business of his own and commenced a middle-class for the family. Buckley drew comparisons between one branch of her family that stayed in the south and the other branch that moved north. She detailed the racist attitude and actions that prevailed in the south, and the effects of Jim Crow. Those in the north had opportunities but everything wasn't easy.
The "star" of the book is the author's mother, Lena Horne. This woman was truly a star as she was in the movies, and a great jazz singer. Buckley talked about the many occasions when Lena sang to packed venues. She mentioned many well-known actors and singers with whom Lena associated. In addition, there were meetings with political individuals including senators, US President, and political organizations. It was evident that Buckley admired and respected Lena, who reportedly was still performing at aged 80. Buckley emphasized education and determination as the instruments that saw her black family rise to middle-class status.
I think it was a vast undertaking the author took on in writing this book. Some names were mentioned, but not much said to identify their significance in the unfolding historical picture. There were some repetitions but they did not detract from the flow of the book. The book is good reading because it deals with discrimination which is still evident in American politics today.
An annoying issue for me was the many times the author talked about some person having different shades of black, and who might pass as being white. She mentioned that Lena could pass as being white, yet Lena was not accepted in the south for acting parts in a movie because she was seen as being black in the south.
The "star" of the book is the author's mother, Lena Horne. This woman was truly a star as she was in the movies, and a great jazz singer. Buckley talked about the many occasions when Lena sang to packed venues. She mentioned many well-known actors and singers with whom Lena associated. In addition, there were meetings with political individuals including senators, US President, and political organizations. It was evident that Buckley admired and respected Lena, who reportedly was still performing at aged 80. Buckley emphasized education and determination as the instruments that saw her black family rise to middle-class status.
I think it was a vast undertaking the author took on in writing this book. Some names were mentioned, but not much said to identify their significance in the unfolding historical picture. There were some repetitions but they did not detract from the flow of the book. The book is good reading because it deals with discrimination which is still evident in American politics today.
An annoying issue for me was the many times the author talked about some person having different shades of black, and who might pass as being white. She mentioned that Lena could pass as being white, yet Lena was not accepted in the south for acting parts in a movie because she was seen as being black in the south.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews