This book is the first comprehensive survey of the African-American experience. It draws on recent research to present black history in a clear and direct manner, within a broad social, cultural, and political framework. Life in sixteenth-century Africa, the antislavery movement, The Civil War, the building of black community institutions, the equal rights movement, and African-American military service. For anyone who is interested in an in-depth exploration of African-American history as it relates to U.S. history.
A stunning example of everything a history book should be. It includes plenty of primary sources, maps, graphs and brief life sketches of significant historical figures. This book shows that African-American history is important not just to African Americans but all Americans. It begins with a survey of pre-slave trade Africa. I took a class on African history, and this book included information that was overlooked even in that class. It ends with the election of President Obama and statistics on black America. In between it covers artists, scientists, politicians, lawyers, preachers, poets, musicians, inventors and more. It covers every significant period and event of US history with its bearing on black America.
Each chapter ends with a list of books on the covered topics and a list of historical sites you can visit that relate to the chapter. I would encourage anyone interested in African-American history to begin with this textbook and branch out from there.
This is an excellent textbook. I am presently using it as a required reading in one of my classes. The book provides a thorough overview of African American history from a good discussion of pre-colonial Africa, all the way through the 21st century in the United States. The text focusses on the men, women, and groups that helped define African American history. I truly enjoy the work of the scholar Darlene Clark Hine, and many of her other endeavors. This is a gem of a book, and I am very proud to use it in my class.