Being a Black Man: At the Corner of Progress and Peril

by Kevin Merida

Over the last 100 years, perhaps no segment of the American population has been more analyzed than black males. The subject of myriad studies and dozens of government boards and commissions, black men have been variously depicted as the progenitors of pop culture and the menaces of society, their individuality often obscured by the narrow images that linger in the public mind. Ten years after the Million Man March, the largest gathering of black men in the nation's history, Washington Post staffers began meeting to discuss what had become of black men in the ensuing decade. How could their progress and failures be measured?

Their questions resulted in a Post series which generated enormous public interest and inspired a succession of dynamic public meetings. It included the findings of an ambitious nationwide poll and offered an eye-opening window into questions of race and black male identity -- questions gaining increasing attention with the emergence of Senator Barack Obama as a serious presidential contender. At the end of the day, the project revealed that black men are deeply divided over how they view each other and their country.

Now collected in one volume with several new essays as well as an introduction by Pulitzer Prizewinning novelist Edward P. Jones, these poignant and provocative articles let us see and hear black men like they've never been seen and heard before.

Genres: Nonfiction

377 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2007

Reviews

[Billy Taylor]

Took a while to finish this one. Chalk with personal stories that mirror those of my friends and myself. Good reminder of the reality we each face as black men and the seemingly overwhelming odds that are stacked against us.

Feel the pain of the hopeful and hopeless; at the same time understanding how blessed I am to have walked my path. If not for the grace of God, there go I.

[Adrienna]

There's a wealth of information that is either you can learn from, gather from, or an instant reminder of what Black people...especially men undergo. There were a couple chapters I enjoyed greatly, especially "Bob Johnson on Black Wealth" in part 3 of the book. Another chapter is "Why are Black Men in Prison" of which is so on point. This chapter is before learning about black wealth...most black men are in prison because they are seeking wealth in all the wrong places and ways such as drug dealing (or thru substance abuse), and most are in poverty stricken areas and only see illegal methods to become rich.

What I liked most about the chapter thereafter, "...Black Wealth" is that main question when you see a black person with wealth:
1. Once they have accumulated wealth, they should give back to Black communities or areas. The interview with Bob Johnson, "Black people are very uncomfortable talking about wealth accumulation and wealth preservation because you don't get recognized for being wealthy. You get recognized for giving it away, but not for accumulating it."
2. Most white people (journalists) do not believe in black wealth creation. "..what you are supposed to do, you're not supposed to be rich. You're supposed to be giving this money back."

This question was posed to me about a week or so again why black wealthy people do not give back to Black folks in so many words. This is a legitimate answer.

Disclaimer: I borrowed a copy to give an honest review.

[Charles]

Being a Black man represented me a chance to see various channels of the entire Black male experience. While mine is not one that many of heard of numerous times other were new to me and it was eye opening. I am troubled by the state of things in Black culture however that is a small part of the total Black experiene and should not be given more light than the brillance that shines everyday!

[Karen]

this book is based on a six-month-long series conducted in 2006 by the Washington Post about the various incarnations of being a black man in America. themes are diverse and the collection was well written and sourced.

[Elyssa]

I give this book 4.5 stars. It provided in-depth stories behind the statistics about black men. All of the profiles were captivating and provided more insight for me than other books about this topic.

[Jessica]

I am reading this in a book group at work and am equally motivated, saddened, inspired and infuriated by the stories and information it provides. It is a compilation of articles and therefore an easy book to pick up and read in small chunks.

[Ginna Rinkov]

This book is divided into chapters on individual's stories and chapters on larger themes. They all tie together to show the different faces of black men in america today. A very quick read. Eye opening.

[Tunde]

this collection of essays did a great job of not only showcasing successful black men or black men whom are struggling but every type of black man in between. i particularly liked the interviews of the religious figures as well as bob johnson. good inspiration being a black man.

[D]

I worked with African American colleagues for many years and they taught me (raised as a WASP) so much. I wish I had read this book at that time, altho my childhood on the streets of New York was a good head start.

[Karla]

An insightful look into the world that my son faces. Well-written, captivating, and inspiring.

[Trish]

This was a fascinating book that was well written and very interesting. Men of very diverse backgrounds and occupations were profiled.

[Rachel]

Upon reading this book, I discovered a friend from college is highlighted. The perspectives and various roads of the men in this piece really opened my eyes.

[Jay Starks]

Perfectly aligned essays. Each store was relatable.