African American Almanac: Day-By-Day Black History [Library Binding]

Kenneth A. Mimms (Author), Leon Thomas Ross (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1997

Congress prohibited slave trading in 1808, Lincoln University was chartered in 1854, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and in 1916 Carter G. Woodson published the first issue of Journal of Negro History-all on January 1 of their respective years. This is a day-by-day guide to African American achievements and those happenings that have affected their history, including the birth dates of many significant men and women. The people and events are drawn from all walks of life: politics and government, civil rights, sports, entertainment, journalism, court decisions, writers and others. The work is fully indexed.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up. The preface of this problematic compendium of facts promises a list of "significant events in African American history." Arranged chronologically by day of the year, entries are brief, ranging from a few sentences to a few paragraphs. Events listed under a particular day represent different years and are not necessarily interrelated. For example, browsing reveals that the NAACP was founded exactly 100 years after the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Unfortunately, cross-references to related dates are provided only sporadically. Curiously, the introduction of "the Flo-Jo fashion doll" on February 13, 1989, (with a brief mention of her Olympic medals) is the only reference to the accomplished athlete, Florence Griffith-Joyner. Dominique Dawes, the first black female gymnast to be included on a U.S. Olympic team is absent. Compare that to five entries for Mike Tyson. Also, be aware that the index provides eight references to Marion Barry, the mayor of the District of Columbia, but no entry for Carol Moseley Braun, the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate. More comprehensive, objective, and authoritative tools, such as The African American Almanac (Gale, 1996) and Sharon Harley's Timetables of African-American History (S & S, 1995), make this slim volume supplementary at best.?Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Another generalist title among the plethora of recent works about African American history, this volume arranges events by day of the year, without regard to the year itself. The format is not readily useful to reference librarians, with the possible exception of the classic "what happened on this day in history" assignments. A brief section covers "Significant Events Not Associated with a Single Day, by Year," but it is unclear why an event like Gwendolyn Brooks's winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1950 is cited here in a single sentence without noting the date. Furthermore, the sparse paragraphs for each subject leave one in want of more detail. Better choices are The Negro Almanac (Gale, 1989. 5th ed.) and Deborah G. Straub's African American Voices (Gale, 1996. 2 vols.), both of which include chronologies in addition to more in-depth biographical and historical sketches. Librarians seeking a reference work that "record[s] events initiated by or associated with African American persons"?an aim of this volume, according to the authors?would be better served by Joan Potter and Constance Claytor's African American Firsts (Pinto, 1994). Purchase only for larger libraries with extensive African American history collections.?Lisa Powell Williams, Moline P.L., Ill.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding: 183 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899506755
• ISBN-13: 978-0899506753
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,066,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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