The Black New Yorkers: The Schomburg Illustrated Chronology [Hardcover]

The New York Public Library Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471297143 | ISBN-13: 978-0471297147 | Publication Date: October 26, 1999

The Black New Yorkers The Schomburg Illustrated Chronology Experience 400 years of African American culture and achievement in America’s greatest city "The Black New Yorkers will no doubt prove to be a document for the ages: a timely, highly informative record of the significant and multifaceted enrichment provided by our forebears and contemporaries to the evolution of one of the world’s greatest cities." —Jessye Norman "This fascinating book says to the world that New York has been made great by the achievements of many people, including the black New Yorkers who have struggled here, who succeeded here, and who continue to work to make this city great." —H. Carl McCall "The Black New Yorkers: The Schomburg Illustrated Chronology is a book for all New Yorkers and for all Americans. It chronicles our story—the lives and times of people who for nearly four centuries have been creating a presence and a voice for themselves in the city, the nation, and the world." —Maya Angelou from her Foreword Featuring more than 200 striking photographs, rare documents, and vintage illustrations from the Schomburg’s world-famous collection, and packed with thousands of fascinating details, The Black New Yorkers offers an unparalleled view of African American life. Afterword by David Dinkins

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Black New Yorkers is the companion volume to the Schomburg Center exhibit as well as a resource for the PBS history of New York City. With over 200 illustrations and 480 pages, it traces the nearly 400-year-old black presence in New York--from the appearance of the free Afro-Caribbean trader Jan Rodriguez in 1613, through the majesty of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, to the infamous 1998 Million Youth March. As Howard Dodson writes in his introduction, "Here is an unparalleled reference source designed to answer your questions about the history of Black New York," and "a fascinating story of great achievement and struggle in a dynamic global context." Indeed, we learn that West Indians and native-born blacks make Brooklyn, not Harlem, the largest concentration of people of African descent in the U.S. We also learn of Liberty, a mid-19th-century drawing of a black woman that may have been the model for the Statue of Liberty. We discover that the bebop revolution was ushered in by Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk in Harlem--and that salsa and Latin jazz were also born there, thanks to musicians such as Mario Bauza, Tito Puente, and Eddie Palmieri, who blended Afro-Cuban and Afro-American rhythms and musical forms. The collection also contains excellent biographical listings, from Samuel Cornish--founder of the abolitionist newspaper Freedom's Journal in 1827--to the city's first black mayor, David Dinkins. The Black New Yorkers reveals the wealth not only of the Big Apple but also of the Schomburg Center, arguably the most exhaustive resource on the African diaspora. --Eugene Holley Jr.

From Library Journal

These two volumes, both sponsored by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, concentrate on the black experience in America. In Black New Yorkers, Dodson, director of the Schomburg, and his coauthors trace the history of blacks in New York from 1613 to 1998, detailing the various voices, religions, and cultures that existed, then and now. The Desk Reference offers valuable information on topics such as civil rights, business, religion, and health, presenting it with charts, tables, time lines, and numerous other visual aids. (LJ 9/15/99)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 470 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (October 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471297143
• ISBN-13: 978-0471297147
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,256,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great History Book, February 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black New Yorkers: The Schomburg Illustrated Chronology (Hardcover)

The Black New Yorkers is the single-most complete history of African Americans in the United States that I have ever read! I was amazed to find the contributions of Africans extend so far back in New York's history. Indeed, I was not aware there were any blacks in New York prior to the 20th century Harlem Renaissance. There are literally hundreds of little known but important facts about black New Yorkers in this book. From the first black New Yorker, Jan Rodriguez, to the 2.3 million blacks who live in New York City today, this book has set a new standard for scholarship in American history.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You must have this book!, April 14, 2006

By 

Goldfish Gemma - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black New Yorkers: The Schomburg Illustrated Chronology (Paperback)

Excellent! I have yet to find another book that so eloquently and succinctly informs about the amazing contributions of African Americans to this City. This is a must read for EVERONE since our history and contributions are often over looked or not acknowledged.

9 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not comprehensive enough, December 9, 1999

By 

Susan McIntosh - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black New Yorkers: The Schomburg Illustrated Chronology (Hardcover)

Unless the authors are planning to do a book on Brooklyn New Yorkers, I am disappointed not to see text on my grandfather, George E. Wibecan, who was a noted activist and politician in Brooklyn from the turn of the century until his death in 1946. Materials and photographs are available at the Schomberg Library. I wanted to purchase this book for my family members. But when I realized that George Wibecan was omitted, I quickly changed my mind about its value to black families from outside Manhattan.