Customer Reviews

The Negro in the Making of America: Third Edition Revised, Updated, and Expanded

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
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I read this book for my African American history class, and I don't think I would have read it if it hadn't been for the class, but I really liked it! I learned a lot that I know I'll take with me for years to come. All the really big important African American leaders are represented here, and all of their portraits are exciting...

Negro in the Making of America would be an essential addition the the library of anyone - African-American or not - who seeks to understand how black Americans have contributed to the development of this country. Quarles includes MANY little known facts about the African-American experience that historians have tended to either diminish or overlook entirely. One of the best aspects of the book is that Quarles does not write in a vacuum - this book can be used as a supplement to a traditional history of the United States. All in all, a fantastic book for anyone who cares to learn about the contributions of a generally marginalized group of Americans.

Benjamin Quarles is a noted historian, who has written several monographs, including THE NEGRO IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, BLACK ABOLITIONISTS,and a biography, FREDERICK DOUBLASS. After retiring, Quarles was the Emeritus Professor of History at Morgan State University. I was fortunate enough to meet him during that time. He continued to come to his office to read, and to meet with anyone, who wanted to talk to him. THE NEGRO IN THE MAKING OF AMERICA was first published in 1964, and has been used in many classrooms since then. This text is also great for anyone, who is looking for an introduction to Black American history. It provides the major themes and events from the West African antecedents to 1986. He covers the major historical eras, including the colonial experience Americanized, slaves and free blacks, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the World War Years, and the Civil Rights Movement and other black social movements. In addition, he covers music, visual arts, television, film, and sports. Moreover, the work highlights social, political and cultural leaders and others, who have had a major impact on the development of the United States. Since it is a text, it is an easier read than most monographs. I highly recommend this work for those, who are wishing to build their library in Black American history

This book provides a wonderful summary of African-American history--it's comprehensive and full of little known historical facts. I think this book provides a very good starting point for anyone that would like to learn more about African-American history. BUT, the grammar, syntax, use of cliches and lack of organization may prove distracting for many readers. I read this book after reading a book on how to improve my own writing and many of the "writing don'ts" in that book find a home in this book. HOWEVER, the information was worth the frustration.