Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans [Paperback]

Roland Laird (Author), Taneshia Nash Laird (Author), Elihu "Adofo" Bey (Illustrator), Charles Johnson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 3, 2009

Still I Rise is a critically acclaimed work with an impressive scope: the entire history of Black America, told in an accessible graphic-novel form. Updated from its original version—which ended with the Million Man March—it now extends from the early days of colonial slavery right through to Barack Obama’s groundbreaking presidential campaign. Compared by many to Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Still I Rise is a breathtaking achievement that celebrates the collective African-American memory, imagination, and spirit.

 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This updated volume recounts the story of African-Americans in the United States from the year 1619 through the election of Barack Obama, and it's a compelling (if dense) chronicle of this incendiary period, from the indentured servitude that morphed into chattel slavery, emancipation, the civil rights movement and beyond. The comprehensive text may be worth a read, but the entire book is marred with amateurish artwork. Artist Bey displays only the most rudimentary of basic visual storytelling techniques; the layouts are haphazard, with the figures' hands and heads often cut off, and the grafittiesque/cartoony art style is inappropriate for the material. It's disappointing that a historical work with the potential for crossover appeal gets poleaxed by subpar visuals that trivialize the text. Parts of the book bear so little visual gravitas that it comes off as a black man's struggle coloring book, and that's a shame. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Inside Flap

"As a contribution to illustrated history from a black point of view," writes National Book Award-winning author Charles Johnson in the foreword of this book, "Still I Rise is a unique achievement, one that will be valued--like Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale and Larry Gonick's A Cartoon History of the Universe--by students, educators, collectors, and general readers for a long time to come." Newly available in an updated edition, the compelling and irreverent graphic history that recounts the entire scope of the African-American experience, now concludes with Barack Obama's groundbreaking 2008 presidential candidacy.

Still I Rise traces the epic struggles and victories of African-Americans in the face of racist obstacles and unfathomable hardships over the course of four decades. It follows the rise of slavery; the Nat Turner Rebellion; the military contributions of African Americans; the influence of the Memphis Free Speech newspaper written by crusader Ida B. Wells; the Great Depression of 1929; the birth of modern integration; Freedom Summer; the emergence of a new philosophy called Black Power; the Million Man March; and the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. Cultural milestones can also be found in these pages: from the Harlem Renaissance and the publication of Invisible Man to heritage festivals and contemporary artists who illuminate the complexity of African-American life. Heroic notables and visionaries are introduced: Frederick Douglass; Sojourner Truth; Madame C. J. Walker; Malcolm X; Martin Luther King Jr.; and many more. Lesser known luminaries are also featured, including Carter G. Woodson, who became the father of Black Studies in 1915 by starting the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, and Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, who started a one-woman campaign in 2000 demanding restitution from modern companies that played a direct role in enslaving African Americans.

The insightful text is sometimes acerbic, other times perceptively humorous, and always powerfully honest. Authors Roland Laird and Taneshia Nash Laird have supplemented their first-rate scholarship with a healthy dose of attitude. And illustrator Elihu "Adofo" Bey's artwork is both energetic and uncompromising.

Taking its title from a Maya Angelou poem, Still I Rise is a moving and inspirational account of the rich history of African Americans.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (February 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402762267
• ISBN-13: 978-1402762260
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #474,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Necessity is the Mother of Invention, January 28, 2009

By 

Beverly Jackson "avid reader" (Huntersville, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans (Paperback)

Still I Rise by authors Roland Laird and Taneshia Nash Laird and illustrator Elihu "Adofo" Bey takes us on a graphical journey of African American history from before slavery was formalized in this country until the election of the first African American President. The book starts off with a foreword by Charles Johnson discussing the challenges faced by black comic artists and the legacy passed on to future black artists. This sets the tone for the rest of the book. At the start of the graphical journey, the reader is introduced to two narrators who guide, educate, humor, and challenge each other, and thus the reader as the storyline progresses from 1618 to 2008.

As the storyline moves through the years, the reader is provided with an understanding of the historical period for the United States, the unique challenges faced by African Americans, and how the issues were addressed. The reader will gain knowledge of the economic, political, and social atmosphere for each era. This provides the context for understanding the need to keep "re-creating" solutions at times to solve continuing issues. The authors and illustrator are commended for providing a good balance of information for the wide time span presented. While the subject matter might be unpleasant at times, the book never falters in presenting a positive attitude along with hope and a strong urge to survive.

I recommend this book be used in schools as an aid to teaching history and should be included in all school library and public library collections. The graphical format of the book will appeal to most young readers and the presentation of the information will lead to many discussions. I also recommend this book for all African American homes as the unique format of the book will be enjoyed across generations.

Reviewed by Beverly
APOOO BookClub
January 27, 2009

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Done!, January 21, 2009

By 

Phyllis Rhodes (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans (Paperback)

Still I Rise is a graphical novel (aka "comic strip" style) structured around the history of America and the complex, interwoven African American contributions and sacrifices to its success and greatness. Two unnamed characters remain prominent serving as narrators providing supplemental commentaries setting the stage of the eras' social and political climates enhancing the history lessons within the pages. Opening in pre-Colonial times, it traces the events and issues surrounding indentured servitude, greed, and racism that eventually lead to legalized and institutionalized slavery of Africans. It celebrates and recognizes countless unsung and infamous heroes and leaders (of all races) as it progresses through four hundred years. The courage of African Americans is not lost when the book covers America's battles with the English, Spanish, and French, and eventually itself, nor does it spare the ugliness of racism, and the struggle endured during Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement. At its core, it is a book that chronicles survival, faith, hope, and perseverance against insurmountable odds.

The collection is one that should be required reading for students (the graphics would appeal to even the youngest and/o r attention-challenged readers). I also highly recommend it for more "seasoned" readers as well because of its unique depiction of history. Even the forward by Charles Johnson remains in context and addresses the challenges black illustrators faced in the early 20th century. As a history lover, I loved learning "new" bits of info (the actual names of ingenious people and the rational behind some historical and political decisions) and revisiting all that I knew. I plan to purchase copies for my nephew and niece as it is a tool to initiate those much needed conversations.

Reviewed by Phyllis
January 20, 2009
APOOO BookClub

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good and bad: a frustrating piece of work, February 10, 2010

By 

Dave Smith "D. Smith" (los angeles, ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans (Paperback)

The book looks terrific -- no, it's not as visually lovely or as sound on terms of composition and panel lay-out as many other similar works, let alone graphic novels, which is fine. The writing is spare and to the point, and much of what it has to say is valuable and said well. But there is much that is inaccurate here, in terms of the historical record, and I say this as a professor of American history. This does not mean that I am the fount and source of all accurate information on U.S. history, because much of the way history is told, taught, and written has to do with interpretation of data, which speaks to bias; however, when historical facts are purposely left out, or distorted, one can only assume this has to do with the agenda of the authors. I will cite only one example, but it is the one that is most glaring, and it has to do with the treatment of Bacon's Rebellion. The reader is told that the Virginian elites only decided to put down the rebellion because whites began to fight with one another; this is simply not the case. The planter class of Virginia resisted the rebellion from the start because, as an alliance of free whites, indentured servant, and African,s both enslaved and free, it was nothing less than a bid by the so-called "giddy multitude" to overthrow the government and strip the planters of their land, power, and perhaps their lives. Then the authors have the planters reviewing the consequences of the rebellion and stating that their great wealth was based on the labor of African slaves -- at this time, this was patently not the case. The backbone of the laboring class in Virginia until well AFTER the rebellion were English indentured servants, just as they made up the great majority of the rebels that had just been defeated. There was something less than 3,000 slaves in the colony at that time, and tens of thousands of indentured servants, and the main importance of the rebellion is that it brought an end to indentured servitude in Virginia, and it lead to the start of a large-scale effort to make African slaves the main component of the work force on the plantations. There are many other instances of misinterpreted or just plain wrong-headed information throughout the book, alongside many, many accurate portrayals of various historical events and personages. I would not buy this book for a younger reader for just this reason and I find the book doubly frustrating not simply because of the inaccuracies, which are the result of an agenda or lazy research, but also because uninformed readers like those whose reviews are present here alongside mine, accept this portrayal of African-American history as the gospel, so to speak. Unfortunately, they do not know whereof they speak, as it were.