Timetables of African-American History: A Chronology of the Most Important People and Events in African-American History [Paperback]

Sharon Harley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 19, 1996

From the first African communities in North America to the days of slavery, from the aesthetic achievements of the Harlem Renaissance to the political triumphs of the civil rights movement, from Harriet Tubman's creation of the Underground Railroad to the election of Carol Moseley Braun - the first black woman senator - in 1992, this comprehensive book illuminates African Americans both famous and little known. Thousands of entries document historical moments, laws and legal actions, and noteworthy events in the areas of religion, the arts, sports, education, and science and technology. The varied accomplishments of black Americans come to life in brief profiles of Louis Armstrong, Salt-N-Pepa, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Joe Louis, Wilma Rudolph, Paul Robeson, General Colin Powell, and hundreds of others.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This addition to the "Simon and Schuster Timetables" reference series is in the now-familiar format of years subdivided by field of endeavor, enabling the researcher to see how the accomplishments of African Americans proliferated throughout the history of our nation. The time frame covered is 1492-1992. The subject headings by which the achievements (and often the setbacks) are organized are General History, Education, Laws, Religion, Literature, Arts, Science, and Sports. Since African Americans had few opportunities for excelling in these fields early in our history, there is a good amount of blank space on some pages. This is not a source for anything more in-depth than connecting an event with a year and relating it to contemporary events in other subject areas?e.g., Rodney King and the Los Angeles riots of 1992 receive one sentence?but it will prove useful for answering such questions as the names of black inventors or tracking events like the growth and decline of slavery. Giving the exact date of an event rather than just placing it within a specific year would have been more helpful. The Chronology of African-American History: Significant Events and People from 1619 to the Present (LJ 10/1/91) is also organized by year; it has no subject access but gives lengthier discussions of events. For the price, these timetables would be an excellent addition to any collection of African American studies as a ready reference source or a starting point for further research. If the all-important index is done with the care of the indexes in the other volumes of the series, it should be both thorough and detailed. For all libraries. (Illustrations and index not seen.)?James Moffet, Baldwin P.L., Birmingham, Mich.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This book chronicles significant events, figures, and movements in the lives of African Americans from 1492 to 1992. It highlights many firsts: in 1940, for example, Booker T. Washington was the first black American to appear on a postage stamp, and Richard Wright's Native Son was the first literary work by a black American to become a Book-of-the-Month Club selection. The work is arranged by year; under each date events are listed across the page under such categories as Education; Laws and Legal Actions; Religion; Arts; Science, Technology, and Medicine; and Sports. Nonblack persons are identified by an asterisk except when their racial or ethnic designation is obvious. A few black-and-white portraits of prominent African Americans illustrate the volume. The detailed index notes not only the page number but also the column under which topics are found.

This is another in the growing list of chronologies. The two-volume African American Chronology [RBB F 15 94] is aimed at middle-schoolers and is also illustrated. It is based on the more detailed Chronology of African-American History [RBB D 1 91]. Timelines of African-American History [RBB O 15 94] is an inexpensive paperback chronology. For libraries that don't own one of these other chronologies, the reasonably priced Timetables is a must item. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; 1st Touchstone Ed edition (January 19, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684815788
• ISBN-13: 978-0684815787
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,201,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2.0 out of 5 stars What!...(are you kidding me)?, December 15, 2010

By 

Herbert L Calhoun "paulocal" (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Timetables of African-American History: A Chronology of the Most Important People and Events in African-American History (Paperback)

This compilation is useful only to the extent some of its entries have been mindlessly culled from other more reliable and more encyclopedic sources. In all other cases the entries appear simply to have been included willy-nilly by the author, their importance simply "made-up." The good news is that at least the entries have been cross-tabulated by time, across eight issue areas (general history, education, law and legal action, religion, literature and the black press, the arts, science and technology, and sports), allowing the reader to use the index for the easy look-up of people by category for a given time period.

And while one can quibble about whether or not these eight issue areas are the most useful ones, the substance selected to fill them, in addition to betraying even a scintilla of knowledge about African American history, also leaves out its most important selection criterion: "being included in the establishment white press." It seems that everything selected here has been "conditioned by" and heavily "mediated by" what has been "pre-approved," validated or endorsed by the white media -- content and importance to black people, be damned.

But the bad news does not end there. The content has so obviously been mindlessly culled from other sources (without regard to the value of the contributions or meaning or importance of the substance being made) that many of the entries are simply silly and embarrassing. Even though the book is intended for an African American audience, this author obviously did not have a clue about the substance with which she was dealing.

Incredibly for instance the book gives more weight to Tawana Brawley than to Miles Davis or John Coltrane? Although Brawley is a "stand-alone" entry, both of these musical geniuses appear only as footnotes to the "Theolonius Monk entry" -- Monk himself apparently having been listed only because he was featured on the cover of Time Magazine? -- and not because of his music, or because he was mentioned in any black media.

Black firsts, such as "the first black Miss America" or the student sit-in demonstrations at Tennessee State University because of "poor conditions," or the inclusion of a few black first who eventually became criminals, are dubious entries to say the least and at most represent mindless gaps and goofs that makes this book pretty much a joke and a waste of money. It is a clear embarrassment to anything that might be considered serious black scholarship. Booo! and one star!

5.0 out of 5 stars TRULY PROFOUND BOOK, February 25, 2002

By 

r johnson (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Timetables of African-American History: A Chronology of the Most Important People and Events in African-American History (Paperback)

I reviewed this book two years ago. What I found moving about this book were the laws enacted to prevent African Americans from moving forward and in contrast, the achievements reflected in the book from science to art to technology to inventions in spite of the laws. The book showed the true spirit of African American people.

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a must have for all., July 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Timetables of African-American History: A Chronicle of the Most Important People and Events in African-American History (Hardcover)

I was privileged enough to be a research assistant for Dr. Sharon Harley on this wonderful book project, and I was enriched by the information that we uncovered about the history of african americans, and world history in general. So many facts have been misreported over the years, and this book unravels many myths, while spotlighting many well deserved accomplishments of african american men and women. The knowledge is endless. Children and adults enjoy it equally as they leaf through the pages year by year unlocking "secrets" of our past. This book should be on every coffeetable and bookshelf in the world. I only wish that I could have had it as a child. --David Jason Orr, University of Maryland at College Park, African American Studies Program, BA, 1996