The Columbia Guide to African American History Since 1939 (Columbia Guides to American History and Cultures) (Hardcover)

~ Robert L Harris Jr. PhD (Editor), Rosalyn Terborg-Penn PhD (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This new eclectic guide proves valuable as a one-stop work for quick reference as well as basic historical research." -- Choice

Product Description

This book is a multifaceted approach to understanding the central developments in African American history since 1939. It combines a historical overview of key personalities and movements with essays by leading scholars on specific facets of the African American experience, a chronology of events, and a guide to further study.Marian Anderson's famous 1939 concert in front of the Lincoln Memorial was a watershed moment in the struggle for racial justice. Beginning with this event, the editors chart the historical efforts of African Americans to address racism and inequality. They explore the rise of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements and the national and international contexts that shaped their ideologies and methods; consider how changes in immigration patterns have complicated the conventional "black/white" dichotomy in U.S. society; discuss the often uneasy coexistence between a growing African American middle class and a persistent and sizable underclass; and address the complexity of the contemporary African American experience. Contributors consider specific issues in African American life, including the effects of the postindustrial economy and the influence of music, military service, sports, literature, culture, business, and the politics of self-designation, e.g.,"Colored" vs. "Negro," "Black" vs. "African American".While emphasizing political and social developments, this volume also illuminates important economic, military, and cultural themes. An invaluable resource, The Columbia Guide to African American History Since 1939 provides a thorough understanding of a crucial historical period.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 456 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (July 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231138105
• ISBN-13: 978-0231138109
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,004,867 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Belongs on every library shelf, July 24, 2006

By	AfroAmericanHeritage (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This book explores the central developments in African American history since 1939.

The first part (about 90 pages) provides a concise and compelling historical narrative broken into five time periods. It begins with a discussion of the various approaches to interpreting black history post-1939, including revisionist, vindicationist, Afrocentric, integrationist, nationalist and multidimensional approaches. The authors take a multidimensional approach, demonstrating that "The Movement" was/is not a united front, but rather a struggle waged on many different fronts in different ways with different objectives - sometimes at cross purposes. Also, things which seemed like progress at the time (e.g. school desegregation) are now being reexamined.

The second part examines seven "key themes" including business, music, military service, sports, and literature, plus the answer to a question which has cropped up numerous times on my listservs lately: why and when did we become Negro/black/African American, who prefers which term, and why is self-designation important?

The third part provides a chronology, the fourth A-Z entries with a paragraph or two about key persons and organizations.

The final section (about 70 pages) is a substantial Resource Guide to textbooks, general references, military records, manuscript collections, film, video and recordings, and more. The various bibliographies are annotated, but the listings of Libraries/Museums/Historical Sites, Newspapers/Periodicals/Journals, and Web Sites are not, and that's the only weakness I found here. (Note: I have an extensive annotated listing of libraries/museums/historical sites by state at AfroAmericanHeritage dot com.)

This book belongs on every library shelf - public, academic and high school. For general readers, it provides a clear and compelling introduction to a complex era. For students and instructors, it provides a valuable framework and many tools for further exploration and research. I'm sure it will spark many people to dig deeper and for that, I highly recommend it.