The African American Book of Values (Hardcover)

by Steven Barboza (Author) "Self-discipline is "home training" and then some..." (more)
Key Phrases: survival humor, fodder house, believing self, New York, African American, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
In this massive anthology, Steven Barboza reveals the story of the African American as largely a story of good triumphing over evil, in a myriad of forms. "This book," he writes, "can give children, families, teachers and friends glimpses of values in action and provide moral examples that any reader can recognize." Culled from many short-story and novel excerpts, poems, and essays, the collection is divided into three distinct headings. "The Book of Self-Mastery" examines self-discipline, courage, honesty, self-esteem, work, tenacity, creativity, and faith through texts such as Ralph Ellison's "Little Man at Chehaw Station," historian Charles Blockson's heroic "The Ballad of the Underground Railroad," and Alain Locke's philosophical battle cry of the Harlem Renaissance, "The New Negro." Charles Chesnutt's "The Wife of His Youth," James Weldon Johnson's stereotype-smashing look at Harlem in "Black Manhattan," and Martin Luther King's immortal "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" illuminate many of the themes in "The Book of Empathy," including family, community and responsibility.

In "Survival Humor," we find the most vibrant examples of the mores that helped Afro-Americans endure slavery, racism, and discrimination, as evidenced by the Southern-spun tall tales of folklorist Zora Neale Hurston's "Big Ol' Lies," the hard-luck fable of Afro-vaudevillian funnyman Bert Williams's "The Colored Zoo," and the mother of all insult narratives: the ancient, blues-and-riff-based style of "The Signifying Monkey." Barboza writes that "humor has played more than just a funny role in the affairs of black folks. Truth is, for African-Americans, humor has always been serious business. It served its purpose well as a survival mechanism, used to defend, attack, counterattack and guide people through life's rougher spots." This section is the capper to an impressively diversified volume that may prove equally capable of guidance. --Eugene Holley Jr.

From Library Journal
This compendium of black values is intended to give children, families, and teachers glimpses of moral values in action. It focuses on the strength, versatility, and resiliency of blacks?both historic figures and relative unknowns. "The Book of Self-Mastery" focuses on self-discipline, courage, honesty, self-esteem, work, tenacity, creativity, and faith, while "The Book of Empathy" centers on family, community, love, friendship, compassion, responsibility, respect, loyalty, and survival humor. The material originates in the treasure archives of black experience?from the planting fields of pre-Civil War Mississippi to the sidewalks of Harlem and from the corner beauty parlor to the local church. This library of narratives, stories, letters, songs, folktales, and poems is by black folks about black folks for black folks. Barboza (American Jihad, Doubleday, 1995) relates his own experience and is deeply sensitive to the need to address the influence of drugs and violence on black culture. Recommended for all public libraries.?Leroy Hommerding, Citrus Cty. Lib. System, Inverness, FL
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 960 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1 edition (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385482590
• ISBN-13: 978-0385482592
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.6 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #802,685 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Culturally, Spiritually and Emotionally "Rewarding"., May 22, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

The book is like a library of our people's trials and tribulations. A collection of poems and stories that will inspire you to do great things. African Americans come from royalty and we can do anything because we are doers and achievers. I wish every "American" could read this book, perhaps African Americans wouldn't be looked down upon. I learned so many things that our people had accomplished that are not taught in school, but should be known and should be printed in text book form.

This book is now being used a bedtime ritual for my children. This means that each night I read a story or poem from the book to them, "about them (African Americans)". About their creativity, their inner strength for survival, their ability to do anything they want to do, about their ancestors that were forced to travel from afar, about their people who invented items that we use today, about their people that broke the color barrier, about their people who walked for freedom, about their people who used the pen to fight their battles, about their people who were forced to feign ignorance in order to survive, about their people who prayed and had faith that God would free them from bondage, about their people who loved each other and encouraged each other, about their people who stepped out there on faith.....

This book is awesome!

This book has inspired me to go back to school which is the least I could do after seeing what my people endured just to give me an opportunity to "step out on faith" "act accordingly" "mind my manners" "represent my hood" "believe in myself" "reach for the stars" and broaden my horizons. For they paved the way through sweat, tears, backbreaking work, picking cotton, washing Missy's clothes, raising Missy's children, eating in the backroom, riding in the back of the bus, being treated as second class citizens.

Thank you, my people past and present.

Thank you Steven Barboza (Editor) for having a vision and seeing it through.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important, timely, inspiring, January 16, 1999

By A Customer

A wonderful reminder to all Americans, but especially for Americans of African descent who have forgotten or don't know of the many milestones we have passed. It is a testament to the extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and determination of a people who still struggle for a piece of the "American dream."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for Black History Month, December 29, 1998

By	Rosie M. "Chocolatecity42" (Lake Providence, La USA) - See all my reviews

At first sight, this book looks like it would be too thick to read. Don't let the size fool you. It is an excellent resource for teachers, parents, students or anyone wishing to boost their knowledge about Black History. It even had a hard to find speech given by Sojourner Truth, "Aint I A Woman" that I have tried to get a copy of for years. Every school library needs to have a copy. Needs to considered a classic!!