The New York Public Library African American Desk Reference (Hardcover)

~ The New York Public Library (Author) "c. 1200 B.C.-700 B.C. According to a number of scholars, black Africans from Egypt and Nubia sail west across the Atlantic Ocean and have extensive..." (more)
Key Phrases: purchasing council, enslaved population, nonviolent social change, African American, New York, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This is exactly the type of reference book you'd expect from the New York Public Library--it is packed with tables, charts, timelines, and summaries devoted, in this case, to the African American experience. Chapters cover a variety of topics, including the saga of African American history, politics and civil rights, science and technology, the military and the media. African American Desk Reference opens with a timeline of African American history beginning in 1200 B.C. when, according to a number of scholars, black Africans from Egypt and Nubia sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and had extensive contact with native peoples of the Americas. The timeline spans 22 pages and ends in 1998 with a description of the President's Commission on Race, which looked at issues affecting African Americans, and BET's announcement that it would produce films for the African American market. As readers would expect, slavery is given much attention throughout the nearly 600 pages. And this is where the book's depth of information shines. Not only are slavery's origins, key players, and ultimate demise discussed, there are also tables showing the gender and age of captives taken from Africa between 1600 and 1800; a record comparing occupations in Charleston in 1848 among slaves, "free Negroes," and whites; and a chart of the nationality of ships engaged in the Atlantic slave trade from 1701 to 1800. Lighter topics are also covered, including summaries of the origins of major holidays, as well as the traditions behind family and wedding celebrations. A variety of recipes are also included (Onions, Okra, Corn and Tomatoes; Nola's Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese; Creole Red Beans and Rice), as are explanations of children's games, including the jump-rope contest Double Dutch and the clapping rhyme game Mary Mack. Notable achievements of African Americans are also addressed, including inventors and innovators, recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, and winners of major literary prizes. True to its librarian roots, each chapter in the book ends with a list of sources where readers can find additional information. It's hard to imagine, though, that much is left uncovered in this extensive book. --John Russell

From Library Journal

These two volumes, both sponsored by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, concentrate on the black experience in America. In Black New Yorkers, Dodson, director of the Schomburg, and his coauthors trace the history of blacks in New York from 1613 to 1998, detailing the various voices, religions, and cultures that existed, then and now. The Desk Reference offers valuable information on topics such as civil rights, business, religion, and health, presenting it with charts, tables, time lines, and numerous other visual aids. (LJ 9/15/99)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 624 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 16, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471239240
• ISBN-13: 978-0471239246
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #222,992 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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