5 comments about Fighting for America: Black Soldiers-the Unsung Heroes of World War II.

1. This is an excellent book, really makes justice to these american citizens. The history about Robert T. Browne is specialy touching, and Robert Fikes, in "The Triumph of Robert T. Browne: The Mystery of Space" (APA Newsletter,Vol. 6, Number 2, 2007) gives aditional glances on the life of this remarkable man of mysteries.



2. 
   Chris Moore's chronicle of black patriotism from Colonial times through World War II is nothing short of an excellent walk through history. As a history buff I found myself eager to turn each page. I would sit with highlighter in hand marking special passages as though I was still a college student studying for an exam. Moore has a special way of transporting the reader back in time, allowing one to almost hear the voices of those who wrote the letters featured in the book. I never realized just how much we as a people contributed to the early Colonial battles that set America as a country free.
   
   Even though black Americans have fought and died in every war this country has faced, only the heroes of recent history get recognition. Yes, we grew up with a knowledge of Crispus Attucks, but what about heroes like Seaman Doris 'Dorrie' Miller and Pfc Robert H. Brooks. Miller was aboard the USS West Virginia, when she was attacked December 7, 1941 by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. Miller, a naval messman, managed to save several lives when he shot down four enemy planes with a .50-caliber anti-aircraft gun he'd never been trained to use. Miller was later presented the Navy Cross for his efforts. I was never taught in school about Pfc Robert H. Brooks was the first soldier to die at Fort Stotenbugh in the Phillipines, when the Japanese attacked December 8, 1941.
   
   There was also airmen Eugene Bullard, who was not allowed to fly combat missions for America. Bullard was however, welcomed by the French army and became an ace pilot during World War I. Bullard flew more than twenty missions against the Germans and was credited with shooting down at least five enemy aircraft. Moore introduces us to black female heroes like pilot Willa Beatrice Brown. In 1941 Lieutenant Brown became the first woman officer in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol. Throughout WWII Brown served as an instructor in the Civilian Pilot Training Program.
   
   Moore's research on the Red Ball Express, the 320th Barrage Ballon Brigade, the 161st Chemical Smoke Generating Company and the countless Engineer Aviation Battalions such as the 810th and the 811th paved the way for Allied victory. Moore allows the reader to feel the shear determination of black enlisted men and women who fought a duel war. One war was against the Germans and Japanese and the other war was against the prejudice they faced daily from their fellow American service men and women. Although this book began as a tribute to Moore's parents S.Sgt. Bill Moore and Pfc Norma K. DeFreese Moore his four year journey turned out to be so much more. Though not written as a text book, this book should be incorportated into the half written history books our children are taught from. It is a book that my family will read again and again.
   
   Reviewed by Felecia R. Ellis Memphis RAWSISTAZ



3. What an interesting subject, presented with historical perspective in Fighting for America, written by Moore to honor his GI Joe Mom and Dad.
   
   I found myself saying out loud, "I didn't know that" as I got a history lesson about the role African-Americans played in fighting for America since they became "Americans."
   
   Even in a movie like "Saving Private Ryan," the important role of several hundred black soldiers at Utah and Omaha Beach on D-Day was not shown. Throughout the book that focuses on World War II, we learn about heroism, camaraderie, segregation, exclusion, demoralization, prejudice -- and patriotism.
   
   Often black men were sent on the most difficult missions - ands then their efforts were greatly downplayed or excluded from history (both when it happened) and in written-down history.
   
   Black women also served as nurses and with other support units. The 6,888th Central Postal Direction Battalion, an all-black unit, assigned some 80 black women to handle mail sorting at a base in Birmingham, England. Those women were the first black people many English had seen, and they helped to shatter stereotypes.
   
   Many of us have heard of the Tuskegee Airmen and all they accomplished. Other black soldiers, trained as paratroopers, were sent to the West Coast of the United States and became firefighters. Their job was to jump into remote forested area and put out fires caused by airborne incendiary bombs sent aloft by the Japanese.
   
   Also, a third of the 10,500 soldiers who built the Alcan Highway (from Canada through roughest Alaska) were black. This major construction project was rushed to ensure that America had a way to get supplies to northward to defend our borders if the enemy blocked our supply ships.
   
   The book was filled with such interesting facts that any history buff will love it. And if you just like to read good stories about good people, it will meet that requirement.



4. If you are a fan of history or not this is wonderful book. Having read a several other history books on WWII in college, this is the first book that has captured me. The journey the reader takes through the life of the author's family and through other soldier's personal experiences allows the reader to relate to the war rather then simply read about it. If history books in school were written like this one, history class would not have been dreaded.



5. To anyone with any common sense, it should come as no surprise that African American soldiers carried the load, literally, during the Second World War. FIGHTING FOR AMERICA does a superb and meticulous job in detailing all of the many ways which black soldiers helped to win the war. It is simply a national shame that most black soldiers who fought in WWII have gone to their graves without any recognition for their bravery and heroism. This book is loaded with bonafide heroes who are worthy of our applause and any monument which can be erected in their honor. I recommend this book highly.

5 comments about When Race Becomes Real: Black and White Writers Confront their Personal Histories.

1. Passing for Who You Really Are
   
   This book would have been far better if the author had included accounts from mulattoes and mixed whites. He seems to think blacks can speak for them. They CANNOT.



2. When Race Becomes Real is probably the best book to come across my desk in two years. Bernestine Singley and the other contributors have managed to take a tension-laden subject -- racism -- and approach it with the deepest honesty possible. The result is not a book that will send people reeling away in shame or disgust, but one that is accessible to anyone, regardless of skin tone or occupation.

   It is an odd thing to say about non-fiction, but this is a very tough book to put down once you start. If it were a novel, we'd call it a page-turner.




3. This book made me laugh, cry and everything in between. In the wake of the Trent Lott controversy, I would highly recommend this book to Blacks and Whites. Although there were a couple of stories that were long and uninteresting, I still gave this book 5 stars.



4. Bernestine Singley is to be congratulated for her thought-provoking, nitty gritty book. She has assembled a group of writers who aren't afraid to make it plain about race, including black folks who are sick of it, white folks who are finally getting it and everything in between.
   My favorite pieces are Derrick Bell's epilogue (I have been a big fan of his since Geneva Crenshaw), Julianne Malveaux's hilarious and rather poignant "Race, Rage and the Ace of Spades" (that woman needs to write a memoir or something), and Tim Wise's insightful piece.
   This is too searing to read in one setting, but it is the kind of book that begs for discussion. I am suggesting it for my book club and plan to use it at work to deal with some diversity related issues. Check it out!



5. "When Race Becomes Real" initiates a discussion long overdue in America where the subject of race is so sensitive that it has become virtually taboo. Some of the essays in this book touched me very deeply, some annoyed me, and others provided thoughtful new insights. All of them impressed me with their sincerity. After reading these writers' revelations about their own highly personal experiences and feelings in regards to race, one understands that there are many sides to the same truth, and that in order to approach any level of comfort in relations between the races, well meaning people need to be able to bare their souls without fear of censure or ridicule. This stimulating work can be used to open up frank discussions in the classroom or the living room and is highly recommended to anyone who is ready for an honest examination of the unavoidable everyday complexity of race relations in America.

4 comments about A Wealth of Wisdom: Legendary African American Elders Speak.

1. This is a wonderful book of advice from wise African-Americans.
   I recommend this book and another book called SURVEY OF 300 A+ STUDENTS,
   by a wise African-American at Harvard (Kenneth Green).



2. This is one of those rare books I simply could not stop reading! I highly recommend it. The interviews are intimate and illuminating, and I think young adults in particular will be inspired, though middle-aged ones like myself can take heart in how much these folks are STILL achieving well after 70. While I enjoyed getting to know some of the famous people in a new way, I was especially impressed by stories of "unfamous" elders like the educators Jayme Coleman Williams and McDonald Williams, people who have had tremendous, sustained impact in their communities. The best part is, you can access even more of the work of the National Visionary Leadership Project at their web site, VisionaryProject.com



3. I enjoy reading this book. Really. The reason I gave it the four stars is that there wasn't enough of them. Mostly it had stories from famous people that we already know on. What I wanted to read was from people who are not as famous. Who had a lot of things to tell. I pray there is a sequel.



4. Thanks to Dr. Cosby and Renee Pouissant we now have a fabulous book allowing elders, who have lived history, to tell us the truth about American History. At last a book that respects our elders and allows them the opportunity to express the truth of their experiences. It is entertaining, historical and informative. Once you start reading you can't put it down and when finished you are ready for the next edition. It is refreshing to read about courageous people who have been given the freedom to express their truth rather than stories that pretend to know their truth. Every school should have this book in their curriculum and the pattern of this book should be the impetus to get people of all ethnicities to respect their elders and learn from them.

5 comments about Jewels: 50 Phenomenal Black Women Over 50.

1. What's not to love about 50 beautiful black women over the age of 50? I was sold on the cover alone. Ruby Dee is one the most beautiful women of all time and she does not get the recognition that she so richly deserves.
   The book is my coffee table, do I need to say anything else?



2. It was so wonderful to see so many strong African American women who are in so many fields. I gave it as a gift to a family member for Christmas and it was passed around so much, everyone wants a copy! Kudos to the photographer for capturing the personalities of these remarkable women.



3. I'm not sure what the above poster was thinking. M. Cunningham is one of the best photographers around (he did the photos in Crowns) and the photos in this book are beautiful. Don't pay attention to the cover on this page, its a bad reproduction of a great photo of actress Ruby Dee. I found the womens essays open and heart-warming. This book is the perfect Christmas gift for a mother or grandmother or any woman in your life if you want to put a smile on her face.



4. Book was damaged at delivery, so I returned it; but what I saw was disappointing, very dull drab pictures, not an attracting looking book at all. Did not look interesting or inviting. Was sorry I ordered it in the first place.



5. this Book truly showcases Black women in full detail. this Book captures Black Women over and 50 and Beyond with there words,Wisdom and uplift. Connie Briscoe does a fantastic job at interviewing. all 50 women. Michael Cunningham does a Great Job here as well. you hear stories of overcoming so many obstacles and maintaining a level of still striving for more. you learn that a strong upbringing and Love along with family made these Women strive for more than what was said or expected. Ruby Dee looks fantastic and is timeless as are the other African-American Women Profiled in this Book. very enlightening and detailed.

5 comments about I Should Be Dead By Now.

1. This is not a book that will fill you with great amounts of unknown knowledge, nor will it require heavy thinking on your part to understand. What you will get out of it is a great deal of amusement. Here are dozens of short, kind of random thoughts, little stories and anecdotes by Dennis Rodman.In summary it is kind of a way to look at his philosophy of life.
   
   It's a life that a lot of us would like to live in a vicarious way, I say vicarious because it appears to be a life that I don't think I could handle. In between the stories of what happened, there's a bit of insight into the way the man thinks. He's lived the life that he says he wanted, yet the desparate urge to get back to the NBA comes through. Born in May of 1961, he's now approaching 45 years old. He has to know that there aren't many players in the NBA that are that old. It will be interested to see what he does in future years.
   
   I found the book a mix of sad, funny, and poignant. All you can say is 'good luck.'



2. This clown said all he could say with his first book, back when it mattered, to some people, because winning basketball teams matter, to some people.
   Note that it wasn't published by one of the big fat publishers. They don't expect it to sell. So don't be one of the few fools who buy it.



3. This is a fairly interesting-ish book about one of the best players to have played the sport. However, I wonder why he wrote another book? Surely he doesn't need the money (unless it all went to alcohol). It's interesting to get inside his mind a little and see what he's all about, but it is all jumbled and mismatched and leads nowhere. I like him, but if I had read this first before buying, maybe I wouldn't have bought it. Only for true Rodman fans. Otherwise, skip it.



4. Dennis Rodman is a Great Basketball Player&truly knows the game inside&out.also a Smarter cat that He often leads on.but this Book is just alot of loose thoughts that never goes anywhere. there are a few interesting moments talking His time in various spots during His Career,but nothing really new.still Dennis Rodman remains one of the most interesting Athletes Ever.



5. What a fun book! Rodman has always been colorful, but this book allows you to step into his mind, and try to understand where he is coming from when he does all his crazy stuff. Very entertaining- you do not have to be a basketball fan to enjoy this book. His "reality checks" are worth the price of the book.

5 comments about A Mouth Sweeter Than Salt: An African Memoir.

1. Growing up in Nigeria in the years around independence provides good material for a personal memoir. These must have been extraordinary times, full of hope and expectation for the emerging new country. For a growing teenager though, the issues were closer to home. Falola, well known scholar of African history, has used his personal experiences to create a rich innovative kind of memoir that combines his growing up during that time with events in his community and the country as a whole. The resulting book gives the reader vivid insight into a complex society with its intricate traditions, in particular those of the Yoruba culture. Falola writes an easy accessible style, often addressing the reader directly. He demonstrates his narrative skill and an ability to impart local events with gracefulness and humour. He demonstrates how the use of proverbs, idioms and traditional imagery has remained part of everyday discourse by interweaving sayings into his narrative. "A proverb is regarded as the 'horse' that carries words to a different level, investing them with meanings...".
   
   Falola's account suggests that he was already at the age of 10 a curious youngster and an astute observer of people, relationships and events. His early fascination with trains led him to experiences beyond his age level that were to influence his standing in his family and community. After an unplanned train ride and its aftermath, that created upheaval in the family, he was transplanted to another branch of his family in a more rural sector of Ibadan, the city-state in Nigeria's south-western region. Not having taken notice of the hierarchical structure of his polygamous family, he realized only then which of his "mothers" is his birth mother. There he also learned to connect with the rich traditions of the local people who have maintained much closer links to their past than those in the urban centre. For example, children are given an additional name by the family, a praise name (oriki). This name should establish a link to a real or imaginary hero of the past. Such names should enhance the young person's deep character and his ambition to emulate the past bearer. Like a young detective he tracks an old woman, different from any he had seen in the neighbourhood. When he is finally confronted by her, the outcomes are an important lesson for his life and future. These early influences shape his thinking into his adult life.
   
   While the chapters stand as independent stories or essays, they flow together easily as a portrait of a person in his time and place. He merges the memories of his childhood with his comprehension of circumstances as an adult. Understanding of his roots and the culture instilled in him led him to study the cultural traditions of the Yoruba people and the history of the land. His reflections on how the two religions, Islam and Christianity managed to co-exist with the rich African traditions are as pertinent today as they were during the sixties. So is his criticism of the trend among the younger generation to denigrate their own culture in the face of western influences. [Friederike Knabe]



2. Finally the book to popularize Yoruba culture has arrived! A MUST for any serious santero or babalawo, this is the New Testament of Santeria to Migene Gonzalez-Wippler's Old. Told by a master storyteller, this book explains traditional Yoruba society better than any dry text could. One learns through the eyes of the author as a child what polygamy is really like, about obscure herbs/ebbos, and how the language is really spoken. Buy it now.



3. Falola's memoir, A Mouth Sweeter Than Salt, is a "must read" for anyone seeking to gain deeper and serious insights into the mind of the true African child. The author gives the reader a breath taking, bird eye view of the cultural panorama of the Yoruba society, and the implications of growing up in its most complicated and sophisticated city of Ibadan. The uniqueness of this book lies in its ability to transcend academic and cultural boundaries. It is as good a history book as it is a novel; social scientists will find it valuable and educators will find it to be of great relavance. It is a story of life and of living. It is indeed a celebration of youth and its rites of passage. Humor, wit, and readability add color and lucidity to all pages of this book. Wild, weird, wide, and even scary at times, this is a memoir that will stand the test of time.



4. Toyin Falola's "A Mouth Sweeter than Salt" is a memoir of the first 13 years of his life in Nigeria. Readers will find a fascinating account of his upbringing in an extended family which was Christian, but polygamous, influenced by English colonialism, but more by Yoruba tribal traditions. Fascinated by trains, he recklessly boarded one as an adventurous youth and found himself stranded in a far-away Muslim city, where he supported himself as a "stick-man" guiding a beggar who faked blindness. Returned to his family by benevolent postal workers, he subsequently aided his grandfather in trying - unsuccessfully - to combat the abuse of a poor farmer by corrupt and exploitive tribal leaders. All in all, this book affords insights into African childhood which will absorb the interest of anyone previously familiar only with American or European experience.



5. I just finished reading the masterpiece, A Mouth Sweeter Than Salt:An African Memoir, Toyin Falola, University of Michigan Press, 2004. This book is truly brilliant. It made me laugh, scream, and cringe. It is a superb combination of critical African oral discourse, brilliant analysis of modern African history, and lucid exploration of the making of the Nigerian state. I hope you will obtain your own copy and recommend it to others.
   
   Olufemi Vaughan
   Professor of African Studies & of History
   Associate Dean, Graduate School
   SUNY, Stony Brook
   Stony Brook, NY 11794-4433

2 comments about Color-Blind Justice: Albion Tourgee and the Quest for Racial Equality from the Civil War to Plessy v. Ferguson.

1. If you're interested in civil rights history, the Civil War or Reconstruction and you have never heard of Albion Tourgee, Mark Elliott's Color-Blind Justice is a must-read.
   
   Even if you know a lot about this period and Tourgee is a familiar name, this book will tell you much that you don't know and may dispel some myths popularized in other, lesser histories of the period.
   
   The book is deeply researched with lots of new details from the personal letters and papers of Tourgee, who in the post-Civil War period was nationally famous and had the ear of a striking number of important figures, including several U.S. presidents all the way up to Theodore Roosevelt.
   
   Tourgee is a great character. He was born of humble beginnings in northeast Ohio in a Christian family that were early white abolitionists who originally hailed from Massachusetts. He was one of the first wounded in the Civil War, run over by wagon and paralyzed, but remarkably he returned to action before the war's end. These early experiences and influnces shaped a world view that he held tightly to throughout his life in the turbulent post-war political debate.
   
   Deeply idealistic about the opportunity to remake a slavery-free south, Tourgee moves his family to North Carolina, one of the Radical Republican "carpetbaggers." But unlike many others who came from the north, Tourgee did not hope to profit or exploit the south for personal gain. He was inspired by the ideals of the Civil War as a fight for justice. He became a judge and a political leader, helping write much of the new North Carolina constitution. He adopted a mixed race child and hired blacks to work for his businesses.
   
   This attracted the attention of the early Ku Klux Klan, but Tourgee bravely refused to relent in the face of threats. Fascinatingly, he crossed paths with a young Thomas Dixon, even advising the future Klan leader kindly about his writing, only to later see Dixon become a force for evil in the south and a propaganda whiz who clouded public opinion by repeatedly challenging Tourgee's work. The infamous "Birth of a Nation" film that glorified the Klan mocks Tourgee in its early frames.
   
   Tourgee wrote in northern newspapers about the true nature of reconstruction, which had an undeservedly bad reputation in the north. After 16 years in North Carolina, he left discouraged and moved north. A novel based on his experience -- A Fool's Errand -- became a national best seller, dispelling many of the misconceptions about reconstruction, if only for a brief period.
   
   Now famous, Tourgee wrote articles prolifically and became a strong voice for civil rights, even founding a mixed race organization that was the pre-cursor to the NAACP.
   
   But there was little Tourgee could do to stem a political backlash, a national weariness of reconstruction and the problems of the south in the late 19th century. To his great frustration, northerner's largely stood by as the south reinstituted white supremecy through "Jim Crow" laws.
   
   In a final effort to defy this trend, Tourgee led the charge to challenge a Louisana law that forced racial separation on trains in what became the famous "Dred Scott" case. Tourgee was the lead counsel arguing brilliantly before the U.S, Supreme Court that the idea of segregation was an absurd state policy in clear violation of the Constitution.
   
   Dred Scott lost before the Supreme Court in a 7-1 decision that at the time was a devestating setback for civil rights. And a despondent Tourgee left the U.S. to live out his years and die and France. But over time the case became seen as one of the worst high court decisions of all time. Tourgee's arguments became the basis for challenges to segregation that ultimatley would triumph with Brown vs. Board of Education.
   
   There are other biographies of Tourgee. What makes this one unique is the detailed analysis of the evolution of his thinking about race, politics and social issues. Elliott adeptly shows how practical and political considerations sometimes shaped Tourgee's opinions and at other times thwarted him when he stood on principle.
   
   To understand the racial turmoil of the 20th century, and to better know nature of racial tension in America today, Tourgee's story is crucial and Elliott's book is instructive.



2. Albion Tourgee comes alive in this riveting biography, which emphasizes his role in the post Civil War era. It is a must read for any student of U.S. History.

4 comments about You Ain't Got No Easter Clothes: A Memoir.

1. I loved this book; it was moving and written with an elegant grace, despite its dark content. It's difficult to write about mental illness with humor and charm, but Laura Love succeeds here where many others have failed. Excellent.



2. I love a good memoir, and this book is among my favorites. The story of Laura Love and her sister Lisa is one I won't soon forget. Held hostage by a mentally unstable mother, the girls learn to tolerate a childhood of extreme poverty and insanity. The author has such a way with words, you feel as if you know her. With parts so emotionally overwhelming; I literally burst out into uncontrollable laughter, for lack of more appropriate emotions. A must read for all women or all races. A breathtaking glimpse into hell.



3. This book was like nothing I had read before. When I first picked it up I thought that I wouldn't be interested in it, however, once I started reading I couldn't stop. The things that happened to these little girls just breaks my heart and I had to know where their lives ended up.



4. I've always found Laura Love's music and song lyrics to be thoughtful and profound, so it was no surprise to find this was a shocking but gripping true story. Frankly, I couldn't stop reading until finished and wished she had written more.
   
   It's not a story for the fainthearted reader, because she tells all - warts and all. It's amazing that a woman could live through these experiences, yet end up with such a warm and compassionate sense of self! I also found it interesting to read about the times of Bobby Kennedy's assassination, the effects of race riots, and so many memories of the `60s and `70s from her perspective. Truly enjoyed the baby boomer nostalgia type memories. I would highly recommend this memoir!

4 comments about And the Walls Came Tumbling Down: An Autobiography.

1. I'm so glad I read this book, but am sorry it took me more than a decade to learn that Dr. Abernathy hadn't "sold out" Martin Luther King as was reported in the media when this book was first published. Unfortunately, Dr. Abernathy died before he knew all of black America hadn't turned on him. He told a truthful story of a movement led by strong, yet very "human" men and women. None of us are without our weaknesses, but those weaknesses do not define the total of who we are. Just as Dr. Abernathy's depiction of the weaknesses in himself and in Dr. King don't define the whole tone of this book. I'm glad I read it, and I shared it with my mother who also read it from cover to cover with relish. I appreciate the MLK's and the Ralph David Abernathy's who made such a sacrifice so I could have the rights of every other human being living in the United States.



2. I have ever read- Ralph David Abernathy gave a beautiful window into the realities of America's struggles with racism. He and Martin Luther King's unique experiences all over America are scintillating. Having been raised by a military father all over America- a few places and cultures I had observed were in this book. Military housing was integrated 5 years before I was born, so my first experiences of obvious racism were when I was a young adult in civilain environments. I read this when it first came out, for the local TV station in Detroit (WB). At the time this book came out, I was to interview Mr. Abernathy. I started to brief "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down" - I could not put it down until I finished it in 36 hours. He canceled his tour to Detroit, and then died shortly after this book was published. I was very saddened this book did not become embraced more fully by the African American community- as Mr. Abernathy's writing is a powerful diamond on the crown of struggles for goodness. Ralph David Abernathy was truly a holy man for the 20th century.



3. Ralph Abernathy wrote his life's story warts and all. He also spoke honestly about his dear friend, Doc and his private life. Doc was Martin Luther King Jr. and a lot of people reacted almost violently to the revelations in the book. Abernathy was called a traitor, a Judas and an Uncle Tom. He was also accused of being senile or insane with jealousy of Dr. King's memory. Sadly, with all the name calling people forgot or ignored the fact that it's a good autobiography and a valuable edition to the historical record of the Civil Rights movement.



4. When this first came out around 1990, stupid rumors abounded that Dr.King's right-hand-man and surrogate brother had written a sleazy text about Dr. King's sex life. This bunch of hogwash and the cruel responses by people who beleived the hype drove Dr. Abernathy to his grave! This is actually a very good book filled with interesting anecdotes about Dr. Abernathy's years as a soldier in the Civil Rights movement. However, he pulls no punches regarding the infighting that destroyed what was left of the movement after Dr. King's death. This is an important historical memoir by one who was certainly there.

No comments about Black Empire: The Masculine Global Imaginary of Caribbean Intellectuals in the United States, 1914-1962 (New Americanists).