Cultural Literature

From the stand-up comedian, actress, and host beloved for her cheeky swagger, unique voice, and unapologetic frankness comes a book of "zesty and hilarious" (Publishers Weekly) essays for fans of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling and...

A new consideration of extraordinary art created by Black artists during the mid-20th century My Soul Has Grown Deep considers the art-historical significance of contemporary Black artists working throughout the southeastern United States. These...

The long-awaited autobiography from Georgetown University's legendary coach, whose life on and off the basketball court throws America's unresolved struggle with racial justice into sharp relief John Thompson was never just a basketball coach and I Came...

This essential introduction to African American spirituality shows how spirituality has nurtured their survival through slavery, segregation, and the challenges of society today.

A "daring, urgent, and transformative" (Brené Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Dare to Lead) exploration of Black achievement in a white world based on honest, provocative, and moving interviews with Black leaders, scientists, artists,...

Nigeria was a unique concept in the formation of modern Africa. It began life as a highly lucrative if climatically challenging holding of the Royal Niger Company, a British Chartered Company under the control of Victorian capitalist Sir George Taubman...

An investigation into gentrification and displacement, focusing on the case of Portland, Oregon's systematic dispersal of black residents from its Albina neighborhood.Portland, Oregon, is one of the most beautiful, livable cities in the United States. It...

What does jazz mean 20 years into the 21st century? Has streaming culture rendered music literally meaningless, thanks to the removal of all context beyond the playlist? Are there any traditions left to explore? Has the destruction of the apprenticeship...

A warm and invigorating memoir about a daughter's love for her father and her appreciation for how he and others changed the game of football forever.Gene Washington's football career ended long before his daughter Maya was born. She never saw the...

Meet the true face of British justice. Nazir Afzal knows a thing or two about justice. As a Chief Prosecutor, it was his job to make sure the most complex, violent and harrowing crimes made it to court, and that their perpetrators were convicted. From...

In this "essential" (Kirkus) new work, Noel Rae integrates firsthand accounts into a narrative history that brings the reader face to face with slavery's everyday reality, expertly weaving together narratives that span hundreds of years. From the travel...

Stumbling upon a detailed work of art in the middle of a street or sidewalk would make anyone stop, admire its beauty, and wonder why someone would create something so magnificent in such a non-permanent manner. Part folk art, part performance art, this...

A Black descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings' family explores America's racial reckoning through the prism of her ancestors--both the enslaver and the enslaved. Gayle Jessup White had long heard the stories passed down from her father's...

How a young man with a solid work ethic carried himself out of poverty to the pinnacle of professional sports and business. Before he turned sixteen, Edgerrin James had already developed the critical thinking and mental discipline required for him to...

The astonishing journey of a bright, utterly displaced boy, from the short-lived African nation of Biafra, to Jamaica, to the harshest streets of Los Angeles--a searing memoir that adds fascinating depth to the coming-to-America story The first time...