Cultural Literature

In The Meaning of Soul, Emily J. Lordi proposes a new understanding of this famously elusive concept. In the 1960s, Lordi argues, soul came to signify a cultural belief in black resilience, which was enacted through musical practices--inventive...

Kinky Roots: A Memoir - The memories, ruminations and vignettes of growing up in Southern Africa. Written from the life, wisdom and experiences of Ingrid Arlington, 'Kinky Roots' is an uplifting, poignant and reflective journey alongside the author. From...

The "incredibly powerful" (Kirkus Reviews) story of the human rights activist who changed the minds of her elders, reformed traditions from the inside, and is creating a better future for girls and women throughout Africa.Nice Leng ete was raised in a...

A fearless, inspiring, and refreshingly candid memoir by the Grammy-award winning rapper, multi-platinum recording artist, and cultural icon Lil' Kim When teenager Kimberly Denise Jones--better known as Lil' Kim--burst on the hip-hop scene in the...

The powerful story of Toufah Jallow, a brilliant and inspiring young woman who, after she was forced to flee her home in The Gambia, bravely bucked taboo and named herself as a survivor of a sexual assault by the country's dictator--launching an...

Writing to his brother, G'Ra Asim reflects on building his own identity while navigating Blackness, masculinity, and young adulthood--all through wry social commentary and music/pop culture critique How does one approach Blackness, masculinity,...

Winner of the 2019 Stone Book Award, Museum of African American History  A remarkable intellectual history of the slave revolts that made the modern revolutionary era The Common Wind is a gripping and colorful account of the intercontinental...

Blooming in Motion is a coloring book celebrating Black history through the performing art of dance. The original illustrations by Amber Barbee Pickens honor trailblazing dance legends by paying tribute to the sacrifice, perseverance, fearlessness,...

[An] inspiring book about the events leading up to the 1960 election, from Dr. King's imprisonment to student activism in Atlanta to JFK's campaign. It's a story we can all learn from--a story of overlooked heroes and the power each of us has to create...

In 2004, David Katz worked alongside then Senate-hopeful Barack Obama as a photographer and personal aide. He spent approximately six days a week alongside the future president as Obama campaigned across downstate Illinois, and the two developed a close,...

Who is Mike Hill? For 49 years, he attempted to answer the question, to no avail. Hill was known to the world as the polished, versatile talent with multi-decade broadcast experience. After joining ESPN in 2004, Hill made a name for himself at the...

In Radical Insurgencies, Molefi Kete Asante has stitched together various social and political concerns with the skill of a quilt maker drawing inspiration from Africology, history, sociology, and philosophy. Dr. Nah Dove Africology Temple University