Synopses & Reviews
One hundred original profiles of the most influential African-Americans of the twentieth century.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Without Louis Armstrong or Miles Davis, we would not have jazz. Without Toni Morrison or Ralph Ellison, we would miss some of our greatest novels. Without Dr. King or Thurgood Marshall, we would be deprived of political breakthroughs that affirm and strengthen our democracy. Here, two of the leading African-American scholars of our day, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Cornel West, show us why the twentieth century was the African-American century, as they offer their personal picks of the African-American figures who did the most to shape our world.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;This colorful collection of personalities includes much-loved figures such as scientist George Washington Carver, contemporary favorites such as comedian Richard Pryor and novelist Alice Walker, and even less-well-known people such as aviator Bessie Coleman. Gates and West also recognize the achievements of controversial figures such as Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and rap artist Tupac Shakur. Lively, accessible, and illustrated throughout, andlt;iandgt;The African-American Centuryandlt;/iandgt; is a celebration of black achievement and a tribute to the black struggle for freedom in America that will inspire readers for years to come.
Synopsis
ONE HUNDRED ORIGINAL PROFILES OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AFRICAN AMERICANS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Without Louis Armstrong or Miles Davis, we would not have jazz. Without Toni Morrison or Ralph Ellison, we would miss some of our greatest novels. Without Dr. King or Thurgood Marshall, we would be deprived of political breakthroughs that affirm and strengthen our democracy. Here, two of the leading African-American scholars of our day, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Cornel West, show us why the twentieth century was the African-American century, as they offer their personal picks of the African-American figures who did the most to shape our world.
This colorful collection of personalities includes much-loved figures such as scientist George Washington Carver, contemporary favorites such as comedian Richard Pryor and novelist Alice Walker, and even less-well-known people such as aviator Bessie Coleman. Gates and West also recognize the achievements of controversial figures such as Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and rap artist Tupac Shakur. Lively, accessible, and illustrated throughout, The African-American Century is a celebration of black achievement and a tribute to the black struggle for freedom in America that will inspire readers for years to come.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,andlt;/bandgt; is the W. E. B. Du Bois Professor of the Humanities, chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies, and director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American research at Harvard University. Among his many books are andlt;Iandgt;Colored People: A Memoir and Wonders of the African World.andlt;/Iandgt; He won an American Book Award in 1989 for andlt;Iandgt;The Signifying Monkey.andlt;/Iandgt;
Table of Contents
andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;Contentsandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Acknowledgmentsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Introduction andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1900-1909andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;W. E. B. Du Boisandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;T. Thomas Fortuneandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Matthew Hensonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jack Johnsonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Scott Joplinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Henry Ossawa Tannerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Madame C.J. Walkerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Booker T. Washingtonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Ida B. Wells Barnettandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Bert Williamsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1910-1919andlt;/Bandgt; Mary McLeod Bethuneandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;George Washington Carverandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Thomas A. Dorseyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;W. C. Handyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;James Weldon Johnsonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Kelly Roll Mortonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Charles Henry Turnerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jimmy Winkfieldandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Carter G. Woodsonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1920-1929andlt;/Bandgt; Louis Armstrongandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Junius Austinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Josephine Bakerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Bessie Colemanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Marcus Garveyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Langston Hughesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Ernest Everett justandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Oscar Micheauxandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Bessie Smithandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jean Toomerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1930-1939andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Marian Andersonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Sterling A. Brownandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Father Divineandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Charles Hamilton Houstonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Zora Neale Hurstonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Robert Johnsonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Joe Louisandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jesse Owensandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Paul Robesonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Bill "Bojangles" Robinsonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1940-1949andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Charles R. Drewandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Katherine Dunhamandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Duke Ellingtonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Billie Holidayandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Lena Horneandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jacob Lawrenceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;A. Philip Randolphandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jackie Robinsonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Richard Wrightandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1950-1959andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Ralph Buncheandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Nat "King" Coleandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Miles Davisandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Ralph Ellisonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Althea Gibsonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Lorraine Hansberryandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Willie Maysandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Rosa Parksandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Art Tatumandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Sarah Vaughanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1960-1969andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Muhammad Aliandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;James Baldwinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;John Coltraneandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Angela Davisandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Fannie Lou Hamerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jimi Hendrixandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Martin Luther King, Jr.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Thurgood Marshallandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Sidney Poitierandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Malcolm Xandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1970-1979andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Hank Aaronandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Maya Angelouandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Romare Beardenandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;James Brownandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Marvin Gayeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Barbara Harrisandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Dorothy Heightandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Barbara Jordanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Leontyne Priceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Richard Pryorandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1980-1989andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Alvin Aileyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Bill Cosbyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;John Hope Franklinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jesse Jacksonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Michael Jacksonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Carl Lewisandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Jessye Normanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Martin Puryearandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Alice Walkerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;August Wilsonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt;1990-1999andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Louis Farrakhanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Michael Jordanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt; Spike Leeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Wynton Marsalisandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Toni Morrisonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Colin Powellandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Tupac Shakurandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Denzel Washingtonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Oprah Winfreyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Tiger Woodsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Chronologyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;A Guide to Further Readingandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Indexandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Photo Creditsandlt;/Iandgt;