Unknown black history

Is there a better way to observe Black History Month than reading a book? Here are eight recently published works of nonfiction and biography that illuminate the African-American experience. ‘BARRACOON’ BY ZORA NEALE HURSTON In the late 1920s, Zora Neale Hurston, best known for her novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” interviewed Cudjo Lewis, an octogenarian born in Africa and brought to America aboard the last slave ship to have made the transatlantic journey. “Barracoon: The Story of the Last ‘Black Cargo'” – the title comes from the Spanish word for the barracks where enslaved Africans were held – presents Cudjo’s epic, heartbreaking story in his own voice, employing his colorful Southern dialect. Rejected by publishers during Hurston’s lifetime, this classic was finally published in 2018. (Amistad, $24.99) ‘UNEXAMPLED COURAGE’ BY RICHARD GERGEL In February of 1946, Sgt. Isaac Woodard – a uniformed … [Read more...] about 7 new books to read during Black History Month

Historian Carter G. Woodson as a young man. Every February when the nation recognizes Black History Month to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans, some inevitable questions are raised. Do we still need to celebrate Black History Month? Isn’t this an archaic idea? Black History Month is not only still relevant but necessary. But first, let’s take a quick look at how this observance began. While earning a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D from Harvard, both in history, historian Carter G. Woodson saw how Black people were underrepresented in history books. He was determined to correct this marginalization, which he viewed as dangerous. “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile traditions, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated,” Woodson said of the need for such study. Woodson began to realize his hopes of raising awareness … [Read more...] about Black History Month matters: Why it is still relevant