First published 1998
National Book Award winner Jeffrey Stewart presents five centuries of Black American experience through carefully selected facts, figures, and biographical sketches. Stewart organizes his material into six major areas: Great Migrations, Civil Rights and Politics, Science and Medicine, Sports, Military service, and Culture and Religion. He profiles both celebrated figures like Sojourner Truth and Colin Powell alongside lesser known pioneers such as Estevanico, the first African explorer in America, and Peter Salem, who fought at Bunker Hill. The book covers artistic innovators including filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, dancer Katherine Dunham, and actor Ira Aldridge. Stewart answers questions ranging from who created the gas mask to which athlete dominated 1950s college lacrosse to who pioneered DJ scratching techniques. This reference work serves readers seeking specific information about African American contributions across multiple fields and time periods.
Genres: history, reference, african-american, non-fiction, biography-memoir, american-history
Vibes: educational, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: educational, informative
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century, 21st-century
416 pages · Paperback · Crown