Best black books of 2006 pack passion on the page
2006 turned out to be an explosive year for African American nonfiction writers, so much so that it proved quite challenging to settle on a list of just 10 praiseworthy texts. What's most interesting about the authors selected is that half of them are relative unknowns, either self-published or signed with modest-sized publishers.
Displaying a variety of unique voices, the only thing that these gifted craftsmen have in common is an unbridled passion and a soul still intact. They expressed themselves on paper in a recognizably black and larger-than-life fashion, doing with words what Aretha can do with her voice and what Coltrane could do with his horn.
1. "Diary of a Lost Girl" by Kola Boof
This heartbreaking and brutally honest autobiography might be the most brilliant deconstruction yet of the plight of present-day African Americans. Born in the Sudan in March 1972, Boof was orphaned at the age of seven after her parents were murdered for speaking out against the government's involvement in the revival of the slave trade. After being abandoned by her grandmother for being too dark-skinned, she found her way to the United States, where she was adopted by a kindly African American couple with a big family.
"Diary of a Lost Girl" represents the unalloyed emotions of an intelligent, defiant, frequently profane and proud black woman, a survivor who somehow overcame one of the worst childhoods imaginable to share an abundance of intriguing insights about her adopted homeland.
2. "Deconstructing Tyrone: A New Look at Black Masculinity in the Hip-Hop Generation" by Natalie Hopkinson & Natalie Y. Moore
"Deconstructing Tyrone" is a thorough and intellectually honest examination of the contemporary African American male. The co-authors assess how such phenomena as homophobia, the incarceration rate, brothers on the "down low," abandonment by baby-daddies, gangsta rap's influence, academic underachievement and underemployment have contributed to what they see as an unfortunate schism between brothers and sisters.
The book's fundamental question is, "How can you love your culture, hip-hop, but love yourself, too?" Can a self-respecting black woman embrace the typical black male in spite of gender frictions without capitulating and accepting the "video ho" label? This excellent study initiates a long-overdue discussion about the prospects and direction of the hip-hop generation, exposing its prevailing imagery as unacceptably misogynistic and more emasculated than macho.
3. "Not in My Family: AIDS in the African-American Family," edited by Gil L. Robertson IV
This informative and groundbreaking book takes AIDS out of the inner-city closet, opening an honest dialogue to shake brothers and sisters out of complacency and inspire action. Among the book's roughly 60 contributors are a variety of entertainers, physicians, AIDS activists, ministers, best-selling authors and elected officials.
Just as moving as the celebrity submissions are those heartfelt stories related by ordinary folks. Filled with profound moments, "Not in My Family" simultaneously serves as the means of kickstarting candid dialogue about an array of pressing topics that all in one way or another impact the means of battling this sinister genocide quietly claiming African American lives.
4. "White Men Can't Hump (As Good As Black Men): Race & Sex in America," Volumes I & II, by Todd Wooten
In these two volumes, Todd Wooten - a Marine-turned-expert (albeit a self-appointed one) on mating habits across the color line - makes up for his lack of credentials with an infectious enthusiasm for his material and a colorful ability to turn a phrase.
Taking no prisoners, the author is an equal opportunity offender, attempting to close the human divide by addressing a litany of uncomfortable issues with the goal of eradicating both intolerance and underachievement. The entertaining page-turner rests on the basic premise that the legacy of slavery has left black males both devalued and blamed for their collective lower station in life.
5. "The Covenant with Black America," edited by Tavis Smiley
Each February since 2000, talk show host Tavis Smiley has convened some of the most brilliant black minds around to assess the "State of the Black Union." Feeling that an annual symposium simply exchanging opinions wasn't enough, he decided to come up with a blueprint addressing the most critical issues confronting the African American community.
"The Covenant with Black America" is an exhaustive, encyclopedic assault on the woes plaguing African Americans. What makes this treatise unique is its plethora of practical guidance on undoing persistent inequalities. In advocating evolutionary as opposed to revolutionary solutions, this inclusive and optimistic opus ought to inspire all who read it to get involved and lend their talents to the eradication of the numerous impediments to black progress.
6. "Mixed: My Life in Black and White," by Angela Nissel
Brutally honest in tone, Nissel's heartbreaking tale begins with her abandonment at an early age by her Jewish father to be raised alone in West Philadelphia by her African American mother, Gwen. Unfortunately, this forced Nissel to grow up fast during her formative years, negotiating her way through a community where many challenged her blackness because she was not only light-skinned, but also half-white.
"Mixed" graphically relates Nissel's battle with depression and suicidal tendencies, her stint as a stripper, her encounter with a gunwielding neighbor and her post-collegiate decision to date white guys after being unable to interest black professionals. Given how low she had to go before hitting bottom, it's a minor miracle that this survivor is still with us, let alone flourishing, having finally found both the man and job of her dreams.
7. "Getting It Wrong: How Black Public Intellectuals Are Failing Black America," by Algernon Austin
Austin's primary contention is that "ivory tower" blacks who have lost touch with the community now feel comfortable indicting less fortunate black folks they left behind for exhibiting symptoms long associated with poverty. Such blaming of the victims is destructive, Austin suggests, because it relies on a stereotyping that makes it convenient for Middle America to see skin color rather than a racist, exploitative economy as the explanation for the plight of their least fortunate brethren.
He goes on to indict the legal system as "the most anti-black institution" in the country, arguing that it defines "criminality as an inherent characteristic, as a trait, of blackness." Consistently separating myth from fact in this fashion, "Getting It Wrong" deconstructs the unfair color-coded stereotypes to which both the black bourgeoisie and white mainstream culture have come to resort to when referring to African American ghetto-dwellers.
8. "Letters to a Young Brother: MAN ifest Your Destiny," by Hill Harper
A preponderance of recent studies, dealing with issues ranging from employment and parenting to education and incarceration, have announced sobering statistics about the dire straits of the African American male. Whatever the factor correlated with success in this society, all indications seem to be that the black male is currently in a state of crisis.
This despairing trend inspired Harper, star of the CBS television show "CSI: NY," to publish "Letters to a Young Brother," a priceless, no-nonsense, step-by-step guide out of the ghetto. This how-to primer communicates salient messages about the power of education, the misleading suggestion that material possessions ensure happiness, and the importance of being the architect of one's own life.
9. "Black Cops Against Brutality: A Crisis Action Plan," by DeLacy Davis
This invaluable police encounter survival guide offers plenty of sound advice on how to handle such an unsettling situation as being detained by a cop for whatever reason. As a recently retired veteran police officer, Davis is possessed of some sage insights, encouraging readers to remain calm, roll down their car windows, turn on the ceiling light and keep both hands on the wheel during a motor vehicle stop. He also lets you know how to proceed when authorities arrive at your door, whether with or without a warrant, or if they simply begin questioning you right on the street.
Of equal import is how Davis addresses what to do when you've become the victim of a profile stop, an unlawful arrest or an unfair search and seizure. He delineates each step of the subsequent civilian complaint process, from keeping a log sheet to finding an attorney, filing charges and contacting the press and your political representatives. And because the author sees the issue as a nationwide crisis, he stresses the need to develop strategies for eradicating police brutality once and for all, breaking the blue wall of silence to help hip the people about how to deal with the criminal justice system most effectively.
10. "Lynched by Corporate America: The Gripping True Story of How One African-American Survived Doing Business with a Fortune 500 Giant," by Herman Malone and Robert Schwab
Co-author Malone's tale starts with his journey from honorably discharged Air Force serviceman to the 1969 traffic stop in his Camden, Ark., hometown when, as a 21-year-old veteran, he was told by two white police officers that he might find himself floating dead in the swamp if he didn't leave town immediately. That rude awakening led him to Denver, where he started a telecommunications company that later flourished into a multimillion-dollar corporation associated with U.S. West, one of seven "baby Bells" created by the 1983 antitrust breakup of AT&T.
But the story transitions from triumphant beating-the-odds story to frustrating cautionary talent when a new CEO takes control of U.S. West and, according to Malone, begins systematically backing out of its established agreements with black-owned businesses. The class action lawsuit filed by the suddenly disenfranchised African Americans alleging racial discrimination against the Fortune 500 corporation, and the subsequent protracted legal battle, provide the painstakingly recounted action for "Lynched by Corporate America."
The copious quotes recounted from court transcripts and Malone's convincing argument that a combination of racism and judicial kowtowing to corporate interests played a significant role in the resolution of the case make "Lynched by Corporate America" a riveting, while discouraging read. As the old legal maxim says, "In the halls of justice, the only justice is in the halls."
Honorable Mentions
"Mama Made the Difference: Life Lessons My Mother Taught Me," by Bishop T.D. Jakes
"Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete," by William C. Rhoden
"Jokes My Father Never Taught Me: Life, Love, and Loss with Richard Pryor," by Rain Pryor
"Life Out of Context," by Walter Mosley
"Living Black History: How Reimagining the African-American Past Can Remake America's Racial Future," by Manning Marable
"A Hand to Guide Me: Legends and Leaders Celebrate the People Who Shaped Their Lives," by Denzel Washington with Daniel Paisner
"Don't Shoot! I'm Coming Out: How to Man-Up & Set Heterosexuals Straight," by Ben Setfrey
"Stripped Bare: The 12 Truths That Will Help You Land the Very Best Black Man," by LaDawn Black
"Color Him Father: Stories of Love and Rediscovery of Black Men," edited by Stephana I. Colbert and Valerie I. Harrison
"Historical Dictionary of African-American Television," by Kathleen Fearn-Banks
"Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life," by Tyler Perry
"Words to Our Now: Imagination and Dissent," by Thomas Glave
