Statistics emphasize that one out of every five men is incarcerated. The background experiences of dysfunctional black men are often explored while few studies focus on the motivating triggers for high achieving black men. Successful African American Men: From Childhood to Adulthood is a unique study of the nurturing behavioral settings that high achieving black men used as adolescents and examines whether social capital played a role in helping them negotiate their way out of disadvantage. Equally important, is how these settings accommodated the men's diversity, complexity, and the influence of black culture, and reconciled it to their ability to respond and cope with mainstream America. This volume will be of interest to psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists and others interested in the rich diversity of experience found within communities of color.

One of the unique aspects of the religious profession is the high percentage of those who claim to be "called by God" to do their work. This call is particularly important within African American Christian traditions. Divine Callings offers a rare sociological examination of this markedly understudied phenomenon within black ministry. Richard N. Pitt draws on over 100 in-depth interviews with Black Pentecostal ministers in the Church of God in Christ-both those ordained and licensed and those aspiring-to examine how these men and women experience and pursue "the call." Viewing divine calling as much as a social process as it is a spiritual one, Pitt delves into the personal stories of these individuals to explore their work as active agents in the process of fulfilling their calling. In some cases, those called cannot find pastoral work due to gender discrimination, lack of clergy positions, and educational deficiencies. Pitt looks specifically at how those who have not obtained clergy positions understand their call, exploring the influences of psychological experience, the congregational acceptance of their call, and their response to the training process. He emphasizes how those called reconceptualize clericalism in terms of who can be called, how that call has to be certified, and what those called are meant to do, offering insight into how social actors adjust to structural constraints.

This text examines the social forces that influence Black responses to differential conditions in American society. It raises the issue of differential social status and its effect on whites who are similarly situated at the low end of the class spectrum. Chambers identifies the elements that contribute to the fluctuations in maintaining the status quo and analyzes the attempts made to control dissidence. The standard functional approach is taken so students can interpret the data within a traditional theoretical framework. Chambers' book is an excellent introductory work in criminology on America's most challenging issue, racism.

The First African Baptists Church (FABC) remains were accidentally discovered and eventually excavated during the 1980s in Philadelphia. The history and artifacts of the church and cemetery, active from 1823 to 1850, provide a glimpse into the life of the poorest segment of Philadelphia society. Who these people were and the conditions of their lives is the focus of this book. Using census data, skeletal remains, and church documents, Dr. Rankin-Hill recreates the life of this community and compares their conditions to that of other Afro-Americans living in the United States.

This book brings together key essays that seek to make visible and expand our understanding of the role of government (policies, programs, and investments) in shaping cities and metropolitan regions; the costs and consequences of uneven urban and regional growth patterns; suburban sprawl and public health, transportation, and economic development; and the enduring connection of place, space, and race in the era of increased globalization. Whether intended or unintended, many government policies (housing, transportation, land use, environmental, economic development, education, etc.) have aided and in some cases subsidized suburban sprawl, job flight, and spatial mismatch; concentrated urban poverty; and heightened racial and economic disparities. Written mostly by African American scholars, the book captures the dynamism of these meetings, describing the challenges facing cities, suburbs, and metropolitan regions as they seek to address continuing and emerging patterns of racial polarization in the twenty-first century. The book clearly shows that the United States entered the new millennium as one of the wealthiest and the most powerful nations on earth. Yet amid this prosperity, our nation is faced with some of the same challenges that confronted it at the beginning of the twentieth century, including rising inequality in income, wealth, and opportunity; economic restructuring; immigration pressures and ethnic tension; and a widening gap between "haves" and "have-nots." Clearly, race matters. Place also matters. Where we live impacts the quality of our lives and chances for the "good life."

Service Not Servitude
This Anthology of Respect and the Pullman Porter's National Historic Registry is a reminder of a living legacy and a clarion call to continue what A. Philip Randolph and the Brotherhood defined as "the unfinished task of emancipation."
Lyn Hughes, the founder-director of Chicago's A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, knows this story as well as anyone, and she reminds us with this publication, of the labor milestone that helped create the new world of Black and White America.

Lerone Bennett, Jr.
July 2007

Pullman Porters known as the "Ambassadors of Service" transformed early train travel into the Golden Age of Rail, while the Brotherhood became the foundation for Americas' first black labor union.
Anthology of Respect, with more than 3000 entries captures their real sentiments, Stories, and family remembrances that give voice to what was an often unseen and unheard force that created the Black Labor Movement in America. "The five years invested in this research was time well spent. I believe this registry will become an invaluable resource. There are numerous collections of data on these men however; I believe this is the first attempt to assemble and present data of this type in a user-friendly manner"
"Great idea and long overdue "
Paula Robinson
Illinois Advisor National Board Of Advisors
National Trust For Historic Preservation
"This is a wonderful collection that speaks poignantly and passionately about the lives and the legacy of the Pullman Porters. A group of men who fought discrimination by unionization, whose exploits will be better remembered because of this publication."
Lonnie Bunch, Director
National Museum of African American History and Culture

"This important anthology and registry pays tribute to a group of African American men who 'hid behind the mask' but were important contributors to their communities, their families and generations who followed them."
Dr. Spencer Crew President
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

From Afro Sheen to Theaster Gates and from Soul Train to Chance the Rapper, Black Chicago draws sustenance from a culture rooted in self-determination, aspiration, and hustle. In Energy Never Dies, Ayana Contreras embarks on a journey to share the implausible success stories and breathtaking achievements of Black Chicago's artists and entrepreneurs. Past and present generations speak with one another, maintaining a vital connection to a beautiful narrative of Black triumph and empowerment that still inspires creativity and pride. Contreras weaves a hidden history from these true stories and the magic released by undervalued cultural artifacts. As she does, the idea that the improbable is always possible emerges as an indestructible Afro-Optimism that binds a people together. Passionate and enlightening, Energy Never Dies uses the power of storytelling to show how optimism and courage fuel the dreams of Black Chicago.

This book provides wide-ranging commentary on depictions of the black male in mainstream cinema. O'Brien explores the extent to which counter-representations of black masculinity have been achieved within a predominately white industry, with an emphasis on agency, the negotiation and malleability of racial status, and the inherent instability of imposed racial categories. Focusing on American and European cinema, the chapters highlight actors (Woody Strode, Noble Johnson, Eddie Anderson, Will Smith), genres (jungle pictures, westerns, science fiction) and franchises (Tarzan, James Bond) underrepresented in previous critical and scholarly commentary in the field. The author argues that although the characters and performances generated in these areas invoke popular genre types, they display complexity, diversity and ambiguity, exhibiting aspects that are positive, progressive and subversive. This book will appeal to both the academic and the general reader interested in film, race, gender and colonial issues.

Shaping Membership, Defining Nation explores and interprets the social politics, religion, and history of Africans (Habshis/Siddis) in Karnataka of South India. Focusing on the continuous dialog between African Indian historical formations and contemporary power structures, Pashington Obeng clearly explains the process of constructing socio-political and religious mores to respond to India's religious, socio-economic, and caste systems. The study begins by contextualizing the history of Africans in India before moving onto a sociological study. Pashington Obeng examines the formal and non-formal religious customs that stress African Indian agency in appropriating and shaping new forms of Indianness as well as African Diasporic realities. The book concludes with an important analysis of African Indian folksongs and dances.Shaping Membership, Defining Nation is a ground-breaking study of interest to scholars of African History and contemporary Indian society.

Recent discussions and dissemination of information regarding the rapid growth of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) across our nation are creating some awareness among administrators and educators in higher education institutions regarding the extensive diversity of AAPIs, the struggles of some AAPI populations in pursuing and succeeding in higher education, and the lack of support for their educational success. National discourse on AAPIs among educators, policymakers and AAPI communities underscores the need for more research-including more relevant research-that can inform policy and practice that will enhance educational opportunities for AAPIs who are underserved in higher education. The book focuses on diverse topics, many of which do not appear in the current literature. The chapters are authored by an array of distinguished and emerging scholars and professionals at various universities and colleges across the nation. The authors, whose insights are invaluable in understanding the diverse issues and characteristics that affect the educational success of underserved AAPI students, and they represent the ethnicities and cultures of Cambodian, Chinese, Guamanian/Chamorro, Filipino, Hispanic, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Native Hawaiian, Okinawan, Samoan, Vietnamese, and multiracial Americans. The authors not only integrate theoretical concepts, statistical analyses, and historical events, but they also merge theory and practice to advocate for social justice for AAPIs and other underrepresented and underserved ethnic minority groups in higher education.

In Crossing Bar Lines: The Politics and Practices of Black Musical Space James Gordon Williams reframes the nature and purpose of jazz improvisation to illuminate the cultural work being done by five creative musicians between 2005 and 2019. The political thought of five African American improvisers-trumpeters Terence Blanchard and Ambrose Akinmusire, drummers Billy Higgins and Terri Lyne Carrington, and pianist Andrew Hill-is documented through insightful, multilayered case studies that make explicit how these musicians articulate their positionality in broader society. Informed by Black feminist thought, these case studies unite around the theory of Black musical space that comes from the lived experiences of African Americans as they improvise through daily life. The central argument builds upon the idea of space-making and the geographic imagination in Black Geographies theory. Williams considers how these musicians interface with contemporary social movements like Black Lives Matter, build alternative institutional models that challenge gender imbalance in improvisation culture, and practice improvisation as joyful affirmation of Black value and mobility. Both Terence Blanchard and Ambrose Akinmusire innovate musical strategies to address systemic violence. Billy Higgins's performance is discussed through the framework of breath to understand his politics of inclusive space. Terri Lyne Carrington confronts patriarchy in jazz culture through her Social Science music project. The work of Andrew Hill is examined through the context of his street theory, revealing his political stance on performance and pedagogy. All readers will be elevated by this innovative and timely book that speaks to issues that continue to shape the lives of African Americans today.

The academy may claim to seek and value diversity in its professoriate,but reports from faculty of colour around the country make clear that departmentsand administrators discriminate in ways that range from unintentionalto malignant. Stories abound of scholars-despite impressive records ofpublication, excellent teaching evaluations, and exemplary service to theiruniversities-struggling on the tenure track. These stories, however, are rarelyshared for public consumption. Written/Unwritten reveals that faculty ofcolour often face two sets of rules when applying for reappointment, tenure,and promotion: those made explicit in handbooks and faculty orientationsor determined by union contracts and those that operate beneath the surface.It is this second, unwritten set of rules that disproportionally affectsfaculty who are hired to "diversify" academic departments and then expectedto meet ever-shifting requirements set by tenured colleagues and administrators.Patricia A. Matthew and her contributors reveal how these implicitprocesses undermine the quality of research and teaching in American collegesand universities. They also show what is possible when universities persistin their efforts to create a diverse and more equitable professorate. Thesenarratives hold the academy accountable while providing a pragmatic viewabout how it might improve itself and how that improvement can extend toacademic culture at large. The contributors and interviewees are Ariana E. Alexander, MarlonM. Bailey, Houston A. Baker Jr., Dionne Bensonsmith, Leslie Bow, AngieChabram, Andreana Clay, Jane Chin Davidson, April L. Few-Demo, EricAnthony Grollman, Carmen V. Harris, Rashida L. Harrison, AyannaJackson-Fowler, Roshanak Kheshti, Patricia A. Matthew, Fred Piercy, DeepaS. Reddy, Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez, Wilson Santos, Sarita Echavez See, AndrewJ. Stremmel, Cheryl A. Wall, E. Frances White, Jennifer D. Williams, andDoctoral Candidate X.

Like most of the nation during the 1930s, St. Louis, Missouri, was caught in the stifling grip of the Great Depression. For the next thirty years, the "Gateway City" continued to experience significant urban decline as its population swelled and the area's industries stagnated. Over these decades, many African American citizens in the region found themselves struggling financially and fighting for access to profitable jobs and suitable working conditions. To combat ingrained racism, crippling levels of poverty, and sub-standard living conditions, black women worked together to form a community-based culture of resistance -- fighting for employment, a living wage, dignity, representation, and political leadership. Gateway to Equality investigates black working-class women's struggle for economic justice from the rise of New Deal liberalism in the 1930s to the social upheavals of the 1960s. Author Keona K. Ervin explains that the conditions in twentieth-century St. Louis were uniquely conducive to the rise of this movement since the city's economy was based on light industries that employed women, such as textiles and food processing. As part of the Great Migration, black women migrated to the city at a higher rate than their male counterparts, and labor and black freedom movements relied less on a charismatic, male leadership model. This made it possible for women to emerge as visible and influential leaders in both formal and informal capacities. In this impressive study, Ervin presents a stunning account of the ways in which black working-class women creatively fused racial and economic justice. By illustrating that their politics played an important role in defining urban political agendas, her work sheds light on an unexplored aspect of community activism and illuminates the complexities of the overlapping civil rights and labor movements during the first half of the twentieth century.

Randall Joseph, award winning advertising writer and child of affirmative action has a grudge against Madison Avenue--he's been blackballed. Believing that the relevant word here is black and that Mad Ave caused the suicide of one of his buddies, Randall decides to get even. He devises a genius plot to systematically extort millions from the good ole boys who blackballed him. But while stacking up cash he unintentionally begins to stack up bodies as well. On the run from New York to Chicago all the way to Monte Carlo, Mad Man is a fast, furious, page turning adventure from a writer that has redefined modern action thrillers

Illuminates the threats of Black women face and the lack of substantive public policy towards gendered violence Black women in marginalized communities are uniquely at risk of battering, rape, sexual harassment, stalking and incest. Through the compelling stories of Black women who have been most affected by racism, persistent poverty, class inequality, limited access to support resources or institutions, Beth E. Richie shows that the threat of violence to Black women has never been more serious, demonstrating how conservative legal, social, political and economic policies have impacted activism in the U.S.-based movement to end violence against women. Richie argues that Black women face particular peril because of the ways that race and culture have not figured centrally enough in the analysis of the causes and consequences of gender violence. As a result, the extent of physical, sexual and other forms of violence in the lives of Black women, the various forms it takes, and the contexts within which it occurs are minimized-at best-and frequently ignored. Arrested Justice brings issues of sexuality, class, age, and criminalization into focus right alongside of questions of public policy and gender violence, resulting in a compelling critique, a passionate re-framing of stories, and a call to action for change.

In the last few decades, the people of the African diaspora have intensified their struggles against racial discrimination and for equality. Here is an account of these social movements in Latin America, the Indian Ocean World, Europe, Canada and the United States, that includes analyses of land claims, environmental justice efforts, union organizing, electoral participation and hip hop as social critique. Contributors include Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban, Manning Marable, Premilla Nadasen, George Priestley, Mark Sawyer, and Julia Sudbury.