Learn about Black history all year long at your local library
February has been observed as Black History Month for a long time, beginning in the 1920s, and March has been celebrated as Women’s History Month since the late 1970s. Any month is a great time for learn more about black history or women’s history, but these observances continue to have validity, reminding us to keep looking at the whole picture and to seek out the stories of people whose lives and contributions must never be overlooked.
This year for Black History Month, staff members of the UCF Libraries at the University of Central Florida compiled a list of 24 recommended titles by or about African-Americans, ranging from books celebrating outstanding people to books that continue difficult conversations about racism and American history.
Here are a few of the 24 selections, presented with thanks to UCF Libraries staff and with quotations from their descriptions and the name of the person who suggested each book.
“Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America,” by Gilbert King. If you saw the recent news coverage about the pardon of the Groveland Four, this is the book to read to know more about their compelling true story. It begins in 1949 in Lake County, then ruled by Sheriff Willis V. McCall. “When a white 17-year-old Groveland girl cried rape, McCall was fast on the trail of four young blacks who dared to envision a future for themselves beyond the citrus groves.” (Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services)
“Crossing Division Street: An Oral History of the African-American Community in Orlando,” by Benjamin Brotemarkle. “An overview of the people, institutions and events that shaped the establishment, growth and history of the African-American community in Orlando,” this book examines “the irony of how desegregation inadvertently led to the decline of the community.” (Suggested by Rich Gause,
Research & Information Services) “Frederick Douglass: America’s Prophet,” by D.H. Dilbeck. “This concise and original biography offers a provocative interpretation of Douglass’s life through the lens of his faith.” (Suggested by Christina Wray, Teaching & Engagement) “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom,” by David W. Blight. Hailed by historian Eric Foner as “a consistently engrossing book that is likely to remain the definitive account of Douglass’s life for many years to come,” this biography traces Douglass’s life from enslavement on a Maryland plantation through his work as an abolitionist and orator. (Suggested by Christina Wray, Teaching & Engagement) “Hokum: An Anthology of African-American Humor,” edited by Paul Beatty. Described as “less a comprehensive collection than a mix-tape narrative dubbed by a trusted friend,” this book offers “a sampler of underground classics, rare grooves, and timeless summer jams, poetry and prose juxtaposed with the blues, hip-hop, political speeches . ... Groundbreaking, fierce, and hilarious.” (Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/ Research & Information Services)
“Invisible Man,” by Ralph Ellison. A first novel by an unknown writer when it was published in 1952, “Invisible Man” won the National Book Award for fiction and established Ellison as
one of the key writers of the 20th century. (Suggested by Athena Hoeppner, Acquisitions & Collections) “The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race,” edited by Jesmyn Ward. National Book Awardwinner Ward “takes James Baldwin’s 1963 examination of race in America, ‘The Fire Next Time,’ as a jumping-off point for this groundbreaking collection of essays and poems about race from the most important voices of her generation.” (Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services)
“The Hellfighters of Harlem: African-American Soldiers Who Fought for the Right to Fight for Their Country,” by Bill Harris. “The author paints a lively portrait of the Army’s most celebrated all-black unit during World War I — chronicling their fierce struggle to be allowed to serve, their exploits in Europe, their influence on American culture, and their continuing contributions.” (Suggested by Rich Gause, Research & Information Services)
For the full list of UCF Libraries titles for Black History Month, go to library. ucf.edu/news/featured-bookshelfblack-history-month-2019/