Black Women in American Culture and History
From the American Revolution to the present, African-American women have played a myriad of critical roles in the making of our nation. Their labor and leadership, their motherhood and patriotism, and their intellect and artistic expression have all enriched both the African-American community and the nation at large. In slavery and freedom, their struggles have been at the heart of the human experience, and their triumphs over racism and sexism are a testimonial to our common human spirit.
In American culture today, many know of the accomplishments of a few prominent figures. From Phillis Wheatley, the unlikely American patriot during the Revolutionary War, to Harriet Tubman, the leader of the Underground Railroad from slavery, to Ida B. Wells, the unyielding opponent of lynching, to Rosa Parks, the mother of the modern Civil Rights Movement, black women have been notable for standing against oppression. From Gwendolyn Brooks to Toni Morrison to Rita Dove, they have distinguished themselves in American letters, and in recent years they have been recognized as actors and recording artists with Academy Awards and Grammys. The accomplishments of these exceptional women are the expressions of a vibrant culture in which African-American women play a singular role. The labors, struggles, organization, and sacrifices of common women have made possible the prominence of heralded individuals. In churches, community groups, literary societies, sororities, and advocacy organizations, African-American women have been the core of organized black life, but here their strivings have often escaped the gaze of the public and hence their history is too little known.
Their story is unique in the annals of American history. Black women were held as slaves and middle-class black women labored while their counterparts were housewives Subjected to a long history of stereotypes about their sexuality, morality, spirituality, and intellect. African-American women have never succumbed to victimhood and have pressed forward to uplift themselves, their families, and their community.
To gain an understanding of the history of African-American women is to broaden our understanding of a people and the American nation. The Association for the Study of African-American Life and History dedicates the 2012 Annual Black History Theme to exploring African-American women’s roles in and contributions to the making of America. © A.S.A.A.L.H.
African-American History Month Community Celebration
The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker starring Miz Rosie
A dramatic production about the life and times of a self-made African-American businesswoman who became one of the richest women in the United States.
We invite you to join us and celebrate African-American history month with a dramatic presentation detailing the life and achievement of Madam C. J. Walker. Rosie Chapman’s (a.k.a. Miz Rosie) unforgettable, one woman show, will vividly tell how a woman from the cotton fields of the South became a pioneer of the modern hair care and cosmetics industries. The Event is Free and Open to the Public!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Hoyt Library Auditorium
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Madam C. J. Walker: Entrepreneur and Activist
Born December 23, 1867, in Delta, Louisiana Sarah Breedlove grew up to be known internationally as Madam C. J. Walker, self-made African–American businesswoman and millionaire.
Sarah married and had a daughter, Lelia. After her husband passed away, Sarah decided to move to St. Louis, Missouri. In St. Louis, Sarah ran a successful laundry business and managed to send Lelia to college. In 1904, she experienced an epiphany after hearing Margaret Murray Washington (wife of Booker T. Washington) give a speech about the rewards of hard work.
While searching for a remedy for her thinning hair, Sarah noticed the lack of hair care products for black women and a million dollar idea was born. At night she worked on her hair products, the Walker Hair Care Plan, and it wasn’t long until she was selling her wares door-to-door.
In 1906 Sarah married Charles Joseph (C. J.) Walker and from that day on called herself Madam C. J. Walker. After graduating from college, Lelia joined her mother and they opened Lelia College in Pittsburgh, PA. Women were trained in administering the Walker Hair Care Plan and the graduates were known as hair culturists. By 1910, her first factory was built in Indianapolis. By 1918, her sales topped a quarter of a million dollars and she employed 950 salespeople.
In addition to being a very successful businesswoman, Madam Walker traveled and spoke on the importance of black businesses. She was a philanthropist in her community giving freely to churches, schools, hospitals, children’s homes and other causes. Active in the NAACP and a major player in the organization of the Negro Silent Protest Parade of 1917, she was a true civil libertarian vehemently protesting violence against blacks and racism in the armed services.
In 1916, Madam C. J. Walker made her final move to New York City. Despite failing health, she continued to travel the country giving speeches and opening new beauty shops. On May 25, 1919 Sarah Breedlove Walker died at the age of fifty-one, a self-made millionaire and one of the richest women in the United States-black or white.
Black Women Culture & History
Africana Woman: Her Story Through Time by Dr. Cynthia Jacobs Carter
A collection of biographies of critical female figures from the African Diaspora, including photos and illustrations. 305.48 Ca
Blind Faith: The Miraculous Journey of Lula Hardaway, Stevie Wonder’s Mother by Dennis Love
This authorized biography tells the story of Stevie Wonder from the point of view of his mother, Lula Hardaway. B Hardaway, L
Chicken Soup for the African-American Woman’s Soul: Laughter to Honor the Legacy of Sisterhood, Love and Memories by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Lisa Nichols
A wonderful group of stories that celebrate the struggles and triumphs of African-American women. 808.88 Ch
Creating Their Own Image: The History of African-American Women Artists by Lisa E. Farrington
The first comprehensive history of African-American women artists, from slavery to the present day. 704.042 Fa
Fifty Black Women Who Changed America by Amy Alexander
From Harriet Tubman to Oprah Winfrey, this book provides vivid portraits of the lives and contributions of fifty African-American women who helped shape our history. 920.72 Al
Grace of Silence by Michele Norris
This eloquent and candid narrative by the co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered is an investigative memoir through 5 generations of her family’s lives as African-Americans. B Norris, M
Great African-American Women by Darryl Lyman
Lyman profiles the lives and accomplishments of African-American women who were first in their fields, from athletes to artists, teachers to politicians. 973.0496 Ly
Harriet Tubman: Imagining a Life by Beverly Lowry
This “reader-friendly” book, which does not pretend to be a scholarly study, tells the story of the mythic Tubman in this richly imagined biography. B Tubman, H
Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching by Paula Giddings
This sweeping biography of activist and reformer Ida B. Wells, was acclaimed as a landmark achievement upon its publication. B Wells–Barnett, I
In Praise of Black Women by Simone Schwarz-Bart
The author tells the stories of black women throughout history with a blend of oral tradition, historical accounts and vivid illustrations. 305.48 Sc
It Is Well With My Soul: The Extraordinary Life of a 106-Year-Old Woman by Ella Mae Cheeks Johnson
Johnson offers a broad perspective on life for a woman who was the child of former slaves, and lived to attend the inauguration of the first African-American President of the United States. B Johnson, E
Little X: Growing Up in the Nation of Islam by Sonsyrea Tate
Tate has written a female coming-of-age autobiography that discusses her life growing up in the Black Muslim sect during the 1960s and 1970s. 297.87 Ta
Shaking the Tree: A Collection of New Fiction and Memoir by Black Women edited by Meri Nana-Ama Danquah
Twenty-three voices that came of age in the wake of the civil rights, black arts, gay rights and feminist movements. Their literature embodies the tragedies and triumphs of contemporary black women. 818.6 Sh
Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America By Melissa V. Harris-Perry
This book carefully documents the complex challenges and hurdles black women face in the world of American politics today, where “the personal is political.” 305.4889 Ha
SPOTLIGHT ON: Dr. Mamie T. Thorns
Special Assistant to the President for Diversity Programs
Saginaw Valley State University
“I have always worked with diverse groups, even though I grew up in the segregated state of Mississippi. I’m very proud of the experiences I had. Those experiences helped mold me into who I am today.”
A native of Brandon, Mississippi, near the City of Jackson; Dr. Thorns can vividly remember her experiences of growing up – the white and colored only signs, sitting in the balcony of the movie theatre, and attending school five miles away, even though a new school for white students was just a few blocks from her home.
Dr. Thorns credits her commitment to education and her drive for success to her aunt, Edna Winsley. Her aunt had been her second grade teacher and gave Thorns hope by helping her see that the way out of the segregated south was through education.
As Special Assistant to the President for Diversity Programs, Dr. Thorns is responsible for providing leadership and coordination of SVSU’s programs related to Diversity, equal opportunity, and affirmative action. She serves as primary advisor to the President and the campus community on matters related to maintaining and enhancing a diverse campus environment. Dr. Thorns has initiated programs such as the Saginaw County Youth Leadership Institute, now in its sixth year, and has co-chaired the Great Lakes Bay Regional Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration since its conception.
Dr. Thorns has a Doctorate of Education from Wayne State University, a Master of Arts degree from Ball State University and a bachelor’s from Anderson University. She is a member of the Phi Delta Kappa Honor Fraternity and The American Association of Blacks in Higher Education. Thorns is also actively involved in several local community organizations (several school districts, Rotary International Club, NAACP Saginaw, Mayor’s Task Force on Diversity, Bridge Center for Racial Harmony, Tri-City Links, Inc., Consultant to Saginaw Public Schools Strategic Planning, the Saginaw Community Foundation, the United Way of Saginaw County, the Salvation Army of Saginaw County, and the Saginaw Promise Zone Authority Board.) She is also an active member of Bethel AME Church and President of Bethel Day Care Center.
Dr. Thorns is married to Odail Thorns, and together they have worked on many projects to help enrich the Saginaw Community.
Telling Their Story
I Didn’t Ask to Be Born (But I’m Glad I Was) by Bill Cosby
In the tradition of Fat Albert, he introduces a host of new characters, including Peanut Armhouse and Old Mother Harold. Not since Mushmouth, Dumb Donald, Bucky and the Cosby Kids has there been such a memorable cast of misfits. B Cosby, B
I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down by Jennifer Hudson
Before we knew her as an American Idol standout, and Grammy and Oscar winner, Jennifer was singing in her church choir on the South side of Chicago. This uplifting, inspirational memoir tells the story of Jennifer’s meteoric rise from American Idol to Dreamgirls to her amazing weight loss on the megablockbuster Weight Watchers diet plan. AH B Hudson, J
Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and has been bought and sold by the billions. AH 616.027 Sk
In the Place of Justice: A Story of Punishment and Deliverance by Wilbert Rideau
While inside a violent high-security Louisiana prison since the age of 19, Rideau taught himself journalism and went on to win numerous prestigious awards for his work. In 1993, Life magazine declared him “the most rehabilitated prisoner in America.” Although other convicts accused of similar crimes were regularly granted clemency after a decade, Rideau remained incarcerated for more than 40 years. This is his story. AH B Rideau, W
Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny by Nile Rodgers
This brilliant storyteller takes us from the backstreets of 1950s Greenwich Village to the hills of 1960s Southern California to the demimonde of New York’s 1970s and 1980s discos and clubs—that live on in his music and in the throbbing, thriving world of pop he helped to set in motion. AH B Rodgers, N
Flavorful Fiction
All I Did Was Shoot My Man: A Leonid McGill Mystery by Walter Mosley
A gripping story of murder, greed, retribution and the poignant tale of one man’s attempt to stay connected to his family. AH FIC Mosley
The Choir Director by Carl Weber
When he hires charismatic choir director Anthony Mackie to rejuvenate the First Jamaica Ministries, Bishop T.K. Knight discovers that Anthony has secrets that could destroy the church, while his wife, Monique, tries to discover who has been robbing the church blind. AH FIC Weber
Color of Justice by J. Leon Pridgen II
An intriguing story about half-brothers who reunite in the legal justice system—one as a prosecuting attorney and the other on Death Row—and a race against time for the young prosecutor to save his older brother’s life. AH FIC Pridgen
Just Wanna Testify by Pearl Cleage
Blue Hamilton, “godfather” of his Atlanta neighborhood where crime is unknown, becomes pitted against the “Too Fine Five,” Amazonian African-American supermodels whose arrival in town spells trouble. AH FIC Cleage
Kings of Vice by Ice-T
Ice-T’s experience with crime and gangs in Los Angeles and his years on Law & Order: SVU make him the perfect person to tell this thrilling story of revenge and redemption. AH FIC Ice-T
The Loom by Shella Gillus
Lydia is a plantation slave with cream-colored skin and green eyes. Growing up, she’s transfixed by the stories and Christian wisdom of the elderly slaves who work in the “loom room.” Later, as an adult, she discovers that she can pass for white, and makes a desperate bid for freedom. AH FIC Gillus
Mama Ruby by Mary Monroe
Prequel to “The Upper Room” reintroduces readers to Mama Ruby, a fierce and indomitable woman. This time Monroe focuses on Ruby’s early adolescence as the youngest daughter of a preacher in 1930s Louisiana. While her parents shelter her from the harsh world, Ruby is eager for adult sensations, especially sex, and embraces her desire when she meets the promiscuous Othella and her brother, Ike. AH FIC Monroe
No One In The World by E. Lynn Harris & R. M. Johnson
Penned with his good friend R.M. Johnson and found on his hard-drive after his passing at the tender age of fifty-four, this insightful and emotional project tackles themes of family, loyalty and identity. Harris fans won’t be disappointed. AH FIC Harris
Silver Lining by Wanda Campbell
Campbell makes her mark again in another christian drama. After exchanging vows with a prominent physician, Marlissa Scott-Jennings is prepared to enjoy the life most women dream about, but only a few achieve until demons from her past resurface with a vengeance. AH FIC Campbell
Sleepless Nights by Norwood Holland
Amidst the cherry blossoms and historical monuments of Washington D.C., a gritty drama is unfolding. A story of three young men whose horrible crime threatens to unravel their friendship and change the course of their lives—and the lives of those around them—forever. AH FIC Holland
The Talk Show Murder: A Billy Blessing Novel by Al Roker
Before Billy had his five-star restaurant in New York, before he was tapped to co-host the morning show “Wake Up, America!” and travel with it for a week in the Windy City—before he even assumed the name Billy Blessing—he lived a totally different life under a very different identity: as wily con man Billy Blanchard. AH M Roker
Twelve Gates to the City by Daniel Black
The sequel to They Tell Me of a Home, is a novel about spiritual revelation and communal healing, ushered in by one who finally realizes that his gifts were bestowed upon him, not for his own glory, but for the transformation of his people. AH FIC Black
Wade in the Water
The African-American Experience During World War II by Neil A. Wynn
More than a half century later, a source has been published that presents information on the economic and social impact of the war and how this period was characterized by an intense transformation of black hopes and expectations. AH 940.5308 Wy
At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance—A New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power by Danielle L. McGuire
The history of how the civil rights movement began; how it was in part started in protest against the ritualistic rape of black women by white men who used economic intimidation, sexual violence, and terror to derail the freedom movement. The Montgomery bus boycott was the baptism, not the birth, of the Civil Rights struggle. AH 323.1196 Mc
Life Upon these Shores: Looking at African-American History: 1513-2008 by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Aims in part to restore to the historical record the names and achievements of significant men and women long forgotten: among them Onesimus, the slave who taught Cotton Mather to inoculate the Massachusetts colony against smallpox; the pre–Civil War, wildly popular black ventriloquist and magician Richard Potter; Stagecoach Mary, a post–Civil War driver for Wells Fargo; and the famous cowboy Deadwood Dick. AH 973.0496 Ga
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
The author reveals it is no longer socially permissible to use race, explicitly, as a justification for discrimination. However, once you’re labeled a convicted criminal, the old forms of discrimination in—employment, housing, denial of the right to vote, denial of educational opportunity, and other public benefits—are suddenly legal. AH 364.973 Al
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
The decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life, is told though the lives of three unique individuals. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America forever. AH 973.0496 Wi
Making It Happen!
Commander in Chic: Every Woman’s Guide to Managing Her Style Like a First Lady by Mikki Taylor
This can be considered a personal style diary—one where you’ll find everything you need to know to possess great style—simply, effortlessly, and for keeps. It is a gold mine of information that will inspire you—from head to toe, inside and out—on how to truly style, now and for years to come. AH 646.7 Ta
The Legends of Hip Hop by Justin Bua
An intimate look at fifty key figures including everyone from Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash to President Obama and Jay-Z, providing a portrait of each legend in a style reminiscent of the great masters. The artwork is accompanied by an engaging autobiographical narrative that contextualizes the impact each icon has had on Bua’s personal life and on the hip-hop culture at large. AH 782.4216 Bu
Lost In Language & Sound, or, How I Found My Way to the Arts by Ntozake Shange
In this deeply personal book, the celebrated writer reflects on what it means to be an artist, a woman, and a woman of color through a beautiful combination of memoir and essay. She describes where her love for creative forces began—in her childhood home, a place where imagination reigned and boredom wasn’t allowed. AH 812.54 Sh
The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in Its Place by Hill Harper
Through this inspirational read, Harper’s goal is to help readers redefine success and reset their priorities about money. He draws on his professional experience and sprinkles in a little autobiography. AH 178 Ha
Working While Black: The Black Person’s Guide to Success in the White Workplace by Michelle T. Johnson
Employment attorney Johnson has plenty of good advice to increase reader’s awareness of the need to develop strategies for selecting favorable work environments and for getting and keeping a job. AH 650.1 Jo
Living By Grace
Becoming a Couple of Destiny: Living, Loving, and Creating a Life that Matters by Rev. Joseph W. Walker III
This loving couple shares their take on how to know when you’re in love and ready to take that next step of commitment. This dynamic and successful couple will also dialogue about the place of intimacy, carving out time for each other, and the importance of creating a spiritual life together in order to make significant and lasting decisions. AH 248.844 Wa
The Obamas by Jodi Kantor
Filled with riveting detail and insight into their partnership, emotions and personalities, and written with a keen eye for the ironies of public life, THE OBAMAS is an intimate portrait that will surprise even readers who thought they knew the President and First Lady. AH 973.932 Ka
The Strawberry Letter: Real Talk, Real Advice, Because Bitterness Isn’t Sexy by Shirley Strawberry
Co-host of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, Shirley delivers more of the no-nonsense woman-to-woman straight talk her listeners have come to love. Shirley tells it like it is—from the heart. Whether the topic is cheating boyfriends, crazy mothers-in-law, job troubles, or money problems, this book offers a simple message of strength: a challenge to love yourself and your life! AH 646.7 St
“Thou, Dear God” Prayers That Open Hearts and Spirits/Martin Luther King, Jr. edited by Lewis V. Baldwin
Prayers for spiritual guidance—Prayers for special occasions—Prayers in times of adversity—Prayers for strength in times of trial—Bible Verses and Christian sources that inspired the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. AH 242.8061 Ki
