In England, we might say that "the Empire has come home." This means that while racism and the processes of racialization are indeed extraordinarily powerful, there will not only be strong similarities between say the United States and England but also significant differences in how these things play out both now and in the past. This is…

Traces the development of Afro-American history since Carter Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915. Reviews two books, BLACK HISTORY AND THE HISTORICAL PROFESSION (Meier and Elliott, 1986) and THE STATE OF AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORY: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE (Hine, 1986), stating that they illustrate the…

Reviews Martin Duberman's Paul Robeson (Knopf, 1988). Commends its quality and coverage, but questions whether the book meets the challenges of Robeson's opponents. Concludes that Robeson is an American hero. (DM)

Reviews the life and poetry of Anne Spencer, one of the "lost" poets of the Harlem Renaissance. Discusses her varied and effective use of imagery and examines the Black and feminist perspectives of her work. (FMW)

Reviews the contributions of African-American poetry to the development of English literature from the earliest Black orator through the works of Langston Hughes. Emphasizes the work of Phillis Wheatley, Paul Lawrence Dunbar,"The New Negro" writers, and Hughes. (FMW)

Reviews "The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass, and Public Policy," by William Julius Wilson. Criticizes Wilson's analysis of the rising number of out-of-wedlock births and female-headed households among Blacks. (FMW)

Reviews the ideas of C. G. Woodson (1875-1950) about the inappropriate education received by African Americans. Although Woodson's book, "The Mis-Education of the Negro," was written in 1933, his diagnosis of the state of the African-American community appears to hold up well today. (SLD)

Explores the effects of Toni Morrison's novel, "Beloved," on readers. Explains that it maps a new direction for the African-American apocalyptic tradition because Morrison relocated the arena of racial battle from the streets to the African-American psyche where memories of the atrocities of the past have been buried. (JS)

Reviews two exhibits of visual art at the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Art Museum, "Works by African-Americans," which showcases the contributions of nineteenth- and twentieth-century African-American artists; and "Pertaining to Philadelphia," acquisitions from the collection of Julius Bloch, an artist and mentor to many African…

Analyzes the depiction of Black characters in children's fiction series since 1968. Discusses the following new trends: (1) revisions that eliminate stereotypes; (2) introduction of realistic contemporary Black characters; (3) tokenism; and (4) elimination of Black characters altogether. (FMW)

These volumes offer a blend of genres, authors, and purposes. Specific portraits are provided for each volume in chronological order. The central historical and educational values are in the view that the books give of the world of petit-bourgeois African-American women at the turn of the century. (SLD)

Reviews 12 nonfiction books submitted for the Carter G. Woodson Book Award that deal with the experiences of African Americans. Argues that many benefits can be reaped from the use of culturally pluralistic tradebooks in the language arts classroom. (RS)

Expatriate characters in six post-independence African novels are disillusioned by the nasty weather, negative racial attitudes, declining morality, and rigid social structure they find in the Western world. Their loneliness in the West ironically becomes a source of African nationalism. (BJV)

Examines the literature and explores the portrayal of African Americansin creative writings of revolutionary America. The literature of the period reveals the paradox of African-American life in America, where prosperity for some was based on exploitation of others. Works of Benjamin Banneker, Thomas Jefferson, and Phyllis Wheatley are cited. (SLD)

In his 1928 play, the Harlem Renaissance writer Leslie Pickney Hill portrays Toussaint L'Ouverture, the leader of the Haitian slave rebellion, with historical accuracy. Hill's presentation was aimed at rehabilitating black pride, "A worthy literature reared upon authentic records of achievement is the present spiritual need of the race."…