Talking about race does not have to be incredibly awkward. In this book, Gooding offers twelve clear, cogent, and concise racial rubrics to help users of mainstream media more readily discern patterns hidden in plain sight. The text primarily leverages popular movies as the medium of analysis--since they are unparalleled in their cultural…

Describes how the author became critically aware of the dynamics of literacy and race in a composition classroom. Introduces his students to rap music as a legitimate literacy and a type of literature in its own right. Describes the lesson plan he used in the project and explains some of the theory that inspired his classroom inquiry. (SG)

Describes a pedagogy based on narrative and storytelling that encourages students to appreciate cultural and racial diversity as it helps them become active participants in the broader conversation of a literate community. (SR)