Description
This two-volume reference seeks to capture the ways in which the tenets and foundations of African American culture have given rise to today's society. Approaching the field from a "street level" perspective, these two volumes cover topics of universal interest in America: rap music, sports, television, cinema, racism, religion, literature, and much more. The Encyclopedia of African American Society is also the first comprehensive yet accessible reference set in this field to give voice to the turbulent historical trends–slavery, segregation, "separate but equal"–that are often ignored in favor of mere facts. This is a definitive, reliable, and accessible entry point to learning the basics about African American society.
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Editor Jaynes (African American studies and economics, Yale U.) provides a thoughtful introduction to this two-volume work, which he explains is intended to be clearly written and accessible for high school students yet substantial enough to engage more sophisticated readers. He explains his choice of the term society for the title, which expresses the diversity among the Black population in the United States as well as the continuity of some activities and institutions. Alphabetically arranged entries, each with a bibliography and cross- references, pertain to social issues, the humanities, and people and places. Short entries are inter-mixed with longer essays on important themes and issues; biographies are interspersed with entries on social events, issues, and ideas. A Reader's Guide to entries grouped by theme, and a subject index provide access. Appendices include information about African Americans in halls of fame, colleges and universities with majors in African American studies, and African American heritage sites. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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