Black Saga: The African American Experience: A Chronology

by Charles M Christian

Overview

More than 500 years of history are brought to life in this illustrated encyclopedia, whose panoramic scope offers a vivid, definitive chronology of the African-American experience. Black Saga is a remarkably comprehensive reference book that highlights the key issues and accomplishments of African American from the late fifteenth century through the present. The people, places, and events that created black America are presented in brief entries arranged in chronological order. Sidebar articles interspersed throughout the text analyze the demographic, social, economic, and political conditions that affected blacks-calling particular attention to the efforts of African Americans to win freedom, respect, and improved prospects for a promising future in a country that often took the most extreme measures to deny them basic rights.The four-century trajectory of Black Saga is punctuated with the accomplishments of famous figures and unsung heroes: the poetry of Phillis Wheatley, the music of William Still, the industrial inventions of Jan Matzeliger, the business acumen of Madame C. J. Walkre, the sensational plays and home runs of Jackie Robinson, the political skills and power of Adam Clayton Powell, and the movies of Spike Lee.Practical and attractive, Black Saga is a great sourcebook for students from high school through college, and a valuable addition to any home reference library. The book includes more than 230 illustrations-many of them rare

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781582430003
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	12/25/1998
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	624
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

What People are Saying About This

Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Never have I encountered a richer or more informative presentation of the demographic context of the history of African Americans in this country...essential reading. -- Harvard University

Editorial Reviews

Black Saga may well be, as its publishers claim, "the ultimate reference book for the African American experience" to date. This chronology, spanning from 1492 to 1994, took Charles Christian seven years to complete. Black Saga succinctly and compellingly tells big stories -- in fact, centuries worth of stories, in very few words. From Boley, Oklahoma, an all-black town founded in 1903, to Maggie Lena Walker, the first African-American woman to own and operate a bank, to Moses Fleetwood Walker, who in 1884, decades before Jackie Robinson, became the first black player to play major league baseball, treasures abound here.

bn.com

Originally published in 1995 by Houghton Mifflin; this paper reprint is a Civitas imprint, available through Counterpoint. Arranged chronologically, entries ranging from a paragraph to several paragraphs highlight key issues and accomplishments of African Americans from the late 15th century through the present. Sidebar articles interspersed throughout the text analyze the demographic, social, economic, and political conditions that have affected blacks. Includes 230-plus b&w photographs and illustrations. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

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