For weeks now, you’ve been remembering, studying various subjects, and celebrating Black History Month. But just a reminder: every day is a good day to learn about Black History. These great books can help…
About a year or so ago, we marked the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and we remembered the men and women who served. Now step further: in “Until the Last Gun is Silent: A Story of Patriotism, the Vietnam War, and the Fight to Save America’s Soul” by Matthew F. Delmont (Viking, $32), you’ll read about Black soldiers, activists, and protesters who helped bring the war to its end. This book isn’t just about war and peace, though; it’s also about justice, racism, rights, and it’s great for anyone too young to remember.
Another book about battlefields – in this case, airfields – is “Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen” by Charyl W. Thompson (Dafina Books, $30). This small book packs twenty-seven tales of airmen who vanished while fighting America’s enemies, and the injustices their families endured after they were lost. Written by the daughter of a Tuskegee airman, this is a must-read if you want a book that’ll thrill you and sadden you, both. Perfect for young readers, this is also one you’ll want to share with an elder.
For readers who want to reach back much more in their Black History quest, look for “A High Price for Freedom: Raising Hidden Voices from the African American Past” by Clyde W. Ford (Amistad, $30). It’s one of those little-known-history books that are intriguing, thought-provoking, enjoyable, and hard to put down. Also look for “The Great Resistance: The 400-Year Fight to End Slavery in the Americas” by Carrie Gibson (Grove Atlantic, $35). This is a huge book but don’t let its size scare you. Its comprehensiveness makes the time it’ll take to read it, worth it.
When thinking about Black History, the Cold War era might not come to mind, but “Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America” by Howard Bryant (Mariner, $32) takes readers to those years. It’s the story of two men, one who’d just integrated America’s favorite ball game, and how his testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee affected the other man, who was one of the country’s leading Black American athletes and performers. But this book doesn’t stop there: it follows both Robeson and Robinson as an equally tumultuous event happened, years later – the aftermath of both that, says the author, still resonate today.
So you say you still need more? You want a book about African American women, or a book on reparations, or one for kids or teens or more on the subjects above. Then now’s the time to head to your favorite bookstore or library and ask for help finding what fits your interests best. The staff there can help you get the exact book you’re seeking, and more because any day is a good day to read about Black History.
