This four-volume encyclopedia contains compelling and comprehensive information on African American popular culture that will be valuable to high school students and undergraduates, college instructors, researchers, and general readers.
There are many aspects of African American popular culture that are mostly unknown or receive little attention in the largely entertainment and celebrity-focused modern media. For example, many people would be surprised to learn that quilting, collectibles, and cartoons all play a role in African American popular culture.
From the Apollo Theater to the Harlem Renaissance, from barber shop and beauty shop culture to African American holidays, family reunions, and festivals, and from the days of black baseball to the era of a black president, the culture of African Americans is truly unique and diverse. This diversity is the result of intricate customs forged in tightly woven communities—not only in the United States, but in many cases also stemming from the traditions of another continent.
Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture presents information in a traditional A–Z organization, capturing the essence of the customs of African Americans and presenting this rich cultural heritage through the lens of popular culture. Each entry includes historical and current information to provide a meaningful background for the topic and the perspective to appreciate its significance in a modern context. This encyclopedia is a valuable research tool that provides easy access to a wealth of information on the African American experience.
Features
• Contains writings from 100 contributing authors, all identified in a separate listing
• Includes a chronology placing pivotal events—such as the beginning of black baseball, the modern Civil Rights Movement, and the Harlem Renaissance—in historical context
• Depicts key places, events, and people through photographs as well as words
• Provides a list of black radio programs and movies
Highlights
• Identifies a number of "firsts" in African American cultural history, such as the first black Miss America
• Useful references, including websites, are provided at the end of entries
• Traces developments from Africa to America and explores their significance in the present time
Jessie Carney Smith is dean of the library and William and Camille Cosby Professor in the Humanities at Fisk University. Smith's published works include the multivolume Notable Black American Women and Notable Black American Men and Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events.
Reviews
"This reference book, which addresses multiple cultural influences rather than simply listing important people, could be a useful starting point for papers and projects on African American popular culture. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; general readers."—Choice
"The design of the book is top-notch. . . . The index is thorough and can easily lead a reader to the right articles. This set will be useful for African American and popular-culture collections in academic and large public libraries."—Booklist
"Whether for a student seeking biographical information on a specific African American or one needing ideas on a paper on popular culture, this set will prove useful. . . . Recommended for high school, college and public libraries."—Library Journal
". . . it’s hard to imagine a collection that wouldn’t be strengthened by this significant resource."—School Library Journal
