I finally finished the book ‘Creating Black Americans: African-American History and its Meanings, 1619 to the Present’ by Nell Irvin Painter. I can sum up my opinion of the book by saying this is the most important history book I have ever read! This is 392 pages(without notes and references) of essential information about the experience and history of Black people in the United States from the very first time our people set foot in the country. If there was any important figure you wanted to know about that person is mentioned in this book, including Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, W.E.B. DuBois, Fannie Lou Hamer, Crispus Attucks, Phyllis Wheatley, James Baldwin, Amiri Baraka, Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, Mary McLeod Bethune, Elderidge Cleaver, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Angela Davis, Abu-Jamal Mumia, and so many others who’s names you have probably heard before. I have heard many of the names before but I did not know what the person did or why I should know about them. I am so glad I know who these people are now! Never let anyone tell you African Americans have never achieved anything, we have no role models, or we have no heroes. These people are my heroes! The book showed me how strong our people are and how much they had to fight, survive, and overcome. I swear, African people have had to overcome more than anyone on earth! I am so proud of these people and I know that their struggles, sacrifices, and deaths have made my life possible!
If there is any historical event you want to know about, it is in this book. Creating Black Americans is actually a text book. It has 15 chapters including an Epilogue, timelines at the end of each chapter, and discussion questions to think about. It covers our beginnings in Africa, the TransAtlantic Slave Trade, the Civil War and Emancipation, Reconstruction, Segregation, the Harlem Renaissance, The World Wars, The Civil Rights Era, Black Power, and the Hip Hop Era. I think that this is a book that should be in the home of every Black family around the world. It is something that I would like to have for my future children. I hope to add similar books about Africa and the Caribbean to my collection.
One ingenious feature of the book is that Nell Irvin Painter included African American art to illustrate the book. Each piece reflected on a historical event, important person, or feeling created by an African American artist. This is the first book I have ever read that had information about African-American art! The art is beautiful and it includes, paintings, sculptures, collages, quilts and even poetry! Some of the art is realistic but a lot of it is abstract and full of emotion. I made a point to take my time looking at the art pieces to really appreciate them. This is an ideal choice for an African American history book because it is a lesson in history that includes art history!
I found this book in my university library. For the past couple of years I have been going into the African and African American history sections and just walking around, looking at the books. If I saw something I liked I would sign it out. I never did keyword searches for a topic or book, I just looked until I found something. That way I got to know the different topics and sections where I would like to learn more. I saw Creating Black Americans and the cover was new and it was a recent book from 2007. I’m so glad I found it because it was the foundation for African American history that I really needed. I have read other things, but I wanted something general that covered EVERYTHING not just particular parts of the history. This book gave me that. In the future I’m going to buy a copy and read it again. Reading this book was like taking an African American history class!
What I have to say to Nell Irvin Painter is that I am so glad that there are educated people like her who took the time to pass on this knowledge to the world. Her book in written in such a way that someone with a highschool education could understand it and the art is a brilliant touch! It was truly a gift to read this book and if I were Dr. Painter I would feel I really did something wonderful! I want to thank her for teaching me about the history of my people. I feel more complete now. I realize that NONE of this information was taught to me in history class in Canada. I didn’t learn anything about Black people at school. I didn’t really understand who I was until I finished reading this book! This is a must read for everyone because African American history IS HISTORY and should be a part of every American and world history program. Thank you Dr. Painter for spreading the knowledge and lifting the ignorance from my eyes!
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