Racism 101: Are you a Racist?

Black Profiles in Courage by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Book Description: (From Amazon.com) In this ideal introduction to black history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar examines the lives of heroic African Americans and offers their stories as inspiring examples for young people, who too rarely encounter positive black role models in history books or in the media.

Profiled here are Peter Salem, the volunteer soldier who turned the tide at Bunker Hill; Joseph Cinque, leader of a daring revolt on the slave shipAmistad; Frederick Douglass, self-taught writer-orator and escaped slave who forced President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation years ahead of schedule; Harriet Tubman, who led at least three hundred slaves to freedom; Lewis Latimer, whose scientific work was integral to the achievements of Bell and Edison; and many more.

Shining a bright light on the touchstones of character, these exemplary stories reemphasize the integral role of African Americans in weaving the fabric of our nation and form an empowering legacy from which Americans of all ages can draw inspiration, wisdom, and pride.

Opinion on this book: This book was first published in 1996. I would have benefited greatly from reading it when it was first printed.

Favorite Part: Reading this gave me a dual reaction of pride and anger. Pride in reading of great achievements and anger for not knowing about them before now. Many of us don’t know much about our history. The little we do know, is bad. All bad. I would have to say that my favorite part of this book, along with the stories themselves, is how it is written. It is written for someone much younger than myself but I couldn’t help be enthralled by some of the topics. I wish I could have had this book when I was in sixth grade. I think it would have helped me to see myself in a slightly more positive manner. I think I may use this book to do a series during Black History Month…or any other time of the year.

Recommend it? Yes, it’s an eye opening read. It’s easy to understand and it introduces you to people that were great but ‘somehow’ got buried in history.