In this essay, Joyce King attempts to interrupt the calculus of human (un)worthiness and to repair the collective cultural amnesia that are legacies of slavery and that make it easy--hegemonically and dysconsciously--for the public to accept myths and media reports, such as those about the depravity of survivors of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans…

Traces the development of Afro-American history since Carter Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915. Reviews two books, BLACK HISTORY AND THE HISTORICAL PROFESSION (Meier and Elliott, 1986) and THE STATE OF AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORY: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE (Hine, 1986), stating that they illustrate the…

Presents the results of a survey of readers' opinions about African Americans who made the greatest contributions to American society during the 20th century. Martin Luther King, Jr., received the most votes by a large margin, followed by Thurgood Marshall, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Malcolm X. Discusses survey results by various categories. (SM)

Recognizes allegorical patterns controlling Chestnutt's novel, "The Marrow of Tradition," in response to criticisms concerning stereotyped characters and overplotting. Feels that Chestnutt is stating that given the death of benevolence in White society and the suicidal nature of violent Black retaliation, separatism alone offers Black…

Chronicles the history of the Division of Negro Economics in the Department of Labor. The purpose of the division, created in 1917, was to mobilize the Black work force and to work for the advancement of Black wage earners. The division ceased to exist in 1922, mostly because of neglect and disuse. (JOW)

The Constitution is a living document whose meaning was not fixed forever at the Philadelphia Convention. Focuses on the slavery compromise and the Fourteenth Amendment to demonstrate defects of the document and its promising evolution through 200 years of American history. (PS)

Examines the nature of 19th century U.S. nationalism. Contends that a by-product of it was the emergence of a political atmosphere which was not conducive to critical questioning of government policies which violated Indian rights, propelled the country into an unjust war with Mexico, and allowed the mistreatment of millions of blacks. (BSR)

Analyzes drawings and photographs of Blacks from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, commenting on the racial and social attitudes they reflect. Several examples are included in the text. (GC)

Race has played a key role in American life-style from the early colonial days to the present. Thus, it is a more important determinant of political behavior than class, particularly for Black Americans. (Author/MC)

Reviews the progress of Blacks in northern urban schools from World War II to the present. Finds that the problems of academic achievement among Blacks remain severe because of the persistence of racism. (DM)

Discusses the Black struggle for equality, particularly in the post-World War II period, its influence on other American minorities, and its potential impact in international affairs. (DM)

Profiles Connie Porter, best-selling children's author of six books featuring Addy Walker, a fictional African American slave girl who escapes to the North in 1864. The books, for girls aged 7 through 12, are part of a collection featuring 5 girls in different periods of American history. Discusses Porter's writing and research processes. (MDM)

Summarizes recent theorists' explorations of "whiteness" and discusses what the author sees as the difficulties that can occur when scholars attempt to incorporate these analyses into classroom lectures and discussions. Offers tentative suggestions for alternative approaches that investigate whiteness while deconstructing race. (TB)

Four educators critique "One Drop of Blood: The American Misadventure of Race" (Scott Malcomson). One notes it does not critically examine concepts of race. Another examines how it expresses three unresolved problems in the sociological literature of race. The third says it is irrelevant for minority groups living with racism. The fourth suggests…

Two leading black newspapers were very outspoken during the black American's struggle for equality following the Civil War of the 1860s. The Chicago-based "Conservator" and "Appeal" actively encouraged blacks to enter the nationwide power struggle among warring interests on their own behalf, and on a cultural level they attempted to elevate the…