Demonstrates how the speech and writings of Blacks living in the United States and abroad reflect a holistic cognitive style. (DA)

The ways in which Black consciousness and experience emerge in the works of three Black poets are explored in this article. Historical, cultural, psychological, and linguistic influences are considered. (GC)

The factors of race, politics, economics, and the social sciences provide a unique dilemma for black communication scholars. Such scholars must respond to forces which seek to suppress their work and must also seek better ways of understanding the unique characteristics of communication among blacks. Investigations in black English should seek an…

This book discusses the special jargon used by black people in the United States. In the first two chapters the author, a white man, discusses his personal experiences with the black community in order to establish an argument for the need for more awareness of what black jargon is and how it is used. Chapter three proposes that standard English…

Developed as part of a multicultural research project conducted in the San Diego Community College District, this booklet presents the findings of an eight-member research team about various elements of Black American culture and history. The booklet begins with a brief history of Black Americans from the time of the arrival of the first slaves to…

Suggests that teachers of African American students have an obligation to familiarize themselves with some of the important differences in their students' language and culture that affect their learning in the classroom. Describes the rich oral tradition and group-centered ethos of African American culture. (RS)

Discusses the aims of and need for an African-centered pedagogy. A curriculum that legitimizes African stores of knowledge, builds upon the indigenous language, and imparts a positive, self-sufficient outlook would strengthen the identity and capabilities of Black children. (DM)

Presents a definition of ethnicity and clarifies the relationship between language and ethnicity. Considers the effects of bidialectism and bilingualism by comparing the experiences of Blacks in the United States and Blacks in the Commonwealth Caribbean. (RL)

Argues that definition of African American vernacular English is essential for linguists and for nonlinguists who define the language based on their personal relationships to the sociocultural matrix in which it is embedded. There is a need to resolve conflicts about the use of black English in the face of the complexity of responses toward it.…

Describes and explains the sociolinguistic factors that affect the performance of black children speaking standard English. Uses data from a 2-year study of black speech and bidialectalism involving 40 adults and 76 students to show how the black community and its children have difficulty learning proper English because of their incompatible…

This paper offers a brief but comprehensive overview of various issues pertaining to the use and origins of Black English. The purpose of the paper is to help educators understand Black English and celebrate this dialect in class while facilitating the acquisition of Standard English. It holds that Ebonics is a dialect of English with its own set…

Suggests that languages (non-standard vs. standard English), as well as "riving, jiving, and playing the dozens", derive from socioeconomic conditions and social settings and not from black faces. (Author)

Examination of representative stories told by black American children of West African descent in South Carolina shows that specific cultural motifs have been preserved in the oral tradition of black communities. Typical stories are tales of the supernatural, such as the Hag story about mortals who shed their skin at night to do evil deeds.…

This guide provides the teacher of multiethnic students with information and lesson plans for teaching about black Americans. The guide contains seven sections, the first of which outlines African history and the history of blacks in the United States, specifically Michigan. Section two examines the African oral tradition and discusses African…