Creating Black Americans: African-American History and Its Meanings, 1619 to the Present by Nell Irvin Painter

Here is a magnificent account of a past rich in beauty and creativity, but also in tragedy and trauma. Eminent historian Nell Irvin Painter blends a vivid narrative based on the latest research with a wonderful array of artwork by African American artists, works which add a new depth to our understanding of black history. Painter offers a chronicle written for a new generation of African Americans, stretching from life in Africa before slavery to today’s hip-hop culture. The author deeply enriches her narrative with a series of striking works of art–more than 150 in total, most in full color–works that profoundly engage with black history and that add a vital dimension to the story.