Best of
African-American

2010

Moth to a Flame


Ashley Antoinette - 2010
    With reign over the city's drug trade, Benjamin Atkins made sure that his precious daughter, Raven, was secluded from the grit that the city had to offer. But when Raven's young heart gets claimed by Mizan, a stick-up kid in search of a come-up, there's nothing Benjamin can do about losing her to the streets. She chooses love over loyalty and runs off with Mizan, but her new role as wifey soon proves to be more than she can handle.Puppy love always feels right, but things turn stale, and she soon finds that everyone she loves has disappeared. All she has is Mizan, but when hugs and kisses turn to bloody lips and black eyes, she realizes that Mizan is not who she thought he was.Raven becomes desperate for a way out, but this time, Daddy can't save her. Every time she finds the courage to leave, fear convinces her to stay. Like a moth to a flame, Raven is drawn to Mizan, even though she knows he'll be the death of her.When the hood life she chose becomes unbearable and the only way out is in a coffin, what will she do?

Bankroll Squad


David Weaver - 2010
    The women in the squad are willing to ride or die for their principles and everything that they stand for. When their leader; Malcom Powers, switches up on them and marries a white woman, will jealousy allow the women to continue to ride or die for the drug kingpin? Or is his wife the only woman he needs? Is she prepared for the life that comes along with being married to a kingpin? Will she ride or die through thick and thin? An action packed emotional thriller that grabs your heart and never lets go. A ride you will never forget.

Hustlin' Divas


De'nesha Diamond - 2010
    It's put sisters Ta'Shara and LeShelle on opposite sides of the street game, where blood means nothing and loyalty doesn't last long. It's also got Yolanda, an ambitious drug mule, and Melanie, a police detective, caught up with the same man--the notorious hustler Python. These four women think they've got the game figured out, but the one man they have in common will have them living double lives and wondering who will come out on top. Forget what you heard about East Coast/West Coast, 'cause real vendettas are born in the Dirty South."Diamond's ear for street talk comes across loud and clear . . . a violent and profane tale, which launches a gritty new series. The divas here are realistic characters, and the pacing zooms . . . one of the best constructed street lit stories of 2010." --Library Journal"A nonstop, hard-hitting page-turner." --Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker

The Dirty Divorce


Miss K.P. - 2010
    His desire for fast money and the extravagant things that it brings puts his family in harms way. Soon, his ego forces him to leave his castle and empire to expand business on the West Coast. His decision to leave his love ones behind at the mercy of his enemies turns out to be catastrophic. One by one, each of Rich's children spiral out of control. Pregnancy, rape, and abduction all hit the family structure one day after another. With Rich putting his focus on money, sex, and insignificant things in life his wife Lisa, throws some new drama into the relationship as well; a side-piece and divorce papers. This creates an even bigger wedge between Rich and Lisa. The hate that Rich and Lisa develop for each other causes the divorce to get down- right dirty. Can their love out way their hate to save their family or is it too late?

Heaven's Hell


Takerra Allen - 2010
    Suffering at the hands of abuse from her father and her older, controlling, boyfriend Khalil, Heaven yearns and dreams of the day of her escape. Her prayers are answered when she is introduced to Khalil's boss, Street King turned businessman, Gavin Lucas, known in every hood in Jersey, as the infamous G. G becomes Heaven's knight in shining armor, sweeping her off of her feet into a whirlwind of passion, exotic getaways, and designer labels. But can Heaven keep up, or will the lifestyle of the rich and shameless swallow her whole? Heavens Hell explores the world of brutal life and fantasy, and leaves us all desperate to find out... do fairytales come true?

Cheaper to Keep Her


Kiki Swinson - 2010
    But, he's unaware that Lynise has no plans to let him go that easy.

Midnight


Beverly Jenkins - 2010
    But under cover of darkness, the beautiful daughter of a Tory tavern owner becomes the notorious spy “Lady Midnight,” passing valuable secrets to the rebels. Dedicated to fighting British tyranny, she’ll let nothing distract her— until a dark, mesmerizing stranger enters her life. A reckless, worldly adventurer, Nicholas Grey has returned to troubled Massachusetts seeking revenge for the death of his rebel father. He suspects a local innkeeper, but it’s the man’s breathtaking, ebony-skinned daughter who has truly captured his interest. Nicholas burns for the sensuous, secretive lady—and Faith cannot mask her own blazing desires. But when destiny unites their causes, the passion that draws Midnight into Nicholas’s arms is as dangerous as it is glorious—and it could spell disaster for them both.

Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority


Tom Burrell - 2010
    In fact, they are much more. They are survivors of the Middle Passage and centuries of humiliation and deprivation, who have excelled against the odds, constantly making a way out of “No way!” At this pivotal point in history, the idea of black inferiority should have had a “Going-Out-of-Business Sale.” After all, Barack Obama has reached America’s Promised Land.Yet, as Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority testifies, too many in black America are still wandering in the wilderness. In this powerful examination of “the greatest propaganda campaign of all time”—the masterful marketing of black inferiority, aka the BI Complex—Burrell poses ten disturbing questions that will make black people look in the mirror and ask why, nearly 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, so many blacks still think and act like slaves. Burrell’s acute awareness of the power of words and images to shift, shape, and change the collective consciousness has led him to connect the contemporary and historical dots that have brought us to this crossroads. Brainwashed is not a reprimand—it is a call to action. It demands that we question our self-defeating attitudes and behaviors. Racism is not the issue; how we respond to media distortions and programmed self-hatred is the issue. It’s time to reverse the BI campaign with a globally based initiative that harnesses the power of new media and the wisdom of intergenerational coalitions. Provocative and powerful, Brainwashed dares to expose the wounds so that we, at last, can heal.

Ruth and the Green Book


Calvin Alexander Ramsey - 2010
    Along the way they encounter prejudice, but they also discover The Green Book, a real guide to accommodations which was published for decades to aid African-American travelers as they faced prejudice on the roads across the country.

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down


Andrea Davis Pinkney - 2010
    Their order was simple.A doughnut and coffee, with cream on the side.This picture book is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the momentous Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in, when four college students staged a peaceful protest that became a defining moment in the struggle for racial equality and the growing civil rights movement. Andrea Davis Pinkney uses poetic, powerful prose to tell the story of these four young men, who followed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words of peaceful protest and dared to sit at the "whites only" Woolworth's lunch counter. Brian Pinkney embraces a new artistic style, creating expressive paintings filled with emotion that mirror the hope, strength, and determination that fueled the dreams of not only these four young men, but also countless others.

Heist


Kiki Swinson - 2010
    So when Todd plans the ultimate stickup from behind bars, Shannon's ready to put her neck on the line. But she'll have to pull off the hustle of a lifetime and play one dangerous gangster who always gets what he wants."Robyn Banks" by De'nesha DiamondDEA Agent Jordan Hayes has vowed to never walk in her ex-con father's footsteps. Suspecting her father is planning another robbery, she begins keeping close tabs on him and his crony--sexy gangster Keston Bishop. Jordan soon becomes addicted to the danger that radiates from Keston like street candy as she takes part in a daring theft that could cost her everything."Kiki captures the heat of the streets." --Wahida Clark"Diamond tells it like it is." --Publishers Weekly on Heartbreaker

Perfect Peace


Daniel Black - 2010
    I made you a girl. But that ain’t what you was supposed to be. So, from now on, you gon’ be a boy. It’ll be a little strange at first, but you’ll get used to it, and this’ll be over after while.”      From this point forward, his life becomes a bizarre kaleidoscope of events. Meanwhile, the Peace family is forced to question everything they thought they knew about gender, sexuality, unconditional love, and fulfillment.

Deadly Decisions


Mimi Renee - 2010
    Keisha endured a dysfunctional home life and tumultuous relationship with her mother. Her screwed up life style and unforeseen family tragedy ushered her into the belly of the beast. Keisha falls headfirst into a game of love and deception. There are three hearts at stake including her very own. In attempts to deal with her deteriorating emotional state and the need to survive, she gets involved with two of California's notorious gangstas. Keisha test the limits as she attempts to be the number one boss chic and stay alive. All the while praying that her dirty secret is not discovered. Keisha is in too deep, the red and blue has become a big blur. The decisions she's making may prove to be deadly! Will she get her love Piru style or will she end up on a missing poster? Either way she is determined to be on top or die trying.

The Promise


Chandra Sparks Splond - 2010
    The fallout from her relationship with Allen Benson has made Courtland more sure than ever that waiting to have sex is the right decision. But the drama's not over, especially with her own father acting strangely and Allen out to make her life hell—with his teammates' help. All except Aidan Calhoun, the new star player who's just moved from Atlanta. Aidan supports her involvement in the Worth-the-Wait club and the upcoming purity ball, and despite vowing to never date another baller, Courtland's falling fast. But can she trust her feelings for someone new when the people she's closest to may not be what they seem?

A Girl From Flint


Treasure Hernandez - 2010
    Hailing from New York and raised by a junkie mother, she had to learn early how to use her beauty to her advantage. Tasha thinks she's seen it all on the streets of New York, but when she follows a childhood friend to the little city of Flint, Michigan, she realizes that sometimes the smallest cities breed the grimiest of individuals. When Tasha and her friends link up with Manolo, one of Flint's known stick-up kids, they take the hustlers of Flint for all they're worth. Any man who falls for a pretty face is a target, and under the guidance of Manolo, the girls quickly learn the game of manipulation and deceit. They become known as The Manolo Mamis, and their skills gain them thousands of dollars in no time. Tasha is living the life of the young and fly, but when tragedy strikes and the stakes are raised, she has to choose between loyalty and self-sacrifice. When the only man she's ever loved becomes her target, will she decide to save him, or will she remain loyal to The Manolo Mamis?

What's Really Hood!: A Collection of Tales from the Streets


Wahida Clark - 2010
    WHAT'S REALLY HOOD!Black Is Blue by Victor L. Martin delves into the life of a corporate woman who falls in love with a thug and finds out just how easy it is to stray from the straight and narrow. Eighteen and hungry Wiz's only addiction to drugs is the money it made. But Crystal changed all of that and shows him just how powerful a woman can be in The P is Free by LaShonda Teague. In The LastLaugh by Bonta, Bobo, a member of the infamous Eight-Trey street gang, learns that gang life isn't all it's cracked up to be as "street wars" take on a whole new meaning. Shawn "Jihad" Trump tells the story of loyalty, love and honor, when The Point Blank Mob is brought to its knees leaving the crew fighting for their lives and freedom in All for Nothing. And New York Times bestselling author, Wahida Clark, introduces Nina, a woman tired of being disrespected by men who takes revenge to the ultimate level in Makin' Endz Meet.

An Inconvenient Friend


Rhonda McKnight - 2010
    Will she get her man or destroy herself and everyone else in the process?

A Woman's Worth


Nikita Lynnette Nichols - 2010
    A woman living in sin with a noncommittal man finds her prayers for a healthy and respectful relationship answered when a new man moves in, and steals her heart.

Heart's Secret


Adrianne Byrd - 2010
    Her client, Jaxon Landon, can never know that his grandmother hired Melanie to find him a woman of substance—someone more interested in making the handsome banker happy than in spending his money. With Melanie's help, Jaxon meets Zora Campbell, a former model whose thriving agency proves she's just as brilliant as she is beautiful. For the first time Jaxon is falling for a woman who is his equal—and their combustible chemistry proves the feeling is mutual. But the hotter their relationship gets, the more Zora worries about what will happen when Jaxon discovers the ploy behind the passion. A simple lie brought them together—but will it also tear them apart?

Samson


Jacquelin Thomas - 2010
    He’s a man of God—and most definitely no saint. Handsome and charismatic, Samson is controlled by his lust for beautiful women, a weakness that stirs up trouble, heartache, betrayal, and damaging rumors—and soon costs him his marriage, his best friendship, and even his new job. Samson loves God and tries harder than ever to keep his temptations in check. Then he meets Delinda…Beautiful, irresistibly sexy, and married to a famous NBA star, Delinda has Samson head-over-heels in love…in a dangerous affair that leads to a physical confrontation with Delinda’s husband.Now, the disgraced pastor begins a journey he could never have anticipated, where his heart is now his guide—not a heart of lust, but of new wisdom and a new kind of seeing. God will forgive Samson’s past—but will Samson himself be able to let go of bitterness and regret, and find a new light in his life?Inspired by the Biblical tale of Samson and Delilah, Jacquelin Thomas powerfully portrays a modern-day pastor’s dance with earthly desires…and the faith that made him whole.

Message from a Mistress


Niobia Bryant - 2010
    Bryant will have readers on the edge of their seats with this sexy and provocative novel about a group of women who have one thing in common--their husbands' betrayal.

Strictly Confidential Attraction & Taking Care of Business


Brenda Jackson - 2010
    Instead of asking her to be his lover, he was asking her to be temporary nanny to his baby niece. Not an ounce of desire in sight. Or was there? Living together, spending time in intimate surroundings, created a sensual tension too powerful to ignore. How long before this strictly business relationship turned into a strictly passionate predicament?Taking Care of BusinessFrom the moment she met Tag Elliott, Renee Williams thought of nothing but how his lips would feel on hers. That and darkened bedrooms and whispered promises. But as a member of Manhattan's wealthiest family, Tag was way out of the social worker's league. Besides, no matter how much she craved him, there was another small matter: she was black and Tag was white. Renee had agreed to one night to live their fantasies, but in the light of day Tag decided once was not enough. He could ignore the scandal they would stir; why couldn't she? After all, Tag wanted her. And he always got what he wanted….

Inside Rain


Monique D. Mensah - 2010
    After witnessing her mother s gruesome murder as a child, she is now left piecing together the fragments of her shattered psyche as an adult. Quickly, she is drowning in years of frustration and confusion with no promise of relief. Sinister visions and undying spirits haunt Rain relentlessly, driving her deeper into darkness and lunacy. Rain s grandmother, GiGi, tries her best to help Rain face the truth, urging her to confront her past, but the past is too painful it s easier to hide. As Rain struggles desperately to define herself, she's forced to brave her live-in siblings: a violent and narcissistic brother, Danny, who resents her weakness and Carmen, her promiscuous and hostile older sister, who wishes Rain would disappear. In her fragile mental state, Rain is ill-equipped to handle the chaos of their ruptured lives. When Rain, Carmen, and Danny are submerged into the horrors of prostitution, drug-addiction, domestic violence, and murder, Rain is left alone to face her internal demons and find her identity, with no one to answer to, but herself.

Project Queen


Teresa D. Patterson - 2010
    Using her body and beauty has earned her the title, “Project Queen”. She’s got it, and was born to flaunt it! She’s determined to break away from her abusive mother, and leave her impoverished lifestyle far behind.When she begins dating a notorious drug dealer, she assumes all of her problems are over. She couldn’t be further from the truth. She finds out that beauty is only skin deep, and all of the money, spinning rims, and glitter, can come at a violent price.

Project Queen II


Teresa D. Patterson - 2010
    When she enters their lives, she brings along chaos and mayhem. She desperately seeks the love that her mother, a woman who cares more for drugs than her own flesh and blood, couldn’t give. She only knows how to show and feel love by opening her legs. A night that begins as partying and fun turns into horror. The events that transpire blacken Della’s heart. She vows that the pain inflicted upon her will be inflicted back on her attackers. She will pay them all back - with a vengeance. What happens when her obsession with getting even causes her to spiral out of control?

Crazy In Luv


La'Tonya West - 2010
    Amy is Corey's new love and fiancee but when they take a trip to his hometown to visit his mom thier relationship takes a turn for the worst when she finds out about the other woman(Janelle) that is in Corey's life. Both women are determined to hang on to the man that they love and will stop at nothing to have him. Find out what happens when two women are Crazy In Luv with the same man!

In the Midst of It All


Tiffany L. Warren - 2010
    Between her schizophrenic mother and their tough neighborhood, her life has never been even remotely near normal. When the Brethren of the Sacrifice Church offers them acceptance and a chance at stability, even skeptical Zee can’t resist. Especially when Tristan, a handsome, fervent young member, acts like he wants her to be his one-and-only…and his wry older brother Justin reveals he’s more interested in Zee than he pretends. But when she falls hard for Emil, the Brethren’s outspoken rebel, her belief in mercy and tolerance puts her at odds with the Brethren, her new life—and her mother. Now Zee must come to terms with betrayal, deceit, and false faith. As she fights to grow spiritually and live on her own terms, she will discover how love, forgiveness, and God’s guidance can bring the most unexpected blessings.

Natural Born Hustler


Nikki Turner - 2010
    She has more game in the streets than a basketball player does on the court, and her boyfriend, Fame, loves every single inch of her. But unlike her mother, who has been in one bad relationship after another, Desember is not going to wait on a knight in shining armor to save her, and even her love for Fame can’t stand in the way of Desember selling anything and everything—legal or illegal—that can turn a profit, so that she never has to depend on a man. The only thing Desember feels she’s lacking is a father to call her own. And her mother refuses to tell Desember who he is.When Fame finds himself at the wrong end of a gun, fighting for his life, Desember wants nothing more than to stand by her man, but Fame warns her from his hospital bed that she isn’t safe. Desember wonders if she was the real target. Her mother, concerned for Desember’s safety, arranges for her daughter to travel to Richmond, Virginia, to live with Desember’s father and his wife.And when her father’s identity is finally revealed, Desember learns that she is a Natural Born Hustler.But are her troubles really over? Or is the worst yet to come?

The Sojourner's Passport A Black Woman's Guide To Having The Life And Love You Deserve


Khadija Nassif - 2010
     You can change self-limiting attitudes and open up new opportunities for happiness. You can become a sojourner. A sojourner is a woman who is free to choose her own path and go wherever her dreams take her. Are you ready to create the life you truly want? The Sojourner’s Passport shares ideas that have helped thousands of women overcome self-defeating beliefs and self-imposed barriers to personal fulfillment.

Right Package, Wrong Baggage


Wanda B. Campbell - 2010
    She unselfishly places the needs of her son, Matthew, above her own. Although she tries to convince everyone that she's happy with Jesus alone, Matthew handpicks the perfect present for her--a husband. Everything about the man her son chooses is perfect, except for his past. Micah Stevenson is excited when he learns the son of the woman he has been praying about wants him to join their family permanently. Believing Pamela Roberts is his soul mate sent from God, Micah pursues her. Once he is certain of her love for him, Micah reveals his dark history, shaking the foundation of the once loving and stable relationship. Trust is broken as judgments and prejudices threaten to deny the couple's destiny. Will the man he used to be prevent Pamela from loving Micah for the man he is now?

In My Girls I Trust


Brandi Johnson - 2010
    Their loyalty to each other has no boundaries, until it starts to affect India's relationship with her boyfriend. Will she have to choose between her friends and her man, or will he chose for her?

Full Circle


Ayana Ellis - 2010
    Told with comedic rawness and colorful sarcasm, Ellis's second novel is an epic story of love, loss, pain, and forgiveness that shines a spotlight on the painful reality of domestic abuse.

Rivals in Paradise


Gwyneth Bolton - 2010
    After being cheated on by her boyfriend and passed over for a promotion, she's off to the Caribbean for a weekend of hot island fun. And there's no sexier bad boy than her old college rival Chase Yearwood, who's on the same plane en route to his lush estate...and whose kiss Cicely never forgot. When he takes her in his arms again, he's more irresistible than ever. But will she lose her heart before this fling is flung?They call him the "Wolf" because of his legendary skills in the boardroom--and the bedroom. Now is Chase's chance to even the score with the woman who once beat him at his own game. But can rivals in business become passionate partners in love? Under a romantic tropical moon, he'll seduce her with a passion that will have her begging for more!

Diary of A Young Girl


Mark Anthony - 2010
    Urban favorite Anthony returns with a gripping tale of a young woman who is forced to confront the dangerous lies she told as a teenager, and come face to face with some ugly demons.

Last Bus Out


Beck McDowell - 2010
    While government officials posed for cameras, a boy from the projects with no driver's license stepped up and showed what "drive" is all about. LAST BUS OUT tells how Courtney Miles stole a bus, charged past a police roadblock, and argued with a National Guardsman who threatened to lock him in the makeshift jail at the Greyhound Bus Station. Sick with worry about his missing grandmother, he drove his passengers to safety, then went back into the city at midnight to help others. His adventure would ultimately lead to starting his life over on the opposite end of the country, far away from the three women he loves - the mother who abused him, the grandmother who taught him to survive, and the girlfriend who would betray him. LAST BUT OUT chronicles Courtney's life alone while his mother was repeatedly jailed for selling drugs. At seven he woke up on Christmas Eve with a gun in his face. At thirteen he witnessed the murder of a man three feet in front of him. As a high school junior he lived alone in an empty house without electricity or water. Courted by gangs who knew he was hungry, "Streets", as he was nicknamed for his solitary life on the streets, lived apart and kept his record clean - until the day he risked his freedom to save his neighbors. Courtney's passengers describe hacking their way through attics, fighting rats and snakes for dry roof space, wading past bloated dead bodies in toxic waters, and searching for missing family members while grieving for loved ones lost. See LastBusOut.com for more information.

Twisted Obsession


P. Dotson - 2010
    After months of suffering humiliating abuse at the hands of her father, Allexis flees to Virginia to live with her sister. Things seemed to setting in place until she is instantly swept off her feet by the ruthless Kane with his mysterious charm.When Kane's eyes landed on Allexis it was instant connection to his troubled past. And it didn't take Kane long to woo the naive Allexis in under his seemingly charming spell. With Allexis by his side he is determined to amend his past mistakes through her, but at what cost. Unfortunately for Kane Allexis should be the least of his worries.Take a ride into this sorted tale of lies, sex and abuse. Will Allexis be able to free herself from Kane's grasp, or will she find herself entrapped in his "Twisted Obsession"

She Who Finds A Husband


E.N. Joy - 2010
    But when only women join and Doreen learns that all these women want only one thing out of the ministry--help in finding a man--her mission goes astray.She Who Finds a Husband is what you get when you combine some D ivine, some I ndependent, some V irtuous, some A nimated, and some S toic personalities all in one setting--DIVAS! Dig into this soap opera in print as the women of New Day Temple of Faith Singles Ministry set flight to include a man in their future, not realizing that their past is what's keeping them bound.

The Promise


D.K. Gaston - 2010
    When Stefan’s ailing father, a hero to the community, asks his son to stop his corrupt ways, Stefan reluctantly says yes. Assigned to a woman’s murder, he must come to grips with his very nature and take on the broken justice system he was once a part of. Each step takes him down a shaky path that forces him to struggle with his inner demons and the promise he made to his father.

Skin, Inc.: Identity Repair Poems


Thomas Sayers Ellis - 2010
                         —from “The Return of Colored Only” Skin, Inc. is Thomas Sayers Ellis’s big, ambitious argument in sound and image for an America whose identity is in need of repair. In lyric sequences and with his own photographs, Ellis traverses the African American and American literary landscapes—along the way adding race fearlessness to past and present literary styles and themes, and perform-a-forming tributes for the Godfather of Soul, James Brown; the King of Pop, Michael Jackson; and the election of President Barack Obama. Part manifesto, part identity repair kit, part plea for poetic wholeness, this collection worries and self-defends, eulogizes and casts a vote, raises a fist and, often, an intimidating song. One sequence is written as a sonic/ visual diagram of pronouns and vowels; another quotes from editors’ rejections of his own poetry included in the book; another poem, “Race Change Operation,” begins: “When I awake I will be white, the color of law.” Skin, Inc. is the latest work by one of the most audacious and provocative poets now writing.

Orfan


Corie Skolnick - 2010
    While ORFAN has a fantastical side that allows us to reach in and enjoy the story of JD, it also illustrates the searing pain of aloneness and how important it is that our communities support all our "orfans" to have stable, permanent lifelong families. As we see with ORFAN, families can appear in all shapes and colors and from the most unlikely places. ORFAN is an old-fashioned page-turner with real heart and an insight into love and how people authentically come together as family."ORFAN is an insightful look at adoption that is so often ignored. From the beginning of the story the reader is pulled into the authenticity of each life that is touched by adoption. I recommend this book to anyone who is part of the adoption triad, the birthparents, adoptive parents and adoptee. You will not be disappointed."-Karen L. Vedder, MSW, Former president of Concerned United Birthparents, Inc., Carlsbad, CA"A wondrous, unique story about the power of imagination and movie stars to lift us out of tough circumstances."-Paige Gold, Entertainment and Media attorney"ORFAN is a novel that shows us the world from the fragile perspective of an amazing young boy who has lost what so many take for granted. Corie Skolnick has created a raft of vivid characters who turn the idea of "family" on its head, while telling a mesmerizing story that reminds us of how we are all linked together by our need for connection."- Donna Accardo, Chair, English Department, Pierce College, Los Angeles, CA

Race and the University: A Memoir


George Henderson - 2010
    However, when real estate agents in the university town of Norman denied the Henderson family their first three choices of homes, the sociologist and educator realized he still faced some formidable challenges.In this stirring memoir, Henderson recounts his formative years at the University of Oklahoma, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He describes in graphic detail the obstacles that he and other African Americans faced within the university community, a place of "white privilege, black separatism, and campus-wide indifference to bigotry." As an adviser and mentor to young black students who wanted to do something about these conditions, Henderson found himself at the forefront of collective efforts to improve race relations at the university. Henderson is quick to acknowledge that he and his fellow activists did not abolish all vestiges of racial oppression. But they set in motion a host of institutional changes that continue to this day. In Henderson's words, "we were ordinary people who sometimes did extraordinary things."Capturing what was perhaps the most tumultuous era in the history of American higher education, Race and the University includes valuable recollections of former student activists who helped transform the University of Oklahoma into one of the nation's most diverse college campuses.

Living for the City: Migration, Education, and the Rise of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California


Donna Murch - 2010
    Drawing on oral history and untapped archival sources, she explains how a relatively small city with a recent history of African American settlement produced such compelling and influential forms of Black Power politics. During an era of expansion and political struggle in California's system of public higher education, black southern migrants formed the BPP. In the early 1960s, attending Merritt College and other public universities radicalized Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, and many of the young people who joined the Panthers' rank and file. In the face of social crisis and police violence, the most disfranchised sectors of the East Bay's African American community--young, poor, and migrant--challenged the legitimacy of state authorities and of an older generation of black leadership. By excavating this hidden history, Living for the City broadens the scholarship of the Black Power movement by documenting the contributions of black students and youth who created new forms of organization, grassroots mobilization, and political literacy.

Simeon's Story: An Eyewitness Account of the Kidnapping of Emmett Till


Simeon Wright - 2010
    A 14-year-old black boy from Chicago visiting relatives in Mississippi in 1955, Till was taken from his uncle’s home by two white men; several days later, his body was found in the Tallahatchie River. This grotesque crime became the catalyst for the civil rights movement.At age 12, author Simeon Wright saw and heard his cousin Emmett whistle at a white woman at a grocery store; he was sleeping in the same bed with him when Emmett was taken; and he was at the sensational trial. This is his gripping coming-of-age memoir.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find


ReShonda Tate Billingsley - 2010
    . . set in one of the world’s most exotic locales. After her company is bought out by a tabloid magazine, career-driven journalist Ava Cole is less than thrilled to be covering celebrity fluff stories—even if her first assignment sends her to Aruba for the high-profile wedding of pop star India Wright. Maybe a solo excursion far from home will help her forget about her crazy family and her suddenly ex-boyfriend, who seems to have trouble with two simple words: “I do.” It doesn’t take long for the steamy island atmosphere to work its magic, and Ava finds herself enjoying a sexy flirtation with Cliff, the photographer shooting the singer’s nuptials. Just as their attraction heats up, Ava uncovers a bombshell of blackmail, deadly deceptions, and international intrigue that will all but destroy India Wright. With ominous threats closing in after the story leaks, whom can Ava trust with her explosive information, her heart—and her life?

Between the Sheets


Tamika Newhouse - 2010
    Enjoy erotic pieces with romantic and exotic flare.

John Brown An Address at the 14th Anniversary of Storer College


Frederick Douglass - 2010
    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Suck on the Marrow


Camille T. Dungy - 2010
    The book traces the experiences of fugitive slaves, kidnapped Northern-born blacks, and free people of color, exploring the interdependence between plantation life and life in Northern and Southern American towns and illuminating the connections between the successes and difficulties of a wide range of Americans, free and slave, black and white, Northern and Southern. This neo-slave narrative treats the truths of lives touched by slavery with reverence but is not afraid to question the ways the old stories have too often been told. In addition to creating new stories, Suck on the Marrow develops new ways of telling those tales.

Root and Branch: Charles Hamilton Houston, Thurgood Marshall, and the Struggle to End Segregation


Rawn James Jr. - 2010
    The Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education is widely considered a seminal point in the battle to end segregation, but it was in fact the culmination of a decades-long legal campaign. Root and Branch is the epic story of the two fiercely dedicated lawyers who led the fight from county courthouses to the marble halls of the Supreme Court, and, in the process, laid the legal foundations of the civil rights movement. Charles Hamilton Houston was the pioneer: After becoming the first African-American on the Harvard Law Review, he transformed the law school at all-black Howard University into a West Point for civil rights advocacy. One of Houston's students at Howard was a brash young man named Thurgood Marshall. Soon after Marshall's graduation, Houston and Marshall opened the NAACP's legal office. The abstemious, proper Houston and the folksy, easygoing Marshall made an unlikely duo, but together they faced down angry Southern mobs, negotiated with presidents and senators, and convinced even racist judges and juries that the Constitution demanded equal justice under law for all American citizens. Houston, tragically, would die before his strategy came to fruition in the Brown suit, but Marshall would argue the case victoriously and go on to become the first African-American Supreme Court justice--always crediting his mentor for teaching him everything he knew. Together, the two advocates changed the course of American history.

From Vixen 2 Diva


Marlon Mccaulsky - 2010
    With the voice of a diva and looks that can make a supermodel feel insecure Beata took the video model scene and Rap world by storm. By using sex to seduce lustful men into giving her what she wants Beata becomes the games #1 vixen. It's not until she runs into a familiar man from her past named Kane that she finds out her sex appeal isn't enough to manipulate him to get her ahead. Kane goes on to become a hip-hop mega star and leaves Beata behind humiliated. Beata decides there's more then one way into the game and tricks her way to her own record deal on Flip Set Records and ends up being featured on Kane's number one chart topping remix. This starts a bitter war between the two music stars. The only problem is that they're attracted to each other. Trouble for both of them comes home when Roc, Beata's ex boy friend and Kane's ex partner in crime gets out after three years in prison. Roc becomes obsessed with Beata and starts to stalk her. Roc also starts extorting Kane for millions for a crime they committed years ago that ties directly to Beata's past. But when Kane refuses to pay, thing's turn deadly as Roc comes after both of them with a vengeance. Will Beata be able stay alive long enough to enjoy her fame?