Virginia State University Faculty Publications: Books by VSU Community

This study of the Mende, the largest ethnic group in Sierra Leone, uncovers Mende origins, ending at the beginning of the colonial period. Drawing from documentary, oral, anthropological, linguistic and other evidence, the work argues that Mende originated as a lingua franca sometime in the late 16th century and spread fairly quickly. State formation began in the 17th century, gathering momentum in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Three case studies form the focus of the rest of the book.

This anthology reflects the complex processes in the production of historical knowledge and memory about Sierra Leone and its diaspora since the 1960s. The processes, while emblematic of experiences in other parts of Africa, contain their own distinctive features. The fragments of these memories are etched in the psyche, bodies, and practices of Africans in Africa and other global landscapes; and, on the other hand, are embedded in the various discourses and historical narratives about the continent and its peoples. Even though Africans have reframed these discourses and narratives to reclaim and re-center their own worldviews, agency, and experiences since independence they remained, until recently, heavily sedimented with Western colonialist and racialist ideas and frameworks. This anthology engages and interrogates the differing frameworks that have informed the different practices professional as well as popular of retelling the Sierra Leonean past. In a sense, therefore, it is concerned with the familiar outline of the story of the making and unmaking of an African nation and its constituent race, ethnic, class, and cultural fragments from colonialism to the present. Yet, Sierra Leone, the oldest and quintessential British colony and most Pan-African country in the continent, provides interesting twists to this familiar outline. The contributors to this volume, who consist of different generations of very accomplished and prominent scholars of Sierra Leone in Africa, the United States, and Europe, provide their own distinctive reflections on these twists based on their research interests which cover ethnicity, class, gender, identity formation, nation building, resistance and social conflict. Their contributions engage various paradoxes and transformative moments in Sierra Leone and West African history. They also reflect the changing modes of historical practice and perspectives over the last 50 years of independence."

The Foundations of Dance: An Anthology provides readers with a carefully selected collection of articles that introduce them to various dance forms and their respective movements. The anthology features differentiating perspectives on ballet, jazz, and modern dance, as well as explorations about dance as ethnography, production, performance, legacy, and tradition. The various authors whose writings are included within the volume approach traditional dance subject matter from perspectives that incorporate dance as an expression of humanity, the relationship between choreography and elements of dance, the performing arts industry, spirituality and dance, LGBTQ traditions in dance, and the American dance scene. Additional readings underscore the importance of mentoring, the role of matriarchs, and the passing on of heritage within dance communities. Each article is supplemented with post-reading questions to inspire critical thought and reflection. Covering information value to individuals currently teaching or planning to teach dance classes, The Foundations of Dance is an ideal resource for courses in dance and the arts. It can also be used by dance instructors who own studios and work within their communities.

Diaspora studies continue to expand in range and scope and remain fertile terrain for investigating multiple techniques of myth creation in dance performance, history as performance, dramatic narrative, and staged rituals in the field. Similarly, research in postcoloniality, gender/sexuality, intercultural, and literary studies, among others, all engage and feature core components of performance and myth in articulating and understanding their fields. This sharing of similar components also demonstrates the interrelatedness of these fields. In Myth Performance in the African Diasporas: Ritual, Theatre, and Dance, the authors contend that performance traditions across artistic disciplines reveal a shared--if sometimes varied--journey among diasporic artists to reconnect with their African ancestors. The volume begins with a historical and aesthetic overview of how dramatists, choreographers, and performance artists have approached the task of interpreting African myth. The individual chapters reveal how specific artists, dramatists, and choreographers have interpreted African myth and what performative approaches and traditions they have used. Focusing on theatre practitioners from the nineteenth century through the present, the authors examine performative traditions from Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Drawing upon research in theatre, dance, and literary texts, Myth Performance in the African Diasporas will be crucial to academics interested in African performance viewed through the prism of myth making and spiritual/ritualistic stagings. Besides those interested in diasporic studies, this book will also be useful to scholars and students of history, drama, theatre, and dance.

Updated and revised with many new detailed maps and photographs, this sixth edition enables geographers to explore the changes and major issues facing this dynamic region today. The historical material has been streamlined in order to focus on contemporary issues. Key environmental issues are highlighted in new boxes throughout the chapters. The Systematic surveys have been restructured. New profiles of Latin American countries and major issues are also covered. This approach will help geographers visit the dynamic people and places of Latin America.

A study that fills a gap in scholarship on the subject of sexual passing. It traces the emergence of a hybrid popular romance novel that places itself in the African American literary tradition while exploring sexual identity found in subgenre lesbian romances.

Black Women's Activism is the first book-length study of African American women's historical romances. This book examines romances written from 1989 to the present, and discusses their black heroines' resistance at particular moments in history - from the colonization movement to the Texas oil boom. Socio-historical perspectives, a womanist agenda, and an African-centered outlook inform the readings of female characters in the narratives of Francine Craft, Gay G. Gunn, Shirley Hailstock, Beverly Jenkins, and Anita Richmond Bunkley. Broadening the scope of the historical romance genre, and expanding the canon of African American literature, this book provides a more comprehensive image of the black female character and addresses gender issues previously unexplored in black fiction. This text should be used by librarians, historians, literary critics, writers, college-and graduate-level students, teachers, and romance readers.

Diaspora studies continue to expand in range and scope and remain fertile terrain for investigating multiple techniques of myth creation in dance performance, history as performance, dramatic narrative, and staged rituals in the field. Similarly, research in postcoloniality, gender/sexuality, intercultural, and literary studies, among others, all engage and feature core components of performance and myth in articulating and understanding their fields. This sharing of similar components also demonstrates the interrelatedness of these fields. In Myth Performance in the African Diasporas: Ritual, Theatre, and Dance, the authors contend that performance traditions across artistic disciplines reveal a shared if sometimes varied journey among diasporic artists to reconnect with their African ancestors. The volume begins with a historical and aesthetic overview of how dramatists, choreographers, and performance artists have approached the task of interpreting African myth. The individual chapters reveal how specific artists, dramatists, and choreographers have interpreted African myth and what performative approaches and traditions they have used. Focusing on theatre practitioners from the nineteenth century through the present, the authors examine performative traditions from Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Drawing upon research in theatre, dance, and literary texts, Myth Performance in the African Diasporas will be crucial to academics interested in African performance viewed through the prism of myth making and spiritual/ritualistic stagings. Besides those interested in diasporic studies, this book will also be useful to scholars and students of history, drama, theatre, and dance.

Even when available elsewhere, information on these 50 English-language authors is sparse; the in-depth treatment here includes biography, description of major works and themes, summary of critical reception, and an exhaustive bibliography of works by and about each author. Both academic and public libraries will want to accept this invitation to another world. Library Journal

..". a rare combination of inclusiveness and honesty.... cogent introduction[s]... confirm the central point of the tales: a search for cultural identity and freedom. First-rate." -- Library Journal ..". deserves a place alongside the classic collection of Negro tales, Mules and Men. Folktales are the stories people tell, and Shuckin' and Jivin' presents a splendid representative sheaf of the stories black Americans of all social classes tell today.... Professional folklorists will applaud Dance's candor and scholarly rigor." -- Richard M. Dorson An exciting new collection of Black American folklore, running the gamut from anecdotes concerning life among the slaves to obviously contemporary jokes. In their frank expression of racial attitudes and unexpurgated wit, these tales represent a radical departure from earlier collections.

A magnificent celebration of --and an essential introduction to--African American life and culture. Within the chapter on folk art, which includes a sixteen-page color insert, guilts, dolls, sculpture, and painting get their due. From the famous to the anonymous, From My people is Dance's gift back to her culture.

The vibrant humor of African American women is celebrated in this bold, unique, and comprehensive collection. Often hard-hitting, sometimes risque, always dramatic and eloquent ("Sure God created Man before Woman, but then you always make a rough draft before the Final Masterpiece"), this humor arises from the depth and breadth of black women's lives. Daryl Cumber Dance has brought together a wonderful assemblage of contributors for Honey, Hush! -- from slave narrators to contemporary political commentators, from antebellum poets to Audre Lorde, from the earliest novelists to Toni Morrison, from Beulah to Whoopi Goldberg, from the blues singer to the rapper. As Dance was growing up, she absorbed this humor that spoke to all aspects of women's lives: hair, men, white folk, black people, and the nation. She describes it as "the natural delight of my life". If indeed humor is "God's aspirin to soothe the headache of reality", as the folk tell us, then this book is just the prescription the doctor ordered. -- "Honey, Hush!" is an exclamation used among black women, especially those from the South, as a friendly encouragement, a mild suggestion of playful disbelief, or a suggestion that one is telling truths that are prohibited.

"The Lineage of Abraham" is a captivating work by two dedicated scholars and compelling storytellers. It documents the history of one of America's oldest and most accomplished African American families, whose heartrending struggles, incredible victories, moving dramas, painful tragedies, and sometimes comic mishaps will resonate with readers of any ethnic group. "The Lineage of Abraham" is at one and the same time the story of one extended Virginia family AND of a multicultural Nation. This pioneering family has from the earliest arrivals of Africans achieved notable firsts in activism, religion, education, politics, the military, the law, science, business, banking, medicine, architecture and sports.

This book investigates child domestic servitude in Ghana, showing the process of the children's recruitment into domestic servitude, revealing their working conditions, and detailing the methods of compensation. It seeks to answer the question of whether child domestic servants are contemporary slaves.

The only female in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s inner circle of leadership, for the first time, offers her account of the Civil Rights Movement and what it means to us now. “Nobody can ride your back if your back’s not bent,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said at the end of a Citizenship Education Program (CEP), an adult grassroots training program directed by Dorothy Cotton. This program, called the best-kept secret of the twentieth century’s civil rights movement, was critical in preparing legions of disenfranchised people across the South to work with existing systems of local government to gain access to services and resources they were entitled to as citizens. They learned to demonstrate peacefully against injustice, even when they were met with violence and hatred. The CEP was born out of the work of the Tennessee Highlander Folk School and was fully developed and expanded by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference led by Dr. King until that fateful day in Memphis in April 1968. Cotton was checked into the Lorraine Motel at that time as well, but she’d left to do the work of the CEP before the assassin’s bullet was fired. If Your Back’s Not Bent recounts the accomplishments and the drama of this training that was largely ignored by the media, which had focused its attention on marches and demonstrations. This book describes who participated and how they were transformed—men and women alike—from victims to active citizens, and how they transformed their communities and ultimately the country into a place of greater freedom and justice for all. Cotton, the only woman in Dr. King’s inner circle of leadership, for the first time offers her account of the movement, correcting the historical impression that “we only marched and sang.” She shows how the CEP was key to the movement’s success, and how the lessons of the program can serve our democracy now. People, and therefore systems, can indeed change “if your back’s not bent.”

We know what actors do. We know what writers do. But what does a movie producer do, other than arrange financing for films and accept Academy Awards? Featuring in-depth interviews with 14 top movie producers, including eight who have won Oscars for Best Picture, this book describes how they nurture a project from concept to casting to screen. They are entrepreneurs, essentially creating a new business every time they start work on a film. They possess an array of skills and talents and the resilience and the fortitude to not take "no" for an answer. The interviewees are Marc Abraham, Tony Bill, Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa, Clint Eastwood, Taylor Hackford, Mark Johnson, Arnold Kopelson, Alan Ladd, Jr., Michael London, Fred Roos, Paula Wagner, Jim Wilson and Janet Yang.

As data mining is one of the most rapidly changing disciplines with new technologies and concepts continually under development, academicians, researchers, and professionals of the discipline need access to the most current information about the concepts, issues, trends, and technologies in this emerging field.""Social Implications of Data Mining and Information Privacy: Interdisciplinary Frameworks and Solutions"" serves as a critical source of information related to emerging issues and solutions in data mining and the influence of political and socioeconomic factors. An immense breakthrough, this essential reference provides concise coverage of emerging issues and technological solutions in data mining, and covers problems with applicable laws governing such issues.

Global supply chain has continued to gain great attention in recent decades due to globalization and economic policies by companies striving to gain bigger market share and countries that make every effort for a freer trade. The concept of supply chain has evolved progressively over time, from simple supplier systems with one or two suppliers to global chains with complex networks of suppliers, vendors, warehouses, manufacturers, shippers, wholesalers, and/or retailers. Customer-Oriented Global Supply Chains: Concepts for Effective Management provides insights and support executives, middle managers, and practitioners concerned with the management of supply chain with expertise, knowledge, information, and organizational management development in different types of industries. The book is a collection of knowledge that will assist researchers, teachers, students, and practitioners in enhancing their understanding of global supply chain management and solutions applied.

This critical edition of Princess Fatima Massaquoi's memoirs begins with her birth in southern Sierra Leone, continues through her childhood in Liberia, moves on to Hamburg, Germany, where she lived and experienced the rise of the Nazi movement, and ends with her life in the United States.

Born to an African king in colonial Sierra Leone at the beginning of the twentieth century, Princess Fatima Massaquoi lived an extraordinary life that encapsulated the contradictions, upheavals, and unprecedented opportunities of her time. This critical edition of her memoirs makes her story available to readers for the first time. Beginning with her lovingly recounted memories of growing up in Liberia, it follows her to Hamburg, Germany, where she pursued an education and forged friendships,but also experienced the racism, terror, and nationalistic fervor that accompanied the Nazis' rise to power. In the face of these mounting dangers, Massaquoi traveled to the United States, where she furthered her studies, embracing her newfound freedom even as she observed deteriorating conditions in the segregated American South in the early years of the civil rights movement. Spanning continents and cultures, this narrative introduces us to a truly remarkable woman while offering a fascinating window into the complex history of the twentieth century.

Organized around the ISLLC standards, this text introduces students to the concepts and theories of educational leadership. The new edition adds coverage of such topics as data usage, ethics, innovative hiring practices, and student discipline. Appearing in the second edition are chapter-ending sections called "Point-Counterpoint" which prompt readers to examine their own beliefs regarding the material presented in the chapter and its application to work in our schools.

CREATING PERSONAL SUCCESS ON THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAMPUS will help first year student at HBCUs, who are in large part first generation college students, to learn the history of HBCUs and have the tools they need to take advantage of the resources available to them in the HBCU community.

How did the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee break open the caste system in the American South between 1960 and 1965? In this innovative study, Wesley Hogan explores what SNCC accomplished and, more important,howit fostered significant social change in such a short time. She offers new insights into the internal dynamics of SNCC as well as the workings of the larger civil rights and Black Power movement of which it was a part.

This book presents the socio-political history of birth of Bangladesh. It provides a brief summary of the roles the Bengali Muslims played in relation to British rule and the Pakistan movement.

This study explored and described individual elementary principals’ experiences of ethical decision-making. How school principals resolved dilemmas through Shapiro and Stefkovich’s (2011) multiethical paradigms approach. Clark Moustakas’ (1994) model of transcendental phenomenology and Robert Nash’s (2002) three moral languages provided the basis for this research study. Interviews and a demographics questionnaire explored the school administrators’ perceptions on leading in the rural context.

Newspaper journalist, teacher, and social reformer, Josephine J. Turpin Washington led a life of intense engagement with the issues facing African American society in the post-Reconstruction era. This volume recovers numerous essays, many of them unavailable to the general public until now, and reveals the major contributions to the emerging black press made by this Virginia-born, Howard University-educated woman who clerked for Frederick Douglass and went on to become a writer with an important and unique voice. Written between 1880 and 1918, the work collected here is significant in the ways it disrupts the nineteenth-century African American literary canon, which has traditionally prioritized slave narratives. It paves the way for the treatment of race and gender in later nineteenth-century African American novels, and engages Biblical scriptures and European and American literatures to support racial uplift ideology. It also articulates shrewdly the aesthetic needs and responsibilities necessary for the black press to establish a reputable literary sphere. Part of a vibrant movement in recent scholarship to reclaim writings of nineteenth-century African American women writers, this expertly edited and annotated collection represents not only a valuable scholarly resource but a powerful example of the determination of a southern black woman to inspire others to improve their own lives and those of all African Americans.

Uncovers the origins of midlife anxiety in Victorian print culture.

A modern-day, soul mate love story with an ancient Egyptian connection, The Pledge is set in San Antonio, TX and opens in 2002. The principle characters of the book have come back to meet and continue living their love story.

Black Girlhood, Punishment, and Resistance: Reimagining Justice for Black Girls in Virginia provides a historical comprehensive examination of racialized, classed, and gendered punishment of Black girls in Virginia during the early twentieth century. It looks at the ways in which the court system punished Black girls based upon societal accepted norms of punishment, hinged on a notion that they were to be viewed and treated as adults within the criminal legal system. Further, the book explores the role of Black Club women and girls as agents of resistance against injustice by shaping a social justice framework and praxis for Black girls and by examining the establishment of the Virginia Industrial School for Colored Girls. This school was established by the Virginia State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs and its first President, Janie Porter Barrett. This book advances contemporary criminological understanding of punishment by locating the historical origins of an environment normalizing unequal justice. It draws from a specific focus on Janie Porter Barrett and the Virginia Industrial School for Colored Girls; a groundbreaking court case of the first female to be executed in Virginia; historical newspapers; and Black Women's Club archives to highlight the complexities of Black girls' experiences within the criminal justice system and spaces created to promote social justice for these girls. The historical approach unearths the justice system's role in crafting the pervasive devaluation of Black girlhood through racialized, gendered, and economic-based punishment. Second, it offers insight into the ways in which, historically, Black women have contributed to what the book conceptualizes as "resistance criminology," offering policy implications for transformative social and legal justice for Black girls and girls of color impacted by violence and punishment. Finally, it offers a lens to explore Black girl resistance strategies, through the lens of the Black Girlhood Justice framework. Black Girlhood, Punishment, and Resistance uses a historical intersectionality framework to provide a comprehensive overview of cultural, socioeconomic, and legal infrastructures as they relate to the punishment of Black girls. The research illustrates how the presumption of guilt of Black people shaped the ways that punishment and the creation of deviant Black female identities were legally sanctioned. It is essential reading for academics and students researching and studying crime, criminal justice, theoretical criminology, women's studies, Black girlhood studies, history, gender, race, and socioeconomic class. It is also intended for social justice organizations, community leaders, and activists engaged in promoting social and legal justice for the youth.

Black Women's Activismis the first book-length study of African American women's historical romances. This book examines romances written from 1989 to the present, and discusses their black heroines' resistance at particular moments in history - from the colonization movement to the Texas oil boom. Socio-historical perspectives, a womanist agenda, and an African-centered outlook inform the readings of female characters in the narratives of Francine Craft, Gay G. Gunn, Shirley Hailstock, Beverly Jenkins, and Anita Richmond Bunkley. Broadening the scope of the historical romance genre, and expanding the canon of African American literature, this book provides a more comprehensive image of the black female character and addresses gender issues previously unexplored in black fiction. This text should be used by librarians, historians, literary critics, writers, college- and graduate-level students, teachers, and romance readers.

In this one-of-a-kind book, Dr. Rovenia M. Brock--known as Dr. Ro(tm) to fans of Black Entertainment Television's Heart & Soul--reveals practical, satisfying ways for African American women to eat healthy, get fit, and overcome weight problems and the health risks that accompany them. From the "Big Ten" myths about miracle weight-loss diets to how eating the right foods can help you live longer and why soul food (if prepared properly) really can be good for you, Dr. Ro shows how many serious illnesses can be largely prevented--and even reversed. And you don't need Oprah's salary to do it. Using her own inspiring story and those of many other women as well, Dr. Ro discusses the health, fitness, and even cultural issues that are unique to black women, and outlines a diet and nutrition program to fit every lifestyle.

Minority women who have made it to the top offer tips and advice to others who wonder what it takes to succeed in careers in both the for-profit and nonprofit worlds. To gain the invaluable insights in Advice from the Top: What Minority Women Say about Their Career Success, Valencia Campbell reviewed research on career success, then interviewed 14 extraordinary minority women, each of whom shared stories about the path(s) to the top of her field. But this book goes beyond the usual superficial profiles of women achievers. Rather, it shares their views on what constitutes success, the factors they consider important to their success, and the obstacles they encountered and overcame. The book also provides concrete action steps designed to help readers vault the hurdles encountered by the women profiled, and to do so with aplomb. And it offers insider advice on how to overcome bias to reach goals. Perhaps most important, Advice from the Top will inspire minority women who want to advance their careers, leaving a lasting legacy for all those who care about improving the status of women in our society.

Success by Instinct is a unique and useful resource for anyone seeking career guidance. William Boswell provides universally recognized, effective principles that work, all drawn from the instincts and habits of animals. With powerful, pithy lessons, personal accounts, and motivational quotes interspersed throughout, this book becomes your personal career counselor'whatever your career may be. Refreshingly free of theories and platitudes . . . as useful for undergraduates and professional-level students as it is for university career counselors and others involved in higher education. ?Dr. Angela O. Terry Former Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, North Carolina Central University A new, exciting perspective that can be embraced by anyone seeking practical advice, considering career options, encountering challenges within an organization, . . . or seeking personal reassurance. ?Andrew A. Venable, Jr. Director, Cleveland Public Library A compelling and simple analysis of the dilemma one confronts in the current environment . . . a series of solutions which are basic, elemental, and when practiced, will boost one's career. ?Robert P. Madison Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Robert P. Madison International

Updated and revised with many new detailed maps and photographs, this sixth edition enables geographers to explore the changes and major issues facing this dynamic region today. The historical material has been streamlined in order to focus on contemporary issues. Key environmental issues are highlighted in new boxes throughout the chapters. The Systematic surveys have been restructured. New profiles of Latin American countries and major issues are also covered. This approach will help geographers visit the dynamic people and places of Latin America.

African Americans' historical roots are encapsulated in the lyrics, melodies, and rhythms of their music. In the 18th and 19th centuries, African slaves, longing for emancipation, expressed their hopes and dreams through spirituals. Inspired by African civilization and culture, as well as religion, art, literature, and social issues, this influential, joyous, tragic, uplifting, challenging, and enduring music evolved into many diverse genres, including jazz, blues, rock and roll, soul, swing, and hip hop. Providing a lyrical history of our nation, this groundbreaking encyclopedia, the first of its kind, showcases all facets of African American music including folk, religious, concert and popular styles. Over 500 in-depth entries by more than 100 scholars on a vast range of topics such as genres, styles, individuals, groups, and collectives as well as historical topics such as music of the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, and numerous others. Offering balanced representation of key individuals, groups, and ensembles associated with diverse religious beliefs, political affiliations, and other perspectives not usually approached, this indispensable reference illuminates the profound role that African American music has played in American cultural history. Editors Price, Kernodle, and Maxile provide balanced representation of various individuals, groups and ensembles associated with diverse religious beliefs, political affiliations, and perspectives. Also highlighted are the major record labels, institutions of higher learning, and various cultural venues that have had a tremendous impact on the development and preservation of African American music. Among the featured: Motown Records, Black Swan Records, Fisk University, Gospel Music Workshop of America, The Cotton Club, Center for Black Music Research, and more. With a broad scope, substantial entries, current coverage, and special attention to historical, political, and social contexts, this encyclopedia is designed specifically for high school and undergraduate students. Academic and public libraries will treasure this resource as an incomparable guide to our nation's African American heritage.

Unlike any other book on the market today, this richly illustrated companion volume uses the remarkable artifacts, images, and documents of the United States National Slavery Museum to trace the entire history of slavery in North America, from the societies of ancient Africa to the repercussions still faced by Americans today--and to celebrate the perseverance and ultimate triumph of a people. Freedom in My Heart goes beyond the textbooks to call forth the unique voices, personal stories, and cultural contributions of slaves and their descendants, demonstrating how enslaved African Americans remained free at heart to develop a vibrant culture in the face of unspeakable inhumanity. Following a foreword by L. Douglas Wilder, the grandson of former slaves and the first African-American elected governor of a U.S. state, ten compelling chapters offer the often unheard testimony of those who witnessed slavery and those whose ancestors endured it. Their voices blend with the contributions of such luminaries as South African leader Nelson Mandela, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, noted journalist Juan Williams, entertainers Bill Cosby and Ben Vereen, and many more. This partnership with the National Slavery Museum grants exclusive access to never-before-seen images, personal letters, and artifacts, which shed new light on slavery and the activities surrounding it. As the museum nears its opening, numerous press events and online features will publicize the book, giving unprecedented exposure at a time of great anticipation and interest.

Naomi Long Madgett, a 2002 Michigan Women's Hall of Fame Honoree, has been a poet for most of her life and was founder, editor, and publisher of Lotus Press, Inc. She was awarded the 1993 American Book Award and the 1993 Michigan Governor's Artists Award. Remembrances of Spring is intended to commemorate her work and remind us, once again, that she possesses her own, powerful poetic voice, it is also a thought-provoking retrospective examination of the intellect of a woman whose verses touch the deepest parts of our imaginations. This work is a collection of poems previously published in three separate works.

In Pilgrim Journey, award-winning poet Naomi Long Madgett describes the people and events that influenced her life and work. Written with a wealth of detail and personal reflection and illustrated with fifty photographs, this book will be insightful, rewarding, and inspirational for readers. The daughter of a Baptist pastor, Madgett was born in Virginia and moved with her family to East Orange, New Jersey as a toddler. In detailing her childhood, Madgett offers rich stories of both the hardships and joys of growing up during the Great Depression. She also introduces readers to her family and the community of outstanding African Americans around them. In particular, Madgett recalls the people who encouraged her writing as a child and describes publishing her first collection of poetry at the age of seventeen. As a young woman, Madgett continued to travel a unique path. Moving from New Jersey to an all-black high school in St. Louis, Missouri, she also spent time in New Rochelle, New York, and finally settled in Detroit, Michigan, where she arrived as a young bride. Along the way, Madgett shares reflections on her personal life, her career, her poetry, as well as on her changing surroundings, allowing readers to experience her fascinating journey firsthand. Pilgrim Journey presents Madgett's successes and her disappointments, along with her personal beliefs and values. The book also demonstrates the positive impact she has had on others through poetry, teaching, and editing and publishing books by other African American poets. Madgett's fans and anyone interested in studying the life of an extraordinary poet will enjoy this honest autobiography.

When Americans seek an escape from the worries and dilemmas of everyday life, the crystal blue waters and white sands of the Caribbean islands seem like the answer to a prayer. Yet this image of a tourist’s paradise hides a tumultuous history marked by strife and division over race, political power, and economic inequality. Olwyn Blouet explores the story of “the Caribbean” over the last 50 years, revealing it to be a region positioned at the heart of some the most prominent geopolitical issues of modern times.             Navigating a rich mélange of cultures and histories, Blouet unearths a complex narrative that is frequently overlooked in histories of the Americas. In stark contrast to widely-read guidebooks, this chronicle unflinchingly probes two strikingly different worlds in the Caribbean islands—those of the haves and the have-nots—created by the volatile mixture of colonial politics, racial segregation, and economic upheaval. The strategic political relations between Caribbean nations, Cuba in particular, and the world powers during the Cold War; the economic transformations instigated by tourism; and the modernizing efforts of Caribbean nations in order to meet the demands of a globalizing twenty-first century market are among the numerous issues explored by Blouet in her efforts to redress the historical record’s imbalance. The Contemporary Caribbean also explores the proud histories of the region's many nations in sports such as cricket and baseball, as well as their famed cuisines, and the uneasy balance today between local traditions and the vestiges of colonial influence.    

"In this colorful, lively analysis of selected African literature for young people, Osayimwense Osa focuses on Anglophone countries - Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and South Africa - and primarily on the novel, a popular genre in contemporary adolescent literature in Anglophone Africa. This study seeks to illuminate African cultural assumptions, especially those about love and marriage and other aspects of social conduct that non-Africans may find strange." "Using the novels of Cyprian Ekwensi, Buchi Emecheta, and other lesser-known authors, Osa discusses young adult love, marriage customs, the restraints placed on women, and the catastrophic effects of polygamy; how wealth and greed can lead to immorality and crime among young people; how idealism and activism among young people can be corrupted; and the responsibilities of youth during civil war and war's devastating consequences." "Addressing the oral-story tradition that abounds on the African continent, Osa uses Ekwensi's An African Night's Entertainment - immensely popular with young Africans since its publication in 1962 - as a perfect example of a literary retelling of a traditional folk tale." "Throughout this study Osa stresses the preponderance of didacticism among African children's literature: almost all of these writers have been inspired by traditional values to direct children toward an acceptable African way of life."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

In Disproportionate Minority Contact, Parsons-Pollard provides a broad look at DMC and the complexities of attempting to reduce its impact. This edited volume features the writings of prominent scholars and practitioners in the field who provide a well-organized and wide-ranging review of the literature, case studies, and current policies and practices impacting disparate treatment in the criminal justice system.

Real Women... Real Talk is an enlightening and inspiring book that explores complex issues with a generous dose of humor. The topics are real, relevant and aimed at empowering women to seek their own truths and soar. The pages are packed with candid comments from women at every stage of life. While some live painful, fake and excuse filled lives, Paulette Walker Johnson keeps it 'real' and dares to tell you exactly how she feels. "I live my own truth and I invite you to live yours."

On the night of November 9, 1989, an electrified world watched as the Berlin Wall came down. Communism was dead, the Cold War was over, and freedom was on the rise—or so it seemed.We Were the Peopletells the story behind this momentous event. In an extraordinary series of interviews, the key actors in the drama that transformed East Germany speak for themselves, describing what they did, what happened and why, and what it has meant to them. The result is a powerful firsthand account of a rare historical moment, one that reverberates far beyond the toppled wall that once divided Germany and the world. The dramaWe Were the Peoplerecreates is remarkable for its richness and complexity.

"Voyages deep into the frenzied, complex world of LBO transactions."--BusinessWeek. "Sheds light on an important chapter in both African-American and American business history."--Earl G. Graves, Publisher, Black Enterprise magazine. When Reginald Lewis was six years old, his grandparents asked his opinion about employment discrimination against blacks. Reg replied simply, "Why should white guys have all the fun?" Why, indeed! Lewis grew up to become the wealthiest black man in history and one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time, reigning over a commercial empire that spanned four continents. At the time of his death in 1993, his personal fortune was estimated at $400 million. "Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?" traces Lewis's rise from a working- class neighborhood in east Baltimore to Harvard Law School and ultimately into the elite circle of Wall Street deal-makers. Expanding on Lewis's unfinished autobiography, journalist Blair Walker completes a vivid portrait of a proud, fiercely determined man with a razor-sharp tongue--and an intellect to match. He shows how Lewis's lifelong hunger for wealth and personal glory fueled his success on the playing field, in the classroom, and in the boardroom. Walker also provides a rare insider's view of Lewis, the iron-willed negotiator and brilliant business strategist in action as he finesses one phenomenal deal after another. A moving saga of personal courage and determination as well as a virtual how-to book for those who would like to follow in Lewis's footsteps, "Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?" is every bit as memorable as the man whose story it tells.

Pianist, composer, and arranger, Mary Lou Williams (1910-1981), was one of the most significant and influential artists in the history of jazz. A versatile musical genius who experimented with and mastered most of the emerging styles in jazz's evolution, Williams wrote and arranged for such greats as Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, and she was friend, mentor, and teacher to the likes of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. Yet throughout her prolific career of nearly six decades, she battled as an African American woman to achieve recognition, equality, and acceptance in the male-dominated world of jazz.Now Williams's artistic brilliance and lasting legacy are affirmed in this definitive volume, which masterfully interweaves biographical details with incisive commentary on her music, performances, and recordings. Setting Williams's intriguing story against the racial, social, cultural, and musical currents of her times, Tammy L. Kernodle draws on extensive interviews and meticulous research to chronicle the tragedies and triumphs of Williams's stormy life. Included are her struggles with racism, sexism, and age discrimination, and such personal misfortunes as recurrent bouts of poverty, turbulent marriages and love affairs, extreme loneliness, and a string of bad business decisions.Born to an impoverished, unmarried mother in Georgia, and raised in Pittsburgh, the self-taught Williams started performing publicly when she was six-years-old. By the age of twelve, the"little piano girl" was touring on the black vaudeville circuit. Kernodle follows Williams's harsh life on the road, her rise to fame in the 1930s as an arranger and performer for Andy Kirk's Kansas City swing band Twelve Clouds of Joy, her role as matriarch of the bebop movement, her solo career, her blossoming spirituality, and conversion to Roman Catholicism. In her later years, Williams wrote sacred jazz pieces that brought emotional healing to listeners, and worked tirelessly to help and rehabilitate addicted, down-and-out musicians. She was also strongly committed to advancing jazz composition and to educating others about the cultural roots of jazz.This striking portrait untangles the paradoxes of an exceptionally gifted pianist who defied the odds and endured hardships to create innovative music that inspired musicians and fans alike. It celebrates her persistent yet loving spirit, extraordinary talent, and enduring body of work.

The Jazz Life of Dr. Billy Taylor: America's Classical Musician is the autobiography of the legendary jazz ambassador whose work spans more than six decades, from the heyday of 52nd Street in 1940s New York City to CBS Sunday Morning. Beginning with his childhood in segregation-era Washington D.C., Billy Taylor recounts how he came of age as a jazz musician in smoke-filled clubs pulsating with the rhythms of bebop, and later climbed to world acclaim as an internationally recognized music educator and popular media figure. Through his life's work, Taylor fought not only for the recognition of jazz music as "America's classical music" but also for the recognition of black musicians as key contributors to the American music repertoire. Peppered with anecdotes detailing encounters with other jazz legends such as Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Ben Webster, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, and many others, this autobiography is not only the life story of a jazz musician and spokesman, but is also the history of a nation grappling with racism and modernity.

Dante is the son of the pastor of the largest church in Queens, NY. His overbearing mother feels that her son is destined to carry on the family tradition and replace his father as the church's spiritual leader, whether he likes it or not. But Dante has other ideas. He wants to be a music producer and songwriter. Brittany James is a bisexual stripper who doesn't care about anything except herself - until she runs into Dante and falls in love for the first time. When Dante is cornered into choosing between Brittany and his family, everyone is surprised at the results...

Fresh, uncensored, and wildly entertaining, Married Men is Waiting to Exhale on testosterone - a male take on modern love, marriage...and everything in between. Savvy, Kyle runs a booming black beauty supply business, but his main job is hiding his wife from the sistahs who would skin him alive for marrying a woman like her. Then there's Allen, Wil and Jay - all friends finding out what marriage really means. when each one is shown the door by his furious woman, the result is a rowdy romp through hotels, bars, divorce and even Viagra! Unmissable.

Hip, smart, and outrageously funny, Carl Weber's LOOKIN' FOR LUV is a wild ride through the trials and tribulations of four friends looking for love, sex, and a decent meal in New York City. Kevin left behind a chance at the NBA to coach delinquents, but his toughest assignment is finding a girl who won't make his mama's church group fall into praying mode. A teacher and a poet, Antoine can make a sister feel beautiful -- or want to beat him with a blow dryer. Tyrone has talent, a bad attitude, and a crush on his boss's wife. And Maurice is all that, if "that" means rude, arrogant, and dishonest. Kevin's got the looks. Antoine's got heart and soul. Tyrone's got the skills. And Maurice has got player moves. They've got it all, except for the one thing that matters most -- the love of a good woman. What they find when they call 1-900-BLACK LUV is a riotous trip through religious freaks, hootchie mamas, chicken heads, gold diggers, and some serious Brides of Funkenstein. One thing's for certain -- when you,play the game of love, you've got to be ready for anything. As funny as it gets, LOOKIN' FOR LUV tells it like it is about modern romance, where every call is a chance to lose your mind -- or find your soul mate.

James Robinson and his wife have had their rough patches. But seven years into their marriage things are better than ever - until the not-so-distant past catches up with James. His best friend Brent has his own romantic complications: while he's found his match in a full-figured woman he has also found temptation elsewhere. Sonny Harrison is back with his friends after a job in Seattle and burning his sanity with an old flame. Together the three men are learning that the real tests of manhood and friendship are just beginning.

Charlene Wilson, First Lady of First Jamaica Ministries, has lived a good life with her beloved husband, Bishop T.K. Wilson. If the Lord is ready to call her home, she's ready to go - her only concern is to find T.K. a good woman to look after him when she's gone. Charlene has four candidates in mind - Marlene, the mother of T.K.'s illegitimate daughter; Monique, who's made it plain she wants T.K.; Savannah, the church's attractive soloist; and Lisa Mae Johnson. Charlene has written letters to each woman to be delivered as needed. Let the games begin!

From the national best-selling author of Married Men comes his hardcover debut - a witty and insightful tale of two sisters looking for happiness - and finding real love, stupid mistakes, and hard-earned lessons - before getting back on track with each other.

The bodacious women of the Big Girls Book Club have just one rule for new members: they must be at least a size 16. As insatiable about books as they are about love - and lust - these friends are about to discover just how tough it is to keep it real when they all have something on the side.

New York Times bestselling authors Carl Weber and Mary B. Morrison's blockbusting novel - the ultimate tale of obsession - now in mass market paperback.

Lean Six Sigma has evolved progressively over time from quality efforts within an enterprise that are independent, to complex systems changing the concept from a simple network to complex alliance formation among firms. The changes created by these transformations present novel challenges and issues to new and established businesses alike. Lean Six Sigma Approaches in Manufacturing, Services, and Production presents emerging research-based trends in the area of global quality lean six sigma networks and analysis. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach focusing on research, cases, and emerging technologies, this title provides insight and support to researchers, students, executives, managers, and practitioners concerned with the management of quality and efficiency across industries.

Social problems, such as childhood lead poisoning, do not occur in a vacuum. As such, the definition of the problem requires a holistic examination of the broad social, political, and economic influences that create and perpetuate the issue of concern. Richardson does this with eloquence and heart. She also investigates the attitudes various groups have held toward the Residential Lead-based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (Title X). In doing so, she reveals much about the attitudes officials hold in general toward problems affecting poor communities and demonstrates how these attitudes directly affect policymaking and policy enforcement. The social consequences of lead poisoning analyzed in this volume fall into the following categories: _ Housing _ Health _ Education _ Policy-making _ Legal Challenges The Cost of Being Poor would be useful to individuals in the fields of public health, policy, education, and law. Furthermore, this work would be of special use to educators, who would benefit from familiarity with lead poisoning as a factor in their students' lives and from becoming aware that there are options that poisoned children have to improve their situation. The first step necessary in eliminating social problems is to understand the nature of the problem. This study is a step in that direction.

Which of us hasn't daydreamed about what we'd do if we won the lottery? "A Dollar And A Dream" brings those fantasies to hilarious, heartbreaking life in three stories by #1 national bestselling author Carl Weber and La Jill Hunt, Essence bestselling author Angel Hunter, and Cushcity.com bestselling author Dwayne S. Joseph. In "Easy Street," Carl Weber and La Jill Hunt deliver a drama-filled world of money, greed, and lies. When Paul, a wannabe player, is sent out by his neighbors to buy lottery tickets, his world is turned upside-down--and so are the lives of unsuspecting friends who may not only lose the winning tickets, but also their homes. . . "Ghetto Fabulous" is the story of a single mother with three kids from three different daddies. Money is what she needs, yet when she wins big, she's left wondering what to do. Friends and family she never knew she had are suddenly coming out of the woodwork. But where were they when she needed help? With one person designated to purchase tickets for the $180 million jackpot, six co-workers lives will be changed forever as each of them learns just how strong the pull of money can be. "One Night, Six Dreams" is a wild, shocking tale of just how far a person might go to have it all. . .. Join these unforgettable characters as they learn exactly what money can and can't buy in three fabulous, fast-paced stories of getting rich--and staying real. Includes A Teaser Chapter From Carl Weber's Upcoming Novel Player Haters

Through narrative and rhetorical strategies that subvert genre and challenge the discourse of race and gender, black South African woman writer Bessie Head creates alternative healing spaces that empower and enoble the marginalized, provide potential for transcendence and self-creation, and render ineffective the power of language to subjugate. This book features new critical material on her life and works and explores the techniques she uses to inscribe an idealistic vision in response to the psychic fragmentation and rootlessness she experienced as an exile. The traumatized characters of When Rain Clouds Gather reflect Head's own use of agriculture and writing as means of coping with her suffering. Maru is a radical subversion of the romance genre, arguing for black women's need for space as creators. A Question of Power employs madness as a potential site of resistance to official constructions of reality. Viewed from the Lacanian association of the incest taboo and the entry into language, The Cardinals proposes a cosmic realm as an alternative to the categorical edicts of patriarchal language. And endowed with a didactic voice, the narrator of The Collector of Treasures claims the authority of several hundred groups to critique the patriarchal society she views. The contributors to this volume draw on new biographical information as well as Head's private papers.

Explores the narrative strategies Head employs to inscribe an idealistic vision in response to the psychic fragmentation and rootlessness she experienced as an exiled black South African woman writer.

This book is a systematic examination of the nature of America's crime and criminal justice system as defined by its policy-makers at different times and in disparate contexts of social and political realities. By examining legislative documents and court cases and analyzing federal and state policy developments in such areas as drug crimes, juvenile crimes, sex crimes, and cyber crimes, this book provides a historically embedded and policy relevant understanding of how America's system of criminal justice was born, how it has grown, and where it is going. Book jacket.

Murda', Misogyny, and Mayhem: Hip-Hop and the Culture of Abnormality in the Urban Community is a sociological work that utilizes a historical materialist perspective to expose the harmful effects of hip hop as a regulated industry, music, and culture. Spencer skillfully uses works by Antonio Gramsci and Paolo Freire as a backdrop to analyze how "hip hop" media reflects the stereotypical images that were used to justify enslavement, influences the culture of abnormality in the African American (urban) community, and promotes the prison industrial complex. This work is exceptionally innovative because it places the destruction of urban life and the urban experience in a theoretical and qualitative methodological frame. In so doing, Spencer thoroughly dissects the nature and purpose of the media as an industry designed to manipulate public perception of African Americans in the urban community. This careful analysis allows the reader to examine the relationship between the presentation of hip hop and the prevalence of murder, misogyny, and mayhem in the urban community.

War upon Our Border examines the experiences of two Ohio River Valley communities during the turmoil and social upheaval of the American Civil War. Although on opposite sides of the border between slavery and freedom, Corydon, Indiana, and Frankfort, Kentucky, shared a legacy of white settlement and a distinct western identity, which fostered unity and emphasized cooperation during the first year of the war. But subsequent guerrilla raids, military occupation, economic hardship, political turmoil, and racial tension ultimately divided citizens living on either side of the river border. Once a conduit for all kinds of relationships, the Ohio River became a barrier dividing North and South by the end of the conflict. Centered on the experience of local politicians, civic leaders, laborers, soldiers, and civilians, this combined social and military history addresses major interpretative debates, including how citizens chose allegiances, what role slavery played in soldier and civilian motivation, and the nature of life on the home front. Examining manuscripts, newspapers, and government documents, War upon Our Border employs a microhistorical approach to link the experiences of common people with the sweeping national events of the Civil War era. The resulting study reveals the lingering effect of the war's memory and how the effort to construct a new regional dynamic continues to shape popular conceptions of the period.

The latest of five multidisciplinary volumes, this book spans the STEAM-H (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Mathematics, and Health) disciplines with the intent to generate meaningful interdisciplinary interaction and student interest. Emphasis is placed on important methods and applications within and beyond each field. Topics include geometric triple systems, image segmentation, pattern recognition in medicine, pricing barrier options, p-adic numbers distribution in geophysics data pattern, adelic physics, and evolutionary game theory. Contributions were by invitation only and peer-reviewed. Each chapter is reasonably self-contained and pedagogically presented for a multidisciplinary readership.

This volume contains the invited contributions to the Spring 2012 seminar series at Virginia State University on Mathematical Sciences and Applications. It is a thematic continuation of work presented in Volume 24 of the Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics series. Contributors present their own work as leading researchers to advance their specific fields and induce a genuine interdisciplinary interaction. Thus all articles therein are selective, self-contained, and are pedagogically exposed to foster student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, stimulate graduate and undergraduate research, as well as collaboration between researchers from different areas.   The volume features new advances in mathematical research and its applications: anti-periodicity; almost stochastic difference equations; absolute and conditional stability in delayed equations; gamma-convergence and applications to block copolymer morphology; the dynamics of collision and near-collision in celestial mechanics; almost and pseudo-almost limit cycles; rainbows in spheres and connections to ray, wave and potential scattering theory; null-controllability of the heat equation with constraints; optimal control for systems subjected to null-controllability; the Galerkin method for heat transfer in closed channels; wavelet transforms for real-time noise cancellation; signal, image processing and machine learning in medicine and biology; methodology for research on durability, reliability, damage tolerance of aerospace materials and structures at NASA Langley Research Center.   The volume is suitable and valuable for mathematicians, scientists and research students in a variety of interdisciplinary fields, namely physical and life sciences, engineering and technology including structures and materials sciences, computer science for signal, image processing and machine learning in medicine.

This highly multidisciplinary volume contains contributions from leading researchers in STEAM-H disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Mathematics and Health). The volume explores new frontiers in multidisciplinary research, including: the mathematics of cardiac arrhythmia; brain research on working memory; penalized ordinal regression to classify melanoma skin samples; forecasting of time series data; dynamics of niche models; analysis of chemical moieties as anticancer agents; study of gene locus control regions; qualitative mathematical modelling; convex quadrics and group circle systems; remanufacturing planning and control; complexity reduction of functional differential equations; computation of viscous interfacial motion; and differentiation in human pluripotent stem cells. An extension of a seminar series at Virginia State University, the collection is intended to foster student interest and participation in interdisciplinary research and to stimulate new research. The content will be of interest to a broad spectrum of scientists, mathematicians and research students working in interdisciplinary fields including the biosciences, mathematics, engineering, neurosciences and behavioral sciences.

This book is the fourth in a multidisciplinary series which brings together leading researchers in the STEAM-H disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Mathematics and Health) to present their perspective on advances in their own specific fields, and to generate a genuinely interdisciplinary collaboration that transcends parochial subject-matter boundaries. All contributions are carefully edited, peer-reviewed, reasonably self-contained, and pedagogically crafted for a multidisciplinary readership. Contributions are drawn from a variety of fields including mathematics, statistics, game theory and behavioral sciences, biomathematics and physical chemistry, computer science and human-centered computing.    This volume is dedicated to Professor Christiane Rousseau, whose work inspires the STEAM-H series, in recognition of her passion for the mathematical sciences and her on-going initiative, the Mathematics of Planet Earth paradigm of interdisciplinarity. The volume's primary goal is to enhance interdisciplinary understanding between these areas of research by showing how new advances in a particular field can be relevant to open problems in another and how many disciplines contribute to a better understanding of relevant issues at the interface of mathematics and the sciences. The main emphasis is on important methods, research directions and applications of analysis within and beyond each field. As such, the volume aims to foster student interest and participation in the STEAM-H domain, as well as promote interdisciplinary research collaborations. The volume is valuable as a reference of choice and a source of inspiration for a broad spectrum of scientists, mathematicians, research students and postdoctoral fellows.

This volume contains the invited contributions from talks delivered in the Fall 2011 series of the Seminar on Mathematical Sciences and Applications 2011 at Virginia State University. Contributors to this volume, who are  leading researchers in their fields, present their work in a way to generate genuine interdisciplinary interaction. Thus all articles therein are selective, self-contained, and are pedagogically exposed and help to foster student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to stimulate graduate and undergraduate research and collaboration between researchers in different areas.   This work is suitable for both students and researchers in a variety of interdisciplinary fields namely, mathematics as it applies to engineering, physical-chemistry, nanotechnology, life sciences, computer science, finance, economics, and game theory.​

Readers learn to quickly and easily maintain information-rich, dynamic Web pages using the JavaServer Pages technology! This text covers both the beginning and more advanced JSP topics, from beginning techniques such as Client-side and Server-side Scripting through database access from JSP. Step-by-step exercises throughout the chapter reinforce important concepts, and extensive hands-on and case projects add depth and relevance to Web development instruction. JavaServer Pages can help turn the novice student into an experienced Web developer.