Books Written by African-American Authors (not yet in the catalogue)

Suggest and discuss books to read (all languages welcome!)
neecheelok70
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Post by neecheelok70 »

Sorry to keep bugging you, but I also have recorded William Lloyd Garrison, Abolitionist, by Grimke, which is still on the list. Jim
mightyfelix
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Post by mightyfelix »

I removed both of those from the first post. Thanks!
MaryAnnSpiegel
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Post by MaryAnnSpiegel »

Jim,
You're not bugging us! Thanks for helping us keep the firsts post up to date. I hope you're enjoying the finds on this list. There is some great material there.
MaryAnn
neecheelok70
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Post by neecheelok70 »

I do enjoy them. And thanks for your help. Jim
Availle
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Post by Availle »

I've just come across a very old book suggestion from 2013 that fits the topic:
MattyG wrote: August 15th, 2013, 11:31 pm Hi there,

I've been reading a book about early attempts by African-American pastors to defeat segregation. I came across this book, a novel written by Sutten E. Griggis, from Texas in 1899. The hero was an African-American, struggling against racism, who was described as "A new Negro, self-respecting, fearless, and determined in the assertion of his rights."

It seems a remarkably valuable book to reveal to the wider social consciousness. That it's been lost (in popular culture) seems pretty tragic, as it clearly had a significant role in alerting people to the need to reform laws in this regard. From Amazon's description:
Self-published in 1899 and sold door-to-door by the author, this classic African-American novel—a gripping exploration of oppression, miscegenation, exploitation, and black empowerment—was a major bestseller in its day. The dramatic story of a conciliatory black man and a mulatto nationalist who grow up in a racist America and are driven to join a radical movement dedicated to the creation of an all-black nation in Texas, Imperium in Imperio had a profound influence on the development of black nationalism.
Here's my issue. I would read it for LV, but I'm not sure if I should. Of course, on one hand, it doesn't matter the race/nationality of the reader. But having an Aussie white guy might make the book sound far too inauthentic. More than that, this is an incredibly valuable piece of African-American history, and I kinda feel like it would be wrong for me to, um, "steal" it from them. It might be more honouring of their strength and nobility in defying such a horrible oppression, if somebody who is an African-American reads it.

Please, I hope what I've written can be taken in the spirit in which it is intended - utmost respect for the African-American history and identity, while also upholding the need for ongoing reconciliation and appreciation, consequently overcoming cross-racial divisions. It would be my sincerest hope that a LV reading of this book could help, in some small way, to facilitate that happening further.

At any rate, it's on the Internet Archive here: http://archive.org/details/imperiuminimperi15454gut
For more info, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperium_in_Imperio

Imperium in Imperio is a historical fiction novel by Sutton Griggs, published in 1899. The novel covers the life of Belton Piedmont, an educated and disciplined black man in the Jim Crow south and his role in a shadow government of black men operated out of a college in Waco, Texas.

About the author: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton_E._Griggs
Sutton Elbert Griggs (June 19, 1872 – January 2, 1933) was an African-American author, Baptist minister, and social activist. He is best known for his novel Imperium in Imperio, a utopian work that envisions a separate African-American state within the United States.
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neecheelok70
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Post by neecheelok70 »

I am interested in recording this work. Jim
neecheelok70
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Post by neecheelok70 »

I want to claim this one for solo project.
MaryAnnSpiegel
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Post by MaryAnnSpiegel »

That's great Jim. As you know, we welcome multiple voices, so "claiming" will not stop someone else from recording it. If you plan to launch it soon, I will not add it to the first post (as I would only then have to delete it ...)

(Thank you Ava -- this is a wonderful find!)

MaryAnn
neecheelok70
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Post by neecheelok70 »

I think I understand. I just responded emotionally. I just thought it was worth recording and went for it. I had no thoughts beyond that. Thanks, Jim
Availle
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Post by Availle »

Just go for it. I have no stakes in this one, just reposted the suggestion to a relevant thread. :D
Cheers, Ava.
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neecheelok70
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Post by neecheelok70 »

Thanks to you for that. I am already set up and ready to go. Yours, Jim
neecheelok70
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Post by neecheelok70 »

I am going to set up The Aftermath of Slavery by William Sinclair as a solo project with Dave Craig. Jim
knotyouraveragejo
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Post by knotyouraveragejo »

Removed from list.
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NicholiVolta
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Post by NicholiVolta »

The Black Phalanx, by Joseph T. Wilson - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31339
NicholiVolta
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Post by NicholiVolta »

Happy New Year everyone!
I've got a notable work not yet on Librivox: Walker's Appeal, by David Walker https://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/walker/walker.html
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