A Historical Perspective of African Americans

A Historical Perspective of African Americans is a critical anthology of classic essays, primary documents, interviews, and contemporary analyses of the history and culture of people of African descent in the United States. A readable and engaging alternative to an African American studies textbook, its advantage lays in the incorporation of multiple perspectives from specialists in the disciplinary fields of history, literature, philosophy, art history, political science, ethnic studies, and African American Studies. The combination of these scholarly works with excerpts from slave narratives, and ethnic and mainstream press articles express the triumph and struggles of African Americans from the colonial era through the 1960s. Brought together here, this collection has a particular focus on strategies of Black resistance to marginalization, disenfranchisement, and genocide. This book is a critical work of scholarship for students and any reader interested in understanding the crucial journey of survival and persistence of the African American people. Bridget R. Cooks is an assistant professor in the Department of Art History and the African American Studies Program at the University of California, Irvine. Her scholarship focuses on critical race theory, art history, and American museums.