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

This is a review of "Creating Black Americans: African-American History and Its Meanings, 1619 to the Present," by Nell Irvin Painter. This book is an important work. You should read it. If you are in college, then you should sign up for a course that uses this book.This book is a scholarly work intended to serve as the principle textbook for a one-semester college course in introduction to African-American history. While the book is written with the academic professionalism expected in a college textbook, it is entirely accessible to everyone. The writing style employs a narrative technique that makes reading easy, enjoyable, and interesting (and, of course, educational).The author (Nell Irvin Painter) was a professor of history at Princeton University and UNC-Chapel Hill. It is obvious (from reading this book) that she has years and years of experience teaching this subject matter to bright, eager minds. After a little web-surfing, I found several discussions and videos of Professor Painter; she is a very intelligent, insightful, charming, wise, and wonderful woman.While the target audience for this book is college-aged adults, high school students should have an easy time reading it. Both high school and college kids would greatly benefit from discussions (arguments?) with elder relatives who either witnessed this history first hand, or who listened to the stories of their grandparents' generation.I did not find a table of contents listed on Amazon, so I am providing one:- Africa and Black Americans- Captives Transported, 1619 - ca. 1850- A Diasporic People- Those Who Were Free, ca. 1770 - 1859- Those Who Were Enslaved, ca. 1770 - 1859- Civil War and Emancipation, 1859 - 1865- The Larger Reconstruction, 1864 - 1896- Hard-Working People in the Depths of Segragation, 1896 - ca. 1919- The New Negro- Radicals and Democrats, 1930 - 1940- The Second World War and the Promise of Internationalism, 1940 - 1948- Cold War Civil Rights, 1948 - 1960- Protest Makes a Civil Rights Revolution, 1960 - 1967- Black Power, 1966 - 1980- Authenticity and Diversity in the Era of Hip-Hop, 1980 - 2005- A Snapshot of African Americans in the Early Twenty-First CenturyMy only complaint about this book is - - - it left me longing for more. The scope and depth of this book are perfect for a one semester college course; however, I am now quite curious to know so much more about the people and events and controversies touched upon in the book. The author packs the book with plenty of references, so the interested reader has expert guidance to explore the material in greater depth. I wish I could spend some time with Professor Painter discussing the questions she raised in my mind with this book.I wish Ken Burns (or someone similar) would make a multi-part documentary of this book. Every American should know this history; making this book into a film series would make it more accessible to folks.

My mother loved it!

I had to buy this book for an African American Humanities class and it was a great book! It showed a different point of view of history and I really appreciated it. I don’t have the best focus when it comes to readying textbooks but the way this book was written kept my attention! I would highly recommend students and others to read this book!

Dr. Painter's evident scholarship is enhanced by viewing African Americans' experience in North American through the lens of art and culture, Her approach greatly added to my knowledge, even though I published a book on the same subject last year. Highly recommended!

I needed this book for African American History class but I use the information for so many other writings. It's US history through the lens of African Americans.

Purchased this for a college African American History course. The chapters follow the experiences of black Americans in chronological order and are enjoyable to read (not stuffy like a regular text book). The author's use of African American Art adds a layer of authenticity to the book and is applicable to the material.

I wished I could like that book more but I never received it since about 8months that I've oredered it

My daughter needed this for one of her college classes.

Very interesting book about image of blacks in america, really good