In this massive anthology, Steven Barboza reveals the story of the African American as largely a story of good triumphing over evil, in a myriad of forms. "This book," he writes, "can give children, families, teachers and friends glimpses of values in action and provide moral examples that any reader can recognize." Culled from many short-story and novel excerpts, poems, and essays, the collection is divided into three distinct headings. "The Book of Self-Mastery" examines self-discipline, courage, honesty, self-esteem, work, tenacity, creativity, and faith through texts such as Ralph Ellison's "Little Man at Chehaw Station," historian Charles Blockson's heroic "The Ballad of the Underground Railroad," and Alain Locke's philosophical battle cry of the Harlem Renaissance, "The New Negro." Charles Chesnutt's "The Wife of His Youth," James Weldon Johnson's stereotype-smashing look at Harlem in "Black Manhattan," and Martin Luther King's immortal "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" illuminate many of the themes in "The Book of Empathy," including family, community and responsibility.

In "Survival Humor," we find the most vibrant examples of the mores that helped Afro-Americans endure slavery, racism, and discrimination, as evidenced by the Southern-spun tall tales of folklorist Zora Neale Hurston's "Big Ol' Lies," the hard-luck fable of Afro-vaudevillian funnyman Bert Williams's "The Colored Zoo," and the mother of all insult narratives: the ancient, blues-and-riff-based style of "The Signifying Monkey." Barboza writes that "humor has played more than just a funny role in the affairs of black folks. Truth is, for African-Americans, humor has always been serious business. It served its purpose well as a survival mechanism, used to defend, attack, counterattack and guide people through life's rougher spots." This section is the capper to an impressively diversified volume that may prove equally capable of guidance. --Eugene Holley Jr.


From Library Journal
This compendium of black values is intended to give children, families, and teachers glimpses of moral values in action. It focuses on the strength, versatility, and resiliency of blacks?both historic figures and relative unknowns. "The Book of Self-Mastery" focuses on self-discipline, courage, honesty, self-esteem, work, tenacity, creativity, and faith, while "The Book of Empathy" centers on family, community, love, friendship, compassion, responsibility, respect, loyalty, and survival humor. The material originates in the treasure archives of black experience?from the planting fields of pre-Civil War Mississippi to the sidewalks of Harlem and from the corner beauty parlor to the local church. This library of narratives, stories, letters, songs, folktales, and poems is by black folks about black folks for black folks. Barboza (American Jihad, Doubleday, 1995) relates his own experience and is deeply sensitive to the need to address the influence of drugs and violence on black culture. Recommended for all public libraries.?Leroy Hommerding, Citrus Cty. Lib. System, Inverness, FLCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


The Wall Street Journal, Jason L. Riley
...The African American Book of Values is a useful introduction to black literature, particularly for young people. As an overview of important, noteworthy African-American writings, the anthology succeeds, too.


From Booklist
Barboza has compiled a wonderful collection of letters, poems, speeches, songs, and folktales, from the best minds to celebrate African American virtues. The volume is divided into two parts: the "Book of Self-Mastery," which consists of chapters on self-discipline, courage, honesty, self-esteem, work, tenacity, creativity, and faith; and the "Book of Empathy," with its chapters on family, community, love, friendship, compassion, responsibility, respect, loyalty, and survival humor. This work will be particularly useful for parents as they bestow family values and lessons to their children. It is best compared to Pearls for Parents (Gibson, 1996), but with more content. Additionally, speechwriters and public speakers will find the work very helpful, as it offers more substance than mere quotes. A superb personal and library book. Lillian Lewis


Review
"This is a book that belongs in the home of everyone who wants to know more about the breadth of contributions African Americans have made to American culture."
-The Dallas Morning News


From the Trade Paperback edition.


Review
"This is a book that belongs in the home of everyone who wants to know more about the breadth of contributions African Americans have made to American culture."
-The Dallas Morning News


From the Trade Paperback edition.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In The African-American Book of Values, Steven Barboza has gathered together a wealth of stories that make up a moral map for modern living. Relying on the words and stories of (to name a few) the well-known: Langston Hughes, Frederick Douglas, Sojourner Truth, Zora Neale Hurston, Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Frances E.W. Harper, Malcolm X, Alex Haley, Benjamin Banneker, Phillis Wheatley—the unsung: ship captain, Robert Smalls; Underground Railroad "conductor" William Still; Stoplight inventor, Elijah McCoy (better known as the "Real McCoy") ; poet Georgia Douglas Johnson; etiquette maven Charlotte Hawkins Brown; Elizabeth Keckley, seamstress to Mary Todd Lincoln; The African-American Book of Values illustrates for young and old, black and white the necessary characteristics by which we should lead our lives.

Split into two sections, "The Book of Self-Mastery" and "The Book of Empathy," and, augmented by black-and-white photos, line drawings and color illustrations, The African-American Book of Values will be a stunning "must-have" addition to African-American and American households everywhere.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

This compendium of black values is intended to give children, families, and teachers glimpses of moral values in action. It focuses on the strength, versatility, and resiliency of blacks--both historic figures and relative unknowns. "The Book of Self-Mastery" focuses on self-discipline, courage, honesty, self-esteem, work, tenacity, creativity, and faith, while "The Book of Empathy" centers on family, community, love, friendship, compassion, responsibility, respect, loyalty, and survival humor. The material originates in the treasure archives of black experience--from the planting fields of pre-Civil War Mississippi to the sidewalks of Harlem and from the corner beauty parlor to the local church. This library of narratives, stories, letters, songs, folktales, and poems is by black folks about black folks for black folks. Barboza (American Jihad, Doubleday, 1995) relates his own experience and is deeply sensitive to the need to address the influence of drugs and violence on black culture. Recommended for all public libraries.--Leroy Hommerding, Citrus Cty. Lib. System, Inverness, FL

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Steven Barboza has fashioned a timely but also timeless book that draws shrewdly on the historic wisdom of African Americans. Voices old and new speak to us in a variety of ways about life and its lessons, about the joys and sorrows of the black experience. This is a book to be cherished. — Arnold Rampersad

Steven Barboza's African American Book of Virtues earns my highest admiration for transcending color and exploring subjects valuable to us all. The stories and poems here provide essential lessons that will help us in our daily lives. — John Singleton