Encyclopedia of Black Studies - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 076192762X ISBN 13: 9780761927624

Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc, 2004

Synopsis

The Encyclopedia of Black Studies is the leading reference source for dynamic and innovative research on the Black experience. The concept for the encyclopedia was developed from the successful Journal of Black Studies (SAGE) and contains a full analysis of the economic, political, sociological, historical, literary, and philosophical issues related to Americans of African descent. This single-volume reference is the vanguard of the recent explosive growth in quality scholarship in the field. More than a chronicle of black culture or black people, this encyclopedia deals with the emergence and maturity of an intellectual field over the past four decades. Beginning with the protests at San Francisco State College in 1967 that led to the first degree-granting department of Black Studies, the field′s rapid growth over time necessitates an authoritative account of the discipline.

About this title

About the Author:

Molefi Asante is a distinguished scholar and is best known for creating the discipline of Black Studies over 25 years ago.  He is the Editor for the Journal of Black Studies (Sage) and the Encyclopedia of Black Studies (Sage Reference, 12/04  933 units, $82k LTD).  His recent research has centered on the history and present developments of African religions.

From Booklist:

Just as Sheikh Amadu Bamba, the Senegalese Sufi saint, can be considered the most prolific writer of Africa, Asante must surely be considered the most prolific author and editor in black studies. He and Mazama, both of Temple University, have put together a 250-entry encyclopedia of what they consider the black studies canon. Anyone familiar with Mazama or Asante will recognize the Afrocentric orientation of their text. Afrocentricity is not an anti-European or anti-Caucasian view of the world but a way for Africans and people descended from Africans the world over to view the world from their own vantage point. The encyclopedia's contributors are a who's who of the black studies field today.

The book has an explanatory preface and excellent introduction that summarizes black studies for those unfamiliar with the field. Most of the articles provide a short bibliography of further reading for those seeking more in-depth knowledge. One appendix contains an extensive bibliography that also covers black studies programs at American universities and a list of major black studies journals. A thorough index will easily lead the reader to any topic located within the text. The list of contributors rounds out a solidly put-together title.

For students seeking a good grounding in Afrocentricity, this is an excellent place to start. Articles cover many of the basics of the field, from concepts and theories (Diaspora, Black nationalism), to selected books important in laying out Afrocentric ideas (Black Athena, Mis-Education of the Negro), to a short article on Diopian historiography. One of the most concise and understandable explanations of Ebonics can be found in this text. Those who confuse African American studies with black studies may find some glaring omissions. There are no entries on Martin Luther King or Malcolm X (although numerous reference to both can be traced through the index). However, there are a two-page article on Marie Laveau and a page and a half on the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

This is a required text for large public libraries and all academic libraries. It provides a thorough understanding of and easy reference into a growing, dynamic field of study. Steve Stratton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 076192762X
• ISBN 13: 9780761927624
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 568
• Editor: Asante Molefi Kete, Mazama Mambo Ama