Wes Moore

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Wisconsin

One Name, Two Fates

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The "compassionate" (People), "startling" (Baltimore Sun), "moving" (Chicago Tribune) true story of two kids with the same name from the city: One went on to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated combat veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader. The other is serving a life sentence in prison. 
 
In development as a feature film executive produced by Stephen Curry, who selected the book as his "Underrated" Book Club Pick with Literati

The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.

In December 2000, the Baltimore Sun ran a small piece about Wes Moore, a local student who had just received a Rhodes Scholarship. The same paper also ran a series of articles about four young men who had allegedly killed a police officer in a spectacularly botched armed robbery. The police were still hunting for two of the suspects who had gone on the lam, a pair of brothers. One was named Wes Moore. 

Wes just couldn't shake off the unsettling coincidence, or the inkling that the two shared much more than space in the same newspaper. After following the story of the robbery, the manhunt, and the trial to its conclusion, he wrote a letter to the other Wes, now a convicted murderer serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. His letter tentatively asked the questions that had been haunting him: Who are you? How did this happen?

That letter led to a correspondence and relationship that have lasted for several years. Over dozens of letters and prison visits, Wes discovered that the other Wes had had a life not unlike his own: Both had had difficult childhoods, both were fatherless; they'd hung out on similar corners with similar crews, and both had run into trouble with the police. At each stage of their young lives they had come across similar moments of decision, yet their choices would lead them to astonishingly different destinies.

Told in alternating dramatic narratives that take readers from heart-wrenching losses to moments of surprising redemption, The Other Wes Moore tells the story of a generation of boys trying to find their way in a hostile world.

The Other Wes Moore

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#hardcover #politics #socialjustice #mitchalbom #judge #africanamerican

Florida

Federal Judge Damon J. Keith

The Honorable Damon J. Keith was appointed to the federal bench in 1967 and has served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 1977, where he has been an eloquent defender of civil and constitutional rights and a vigourous enforcer of civil rights law. In Crusader for Justice: Federal Judge Damon J. Keith, author Trevor W. Coleman presents the first ever biography of native Detroiter Judge Keith, surveying his education, important influences, major cases, and professional and personal commitments. Along the way, Coleman consults a host of Keith's notable friends and colleagues, including former White House Deputy Counsel John Dean, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and industrialist Edsel Ford II for this candid and comprehensive volume.

Coleman traces Keith's early life, from his public school days in Detroit to his time serving in the segregated U.S. army and his law school years at Howard University at the dawn of the Civil Rights era. He reveals how Keith's passion for racial and social justice informed his career, as he became co-chairman of Michigan's first Civil Rights Commission and negotiated the politics of his appointment to the federal judiciary. Coleman goes on to detail Keith's most famous cases, including the Pontiac Busing and Hamtramck Housing cases, the 1977 Detroit Police affirmative action case, the so-called Keith Case (United States v. U.S. District Court), and the Detroit Free Press v. Ashcroft case in 2002. He also traces Keith's personal commitment to mentoring young black lawyers, provides a candid look behind the scenes at the dynamics and politics of the Six Circuit Court of Appeals, and even reveals some of Keith's difficult relationships (with the Detroit NAACP and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas).

Judge Keith's forty-five years on the bench offer a unique viewpoint on a tumultuous era of American and legal history. Readers interested in Civil Rights-era law, politics and personalities will appreciate the portrait of Keith's fortitude and conviction in Crusader for Justice.

Crusader for Justice

82cfeccc-8e55-46ca-a5c3-ffc25be858d0-1

Jesmyn Ward

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Michigan

A Novel

"A searing and profound Southern odyssey through Mississippi's past and present"--

Sing, Unburied, Sing

b6556e5d-d0fb-44ab-9acd-1f97969f2b23-1

Stacey Abrams

Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America

"This is a narrative that describes the urgency that compels me and millions more to push for a different American story than the one being told today. It's a story that is one part danger, one part action, and all true. It's a story about how and why we fight for our democracy and win." Celebrated national leader and bestselling author Stacey Abrams offers a blueprint to end voter suppression, empower our citizens, and take back our country. A recognized expert on fair voting and civic engagement, Abrams chronicles a chilling account of how the right to vote and the principle of democracy have been and continue to be under attack. Abrams would have been the first African American woman governor, but experienced these effects firsthand, despite running the most innovative race in modern politics as the Democratic nominee in Georgia. Abrams didn’t win, but she has not conceded. The book compellingly argues for the importance of robust voter protections, an elevation of identity politics, engagement in the census, and a return to moral international leadership. Our Time Is Now draws on extensive research from national organizations and renowned scholars, as well as anecdotes from her life and others’ who have fought throughout our country’s history for the power to be heard. The stakes could not be higher. Here are concrete solutions and inspiration to stand up for who we are—now.

Our Time Is Now

9a29ee06-b2f8-4cb4-a839-fc8b0c85fd72-1

Tommie Smith

Derrick Barnes

New York

Raising My Fist for Justice

Longlisted for the 2022 National Book Award for Young People's Literature A groundbreaking and timely graphic memoir from one of the most iconic figures in American sports—and a tribute to his fight for civil rights. On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships. In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award–winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.

Victory. Stand!

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#hardcover #nonfiction #blm #woke #politics #African-American #women

Georgia

The four most powerful African American women in politics share the story of their friendship and how it has changed politics in America. The lives of black women in American politics are remarkably absent from the shelves of bookstores and libraries. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics is a sweeping view of American history from the vantage points of four women who have lived and worked behind the scenes in politics for over thirty years—Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Leah Daughtry, and Minyon Moore—a group of women who call themselves The Colored Girls. Like many people who have spent their careers in public service, they view their lives in four-year waves where presidential campaigns and elections have been common threads. For most of the Colored Girls, their story starts with Jesse Jackson’s first campaign for president. From there, they went on to work on the presidential campaigns of Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Over the years, they’ve filled many roles: in the corporate world, on campaigns, in unions, in churches, in their own businesses and in the White House. Through all of this, they’ve worked with those who have shaped our country’s history—US Presidents such as Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, well-known political figures such as Terry McAuliffe and Howard Dean, and legendary activists and historical figures such as Jesse Jackson, Coretta Scott King, and Betty Shabazz. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics is filled with personal stories that bring to life heroic figures we all know and introduce us to some of those who’ve worked behind the scenes but are still hidden. Whatever their perch, the Colored Girls are always focused on the larger goal of “hurrying history” so that every American — regardless of race, gender or religious background — can have a seat at the table. This is their story.

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics

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Alice Brière-Haquet

library binding. Some library stickers on cover and marks on inner covers. The rest of the book is mint. Please see all images. C

Texas

Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone

With evocative black-and-white illustrations and moving prose, readers are introduced to jazz-music legend and civil-rights activist Nina Simone. A stunning picture-book biography of the High Priestess of Soul and one of the greatest voices of the 20th century. Shared as a lullaby to her daughter, a soulful song recounts Simone's career, the trials she faced as an African American woman, and the stand she took during the Civil Rights Movement. This poignant picture book offers a melodic tale that is both a historic account of an iconic figure and an extraordinary look at how far we've come and how far we still need to go for social justice and equality. A timeless and timely message aptly appropriate for today's social and political climates. ♦ "A good introduction to Simone’s life, from her early love of music to her rise to the status of legend" —Kirkus Reviews, starred review ♦ "Strikingly illustrated" —Booklist, starred review ♦ "Hauntingly beautiful illustrations" —Foreword Reviews, starred review "Stirring and powerful. . . " —BookPage

Nina

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James E. Ransome

Recipient of a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019 A young slave girl witnesses the heartbreak and hopefulness of her family and their plantation community when her brother escapes for freedom in this brilliantly conceived picture book by Coretta Scott King Award winner James E. Ransome. Every single morning, the overseer of the plantation rings the bell. Daddy gathers wood. Mama cooks. Ben and the other slaves go out to work. Each day is the same. Full of grueling work and sweltering heat. Every day, except one, when the bell rings and Ben is nowhere to be found. Because Ben ran. Yet, despite their fear and sadness, his family remains hopeful that maybe, just maybe, he made it North. That he is free. An ode to hope and a powerful tribute to the courage of those who ran for freedom, The Bell Rang is a stunning reminder that our past can never be forgotten.

The Bell Rang

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New Jersey

"An absolute page turner, I'm Not Dying with You Tonight is a compelling and powerful novel that is sure to make an impact. "--Angie Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give Over the course of one night, two girls with two very different backgrounds must rely on each other to get through the violent race riot that has enveloped their city. Lena has her killer style, her awesome boyfriend, and a plan. She knows she's going to make it big. Campbell, on the other hand, is just trying to keep her head down and get through the year at her new school. When both girls attend the Friday-night football game, what neither expects is for everything to descend into sudden mass chaos. Chaos born from violence and hate. Chaos that unexpectedly throws them together. They aren't friends. They hardly understand the other's point of view. But none of that matters when the city is up in flames, and they only have each other to rely on if they're going to survive the night. Additional Praise for I'm Not Dying with You Tonight: "A vital addition to the YA race relations canon."--Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin "An astounding achievement. This novel is an incendiary experience, one that does not shy away from difficult questions about privilege and violence. But Jones and Segal don't hold our hands to provide us easy answers; this is a book meant to be devoured in a single sitting and discussed for years to come."--Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift "I'm Not Dying With You Tonight is a powerful examination of privilege, and how friends are often found in surprising places. Jones and Segal have penned a page-turning debut, as timely as it is addictive."--David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Mosquitoland and Kids of Appetite

I'm Not Dying with You Tonight

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Richard Wright

Malcolm Wright

Maryland

**NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER** A major literary event: an explosive, previously unpublished novel about race and police violence by the legendary author of Native Son and Black Boy Fred Daniels, a Black man, is picked up by the police after a brutal double murder and tortured until he confesses to a crime he did not commit. After signing a confession, he escapes from custody and flees into the city’s sewer system. This is the devastating premise of this scorching novel, a masterpiece that Richard Wright was unable to publish in his lifetime. Written between his landmark books Native Son (1940) and Black Boy (1945), at the height of his creative powers, it would eventually see publication only in drastically condensed and truncated form in the posthumous collection Eight Men (1961). Now, for the first time, by special arrangement with the author's estate, the full text of this incendiary novel about race and violence in America, the work that meant more to Wright than any other (“I have never written anything in my life that stemmed more from sheer inspiration”), is published in the form that he intended, complete with his companion essay, “Memories of My Grandmother.” Malcolm Wright, the author’s grandson, contributes an afterword.

The Man Who Lived Underground: a Novel

fb2d2fcb-b74e-4581-b82a-b63af783bf43-1

Mary Beth Rogers

New, unread hardcover book in like new condition due to rippling across the top and bottom jacket cover from shelving

American Hero

An American hero. Nothing less can be said of Barbara Jordan. One of the most influential women of the 20th century, she held an unwavering faith in the American people and heralded patriotism, justice, and compassion. With exclusive cooperation from the Jordan estate, Mary Beth Rogers gives us an intimate look at the woman born in poverty in Houston's Fifth Ward, who went on to become a savvy politician and dynamic leader, exemplifying courage, honor and dignity. Refusing to be "an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution",* Barbara stirred the nation with her forceful and eloquent oratory during the Watergate hearings, yet in 1977 decided not to seek reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives, turning instead to a life of teaching amid rumors of a serious illness.A true woman of heroic proportions, Barbara Jordan spent her entire life shaping the way people think. With her powerful convictions and her flair for oratorical drama, Barbara Jordan helped change the landscape of America's 20th century. Her patriotism, her fire and her perseverance have touched us all. Through this book, her life and the footsteps she left will be reintroduced to a country that is inarguably better for her presence.Mary Beth Rogers taught American Politics with Barbara Jordan at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas. A chief of staff for former Texas Governor Ann Richards, Mary Beth is now

Barbara Jordan

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Oregon

More Than Anything Else 

David Manning Thomas

Light damage on dust sleeve. The book is mint. C

A Child's First Book of African-American Spirituals

Raise your voice with this musical illustrated songbook of traditional African American spirituals including instructions for piano accompaniment and guitar chords.

Many songs performed at churches, schools, camps, or clubs are African American spirituals. This lively and inspirational picture book shines a light on twenty of the thousand songs that have been collected since the Civil War, including "All Night, All Day," "This Little Light of Mine," "When the Saints Go Marching In," and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands."

All Night, All Day

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#nonfiction #inspirational #africanamerican #spirituality #truestory#adventurestories #religion 

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

Pennsylvania

Same kind of different as me

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Friends With Benefits

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)





Hope and circumstance define a young woman's life in this heartbreaking tale of lost innocence, set in politically volatile 1990s Nigeria, from an exciting and fresh voice in global literature. 

For as long as she can remember, Patience Adewale, the eldest daughter of Chief Kolade Adewale, has been waiting for confirmation that she is loved, that there is a place where she truly belongs. Patience lives a sheltered life within the secure walls of the family's mansion in Ibadan, but finds no comfort from her distant father and stepmother Modupe. Her only ally is her younger sister, yet even Margaret's love and support cannot overcome Patience's insecurity and uncertainty.

More than anything, Patience wants to know why her father and uncle banished her mother from their compound years ago--and whether her mother is even alive. Determined to discover the truth, Patience embarks on a desperate search to find her mother. Answers begin to surface when she moves to Lagos for university and unexpectedly reconnects with her cousin Kash.

Kash and his friend Emeka are petty thieves with an opportunity to make a big score. To pull it off they need help--and enlist Patience and Emeka's straight-arrow brother, Chike, to become partners in their scheme. The thieves' plan is to quit after this job. But unforeseen events lead to unexpected consequences--and demand a price from Patience that may be too steep to pay.

Suspenseful and evoking the subtleties of Nigerian life in an fresh and unexpected way, Patience Is a Subtle Thief is a heart-wrenching story of one young woman's precarious journey to adulthood, and the risks and sacrifices it takes to follow her heart.

Patience Is a Subtle Thief

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Thrift store/second hand copy with some wear to dust jacket/outer binding and an award label affixed to opening page (see attached photos)

Massachusetts

Brand new, never used. Bought for an upper grade classroom, ended up teaching kindergarten

One Crazy Summer

Nevada

Traces the story of Great Migration-era mother Hattie Shepherd, who in spite of poverty and a dysfunctional husband uses love and Southern remedies to raise nine children and prepare them for the realities of a harsh world. A first novel.

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

31e77304-e08a-47fb-bef3-8a5c2d6472b2-1

Paterson Joseph

It's finally time for Charles Ignatius Sancho to tell his story, one that begins on a slave ship in the Atlantic and ends at the very center of London life. . . . A lush and immersive tale of adventure, artistry, romance, and freedom set in eighteenth-century England and based on a true story

It's 1746 and Georgian London is not a safe place for a young Black man. Charles Ignatius Sancho must dodge slave catchers and worse, and his main ally--a kindly duke who taught him to write--is dying. Sancho is desperate and utterly alone. So how does the same Charles Ignatius Sancho meet the king, write and play highly acclaimed music, become the first Black person to vote in Britain, and lead the fight to end slavery? Through every moment of this rich, exuberant tale, Sancho forges ahead to see how much he can achieve in one short life: "I had little right to live, born on a slave ship where my parents both died. But I survived, and indeed, you might say I did more."

The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho

695ba994-e425-4208-b0ac-a5608c22c034-1

Arizona

Poems

William Evans, the award-winning poet and cofounder of the popular culture website Black Nerd Problems, offers an emotionally vulnerable poetry collection exploring the themes of inheritances, dreams, and injuries that are passed down from one generation to the next and delving into the lived experience of a black man in the American suburbs today. In We Inherit What the Fires Left, award-winning poet William Evans embarks on a powerful new collection that explores the lived experience of race in the American suburbs and what dreams and injuries are passed from generation to generation. Fall under the spell of Evans’s boldly intimate, wise, and emotionally candid voice in these urgent, electrifying poems. This eloquent collection explores not only what these inheritances are composed of, but what price the bearer must pay for such legacies, and the costly tolls exacted on both body and spirit. Evans writes searingly from the perspective of the marginalized, delivering an unflinching examination of what it is like to be a black man raising a daughter in predominantly white spaces, and the struggle to build a home and a future while carrying the weight of the past. However, in beautiful and quiet scenes of domesticity with his daughter or in thoughtful reflection within himself, Evans offers words of hope to readers, proving that resilience can ultimately bloom even in the face of prejudice. Readers of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Hanif Abdurraqib will find a brilliant, fresh new talent to add to their lists in William Evans.

We Inherit What the Fires Left

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All-Black Combat Squadrons of World War II

"Sandler does a fine job of emphasizing the unjustness of the segregation policy as well as the excellence of the men who flew in segregated skies. He provides a good look at this lesser known aspect of (World War II).--"Retired Officer". 38 photos.

Segregated Skies

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#hardcover #fiction #romance #africanamerican #womenslit  364 pages

Washington

The perfect wife and mother of three grown children, Marilyn Grimes copes with the problems of midlife as she struggles to recall some of her own postponed dreams and reinvent her marriage, friendships, family, and herself.

The Interruption of Everything

6b06ee75-71da-464e-ac4c-3a0ab4731a49-1

Brandy Colbert

From award-winning YA author Brandy Colbert comes a debut middle-grade novel about the only two Black girls in town who discover a collection of hidden journals revealing shocking secrets of the past. 

Beach-loving surfer Alberta has been the only Black girl in town for years. Alberta's best friend, Laramie, is the closest thing she has to a sister, but there are some things even Laramie can't understand. When the bed and breakfast across the street finds new owners, Alberta is ecstatic to learn the family is black—and they have a 12-year-old daughter just like her.

Alberta is positive she and the new girl, Edie, will be fast friends. But while Alberta loves being a California girl, Edie misses her native Brooklyn and finds it hard to adapt to small-town living.

When the girls discover a box of old journals in Edie's attic, they team up to figure out exactly who's behind them and why they got left behind. Soon they discover shocking and painful secrets of the past and learn that nothing is quite what it seems.

A Bank Street Best Book of 2021!



From award-winning YA author Brandy Colbert comes a debut middle-grade novel about the only two Black girls in town who discover a collection of hidden journals revealing shocking secrets of the past.



Beach-loving surfer Alberta has been the only Black girl in town for years. Alberta's best friend, Laramie, is the closest thing she has to a sister, but there are some things even Laramie can't understand. When the bed and breakfast across the street finds new owners, Alberta is ecstatic to learn the family is black--and they have a 12-year-old daughter just like her.



Alberta is positive she and the new girl, Edie, will be fast friends. But while Alberta loves being a California girl, Edie misses her native Brooklyn and finds it hard to adapt to small-town living.



When the girls discover a box of old journals in Edie's attic, they team up to figure out exactly who's behind them and why they got left behind. Soon they discover shocking and painful secrets of the past and learn that nothing is quite what it seems.

Browse by categories

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Wes Moore

The Other Wes Moore

Trevor W. Coleman

Crusader for Justice

Jesmyn Ward

Sing, Unburied, Sing

Stacey Abrams

Our Time Is Now

Tommie Smith; Derrick Barnes

Victory. Stand!

Donna Brazile; Yolanda Caraway; Leah Daughtry

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics

Alice Brière-Haquet

Nina

James E. Ransome

The Bell Rang

Gilly Segal; Kimberly Jones

I'm Not Dying with You Tonight

Richard Wright; Malcolm Wright

The Man Who Lived Underground: a Novel

Mary Beth Rogers

Barbara Jordan

Marie Bradby

More Than Anything Else

David Manning Thomas

All Night, All Day

Ron Hall, Ron Hall, Denver Moore

Same kind of different as me

Lawrence Ross

Friends With Benefits

Abi Ishola-Ayodeji

Patience Is a Subtle Thief

Jesmyn Ward

Sing, Unburied, Sing

Rita Williams-Garcia

One Crazy Summer

Ayana Mathis

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

Paterson Joseph

The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho

William Evans

We Inherit What the Fires Left

Stanley Sandler

Segregated Skies

Terry McMillan

The Interruption of Everything

Brandy Colbert

The Only Black Girls in Town