Post Black : how a new generation is redefining African American identity

cover image

Where to find it

Davis Library (5th floor)

Call Number
E185.625 .W595 2010
Status
Available

Stone Center Library

Call Number
E185.625 .W595 2010 c. 2
Status
Available

Authors, etc.

Names:

Summary

As a young journalist covering black life at large, author Ytasha L. Womack was caught unaware when she found herself straddling black culture's rarely acknowledged generation gaps and cultural divides. Traditional images show blacks unified culturally, politically, and socially, united by race at venues such as churches and community meetings. But in the "post black" era, even though individuals define themselves first as black, they do not necessarily define themselves by tradition as much as by personal interests, points of view, and lifestyle. In Post Black: How a New Generation Is Redefining African American Identity, Womack takes a fresh look at dynamics shaping the lives of contemporary African Americans. Although grateful to generations that have paved the way, many cannot relate to the rhetoric of pundits who speak as ambassadors of black life any more than they see themselves in exaggerated hip-hop images. Combining interviews, opinions of experts, and extensive research, Post Black will open the eyes of some, validate the lives of others, and provide a realistic picture of the expanding community.

Contents

  • Foreword: A New Age Derek Dingle, editor of Black Enterprise p. ix
  • Introduction: Identity Theft p. 1
  • 1 The Generation Gap: The Young Black Professional p. 29
  • 2 The African Diaspora: New Immigrants in African America p. 49
  • 3 Bridges: Biracial, Bicultural Identity p. 65
  • 4 Black, Gay, Lesbian, and Proud: GLBT in Black America p. 81
  • 5 Spirituality:The New Black Religious Experience p. 97
  • 6 The Hip-Hop Factor: Black Art in a Commercial Landscape p. 113
  • 7 Black Entrepreneurs: New Urban Impresarios and Postracial Shopkeepers p. 127
  • 8 Talented Tenth Revisited: Capitalism Versus Social Responsibility p. 139
  • 9 Neofeminism: Womanist Values in the Age of the Video Girl p. 157
  • 10 The Obama Factor: Redefining Possibility p. 173
  • Acknowledgments p. 191
  • Sources p. 193
  • Index p. 202

Other details