#Non-fiction Henry Louis Gates jr.

JUNE

by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Finish date: 10 June 2022
Genre: nonfiction
Rating: A+++++++

Stony the Road (2019) (ISBN: 9780525559559)

Good News:
This was an absolutely stunning book!
Henry Louis Gates jr. is a Harvard professor
and an excellent literary historian.
The book reads like a novel!

Good news:
I discovered a wonderful writer: Henry Louis Gates jr.
His book would be an excellent choice for #NonFicNov challenge!
His contributions to the history of African American culture,
and in particular his inclusive approach to African American literature
are enlightening and enriching.

Good news:
When reading about….
Reconstruction (1865-1877)
Redemption (1870s… the return of white supremacy and
…the removal of rights for blacks) – …still happening today!
Birth of a New Negro (1895-1925) – excellent overview of Harlem Renaissance literature!
…that made me think of the quote by William Faulkner:

The past is never dead. It’s not even past.

Personal:
I NEVER learned about the period
1865 – 1925 in school
…and the obstacles placed before the African-Americans on
that stoniest of roads.

Stony the Road.
Title: J.W. Johnson’s poem “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

I’m convinced I would have learned MORE by devouring a good
reading list….than hours and hours wasted in the classroom!
Teach your (high-school) children
….put this book on their reading list!