"The object of this Survival Manual is to save lives - the lives of Black African Males who are on the Endangered list in this American society of ours.

I started writing out rules of survival for my son, Larry, and I suddenly thought, Why be selfish? Why not write out directions for all Black Males living in America?"

—Excerpted from the Preface

For young black men, any chance crossing of paths with cops can mean a close brush with death. Almost on a daily basis, we hear of another case of police brutality occurring somewhere in the country in which state-sanctioned violence has been officially explained away as reasonable or justifiable when employed against an African-American male. Even the most seemingly inexcusable examples of homicide, such as the killing of an unarmed Amadou Diallo in a hail of 41 bullets by a squad of reckless detectives in front of his own home, have been deemed to be fully in accordance with proper police procedure.   

What, then, can one do to ensure that a loved not end up the next statistic? Unless, like Michael Jackson, you are inclined to undergo a radical blackendectomy, I heartily recommend reading a copy of The Little Black Book to anyone considering venturing outside while still inside black skin. This handy, pocket-sized, police encounter survival guide was strategically-designed by its author, Carol Taylor, R.N., to fit inside a pocket or wallet for ready retrieval, if needed, God forbid.

The author, a mother and well-known, New York civil rights activist, first wrote the book in 1985 for the protection of her own young son. Her new edition starts with a brief introduction containing sage advice from the Honorable Bruce Wright, an African-American judge controversial because of his open indictment of the criminal justice system as biased against black people.

Next, the text turns its attention to preparing you for a potential legal situation on the street by spelling out 30 common sense rules of engagement, such as not to run or walk down the block with a wallet, cell phone, beeper or anything which might easily be mistaken for a gun when held in your hand. The book also contains blank spaces to attach a photo, and to fill in one’s blood type, allergies, and other medical info. Plus, in case of arrest, there are areas for a lawyer’s name and number and for a relative to contact in case of emergency.

What makes The Little Black Book so valuable is, first,  its mentally prepping black kids for how to behave in the event of a detainment by the cops. Of equal importance is that it is small enough to carry at all times, to be readily available at a moment’s notice during any very tense confrontation with the authorities. In case a child’ is too nervous to think clearly, this priceless pamphlet could easily be the difference between a policeman’s prejudice or misunderstanding quickly degenerating to a matter of life and death.

At $2 apiece, I heartily recommend buying this book in bulk and sharing it with any African-American teenagers you care about.

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To order THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK, send a Money Order only to

Carol Taylor, R.N.
590 Flatbush Avenue, Ste.11A,
Brooklyn, NY, USA,
11225-4935.   

$2.37 for each book, for five or more books, send a dollar or two for postage.

To make arrangements for a Book Signing or Public Speaking Engagement, call Ms. Taylor at: (718) 856 1271, or visit her website at: www.racismtest.com