AALBC.com eNewsletter - December 14th 2005

Read our eNewsletter Archives
Subscribe to This Newsletter

Nell Irvin Painter
http://authors.aalbc.com/nell_irvin_painter.htm

As a scholar, Professor Painter has published numerous books, articles, reviews, and other essays. Her most recent books are Creating Black Americans and Southern History Across the Color Line. Furthermore, six of her earlier books are still in print. Professor Painter�s prominence has been recognized by her selection to be the President of the Southern Historical Association for 2007 and the President of the Organization of American Historians for 2007-2008.
 

Vickie M. Stringer
http://authors.aalbc.com/vickie_stringer.htm

Queen of Hip-Hop Literature Vickie Stringer has revolutionized the literary industry as a pioneer of the Hip-Hop Literature genre. Beginning with the self-publishing of her first novel, the Essence Best Selling Let That Be the Reason, followed by the founding of her internationally renowned publishing company, Triple Crown Publications, Stringer�s innovative voice and controversial style has earned her intrigue and fascination around the globe.

The successes and achievements of Stringer�s novels, Let That Be the Reason, its sequel, Imagine This, the upcoming Dirty Red, and the wide popularity of the Triple Crown Publications brand have garnered attention from prominent news media since Stringer ignited the Hip-Hop Literature era less than four years ago.
 

Cynthia Harris Casteel
http://authors.aalbc.com/cynthia.htm

Cynthia Harris Casteel tells the story of five women who call themselves �Frankie�s Angels�. Their love for Frankie Beverly and Maze has helped them endure the joys and pains of life. They discovered their common denominator on the Maze website and now they are on their way to Washington D.C. to meet at the first Angel Convention and a Maze concert. Some are actually expecting a surprise visit by Mr. Beverly. Before they get to the convention and concert, their life stories are revealed. The reader gets to understand why a Maze Concert is a necessity for these ladies. Frankie�s Angels are deeply in need of a spiritual healing and only Maze featuring Frankie Beverly can be the �fix�.
 

Winston Chapman
http://authors.aalbc.com/winston_chapman.htm

Author of two books Wild Thangz and Caught Up!, Chapman has enjoyed a diverse array of interesting careers including owning a drycleaners, working in mutual funds investments, stand-up comedy and producing a sports television talk show.

Blacktrospective 2005 A Look Back at the Best (and Worst) in Black Cinema - Article  by Kam Williams
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/movies.htm

2004 may have been the Year of the Foxx (Jamie, that is) but 2005 has certainly turned out to be a breakout year for Terrence Howard. The versatile thespian received rave reviews for his powerful performances in a half-dozen feature films, most notably, Crash, Hustle & Flow, Animal and Four Brothers.

He also appeared in Get Rich or Die Tryin� and The Salon, and a couple of made-for-TV movies, Lackawanna Blues and Their Eyes Were Watching God. Just like Jamie, he has a shot at landing Oscar nominations in both the lead (for Hustle & Flow) and supporting (for Crash) actor categories.

But Terrence wasn�t the only brother or sister in the industry to distinguish him or herself, so for better or worse. So without further ado, in the interest of celebrating excellence and of eradicating mediocrity in movies, permit me to present Blacktrospective 2005, an annual report card which shines a light on black overachievement and underachievement in cinema.
 

Whether you have just completed your first, third or fifth book you want to see it succeed.  Book promotion is a daunting task that can leave even a seasoned publicist floundering for ideas.  There are thousands of books jockeying for the readers� attention and you want your book to be their first choice.  Promoting a book is like being a cross between Houdini and a detective.  You have got to sleuth for creative promoting avenues then magically tie them to your book to maximize revenue-generating publicity. 
 

This was the beginning of an education for me, an education in the twisted ways in which race and sex rage through American culture. Through all the lessons I�d learned up to then, there had never been an intersection of race and sex before I�d lain down with the white chick in Providence. �Excerpted from Chapter 1
 

In the Mix - Movie Review by Kam Williams
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/in_the_mix.htm

You know that times have certainly changed when you see an American-made movie about a black DJ from the �hood who steals the heart of the lawyer daughter of a white Mafia kingpin and the brother ends up welcomed into the family rather than swimming with the fishes. But that�s just what we have with In the Mix, a delightful dramedy which features handsome, R&B heartthrob Usher in his first starring role.

 

This talented, teen heartthrob has been named one of People Magazine�s 21 Hottest Stars under 21, and was more recently voted #1 on BET�s list of the 25 Hottest Men of the Past 25 Years.
 

Though Creating Black Americans may be worthwhile for the art history lesson alone, as it includes brief bios of each contributor, what makes it most valuable is its refreshing restatement of the black centuries-long struggle to survive from the perspective of the exploited.
 

Building a brilliant case with copious quotes from Harold Cruse (The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual), Frantz Fanon (The Wretched of the Earth), E. Franklin Frazier (Black Bourgeoisie), Carter Woodson (The Mis-Education of the Negro) and a dizzying number of other esteemed thinkers, again and again the book arrives at the idea that the great masses of poor blacks are simply so utterly oppressed that it�s impossible for them to ascertain the extent to which they have been bamboozled to believe in an unattainable American Dream.
 

The PACMAN plan is an ambitious debut by Sam A. Kempt. Set in the smoldering background of Austin, Texas, this book takes an eye-opening look at race, religion, the Internet and the voting process in America, and their collective impact on the political process.



 

They will clearly understand his thoughts, his grievances, and his goals, why 9/11 came as no surprise� and how best to adopt strategies to win the war on terrorism before it morphs into a global holy war.� �Excerpted from the Introduction
 

The ghetto isn�t the problem. Exclusion is the problem. The elite sundown suburb is the problem.� �Excerpted from the Introduction
 

The Boys of Baraka Film - Review by Kam Williams
http://www.aalbc.com/reviews/the_boys_of_baraka.htm

After Born into Brothels won an Academy Award for Best Documentary, it was only a matter of time before the imitators came along. That film chronicled the efforts of a couple of fledgling filmmakers to improve the lot of some Calcutta street urchins whose mothers were all prostitutes.

Conveniently borrowing Born into Brothels� reliance on the letter �B� for alliteration, Boys of Baraka follows similar efforts to save about 20 adolescent underachievers from Baltimore by shipping them off to an experimental, academically-oriented school located in rural Kenya. I hesitate to review this film at all, because it frequently struck false notes, though presenting itself as a documentary. (Includes a Rebuttal from Tony Hardmon, the movie's cinematographer)
 

AALBC.com opens up Advertising Zones on Popular Author Web Pages

Some of the most popular pages on AALBC.com, for November 2005, include:  Maya Angelou, Aaron McGruder, Alice Walker, Zane, Karrine Steffans, Toni Morrison, Walter Dean Myers, Saul Williams, Henry Lewis Gates, James Baldwin -- Advertise on any or all of these pages for only $10 for every 1,000 views.

Email ad@aalbc.com or phone 866-603-8394 for more information on this special offer.

 The city's mayor and police chief watched Washington's torture and murder and did nothing. Nearby, a professional photographer took pictures to sell as mementos of that day." Drawing on extensive research in the national files of the NAACP, local newspapers and archives, and interviews with the descendants of participants in the events of that day, author Patricia Bernstein has reconstructed the details of not only the crime but also its aftermath. She has charted the ways the story affected the development of the NAACP and especially the eventual success of its antilynching campaign. And she has asked the hard questions of how participating in such violence affected the lives of the mob leaders, the city officials who stood by passively, and the community that found itself capable of such abject behavior.
 

There are countless books on the topic of gangs, hip hop, prisons, and the ghetto, but Street Gangs has spent considerable time reading and researching the most informative references for your reading pleasure. You will be able to visit this section and gain access to reliable and most provocative books on the various subjects.

Association for African American Historical Research and Preservation - 3rd Annual History Conference - February 11, 2006
www.aaahrp.org

The Association for African American Historical Research and Preservation (AAAHRP) is holding its 3rd annual history conference on Saturday, February 11, 2006, at Seattle University in Seattle.

The Honorary Conference Chair is Seattle Attoney Moni T. Law, and the Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Carver Gayton, Director of the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle.

This conference, the only one of its type in the Pacific Northwest, emphasizes AAAHRP's commitment to the public, to present little-known or unrecorded Black History. In particular, AAAHRP is striving, not only to continue, but to expand the dialogue among scholars, historians, teachers, students, community activists and the general public that was established at its previous conferences. You are encouraged to attend this important conference. Early registration is recommended.