Read until you understand : the profound wisdom of Black life and literature /

Griffin, Farah Jasmine, 1963-

Read until you understand : the profound wisdom of Black life and literature / Profound wisdom of Black life and literature Farah Jasmine Griffin. - First edition. - xii, 257 pages ; 24 cm

Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-241) and index.

Introduction
Legacy, love, learning
The question of mercy
Black freedom and the idea(l) of America
The quest for justice
Rage and resistance
Death
The transformative potential of love
Joy and something like self-determination
Cultivating beauty
Of gardens and grace.

"A masterpiece. . . . Farah Jasmine Griffin's magical words enchant and empower us like those of her towering heroes." -Cornel West. Farah Jasmine Griffin's beloved father died when she was nine, bequeathing her an unparalleled inheritance in closets full of remarkable books and other records of Black genius. In Read Until You understand-a line from a note he wrote to her-she shares a lifetime of discoveries: the ideas that framed the United States Constitution and that inspired Malcolm X's fervent speeches, the soulful music of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, the daring literature of Phillis Wheatley and Toni Morrison, the artistry of Romare Bearden, and many others. Having taught a popular Columbia University survey course of Black literature, she explores themes such as grace, justice, rage, self-determination, beauty, and mercy to help readers grapple with the ongoing project that is American democracy. Joining her experiences in Black communities with her immersion in the glorious works of Black artists, Read Until You Understand is a powerful testament to the enduring wisdom of Black culture and history"--

9780393651904 0393651908

2021011719


Griffin, Farah Jasmine--Books and reading.
Griffin, Farah Jasmine --Libros y lectura


American literature--African American authors--History and criticism.
Literatura estadounidense --Autores afroamericanos --Historia y crítica
African Americans--Intellectual life.
Afroamericanos--Vida intelectual
African Americans--Social conditions.
Afroamericanos --Condiciones sociales

PS 153 / G851r 2021

810.9/896073