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Spotlight on Black Artists & Entertainers |
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Black Futures
by Kimberly Drew
Non-Fiction, 305.896 B561. A curated collection of essays, photography, memes, recipes, poems and dialogues explores what it means to be Black and alive in today’s world from the perspectives of academics, activists and other prominent cultural and social-media influencers.
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Lorna Simpson Collages
by Lorna Simpson
Non-Fiction, 700.92. Using advertising photographs of Black women (and men) drawn from vintage issues of Ebony and Jet magazines, the exquisite and thought-provoking collages of world-renowned artist Lorna Simpson explore the richly nuanced language of hair. Surreal coiffures made from colorful ink washes, striking geological formations from old textbooks, and other unexpected forms and objects adorn the models to mesmerizingly beautiful effect.
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Fired Up! Ready to Go!: Finding Beauty, Demanding Equity: An African American Life in Art: The Collections of Peggy Cooper Cafritz
by Peggy Cooper Cafritz
Non-Fiction, 704.0396. After decades of art collecting, prominent Washington D.C.–based activist, philanthropist, and founder of the august Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Peggy Cooper Cafritz had amassed one of the most important collections of work by artists of color in the country. But in 2009, the more than three hundred works that comprised this extraordinary collection were destroyed in the largest residential fire in Washington, D.C. history. This beautifully illustrated volume features 200 of the works that were lost, along with works that she has collected since the fire, as well as important contributions by preeminent curators and artists.
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Miles Davis: The Collected Artwork
by Scott Gutterman
Non-Fiction, 759.13. One of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century, Miles Davis was a man of many talents. Throughout the 1980s, Davis studied regularly with New York painter Jo Gelbard, developing a distinct graphic style. Incorporating bright colors and geometric shapes, his art is reminiscent of work by Pablo Picasso as well as African tribal art, the historical influences he cited during occasional interviews on the subject. Author Scott Gutterman sat down with Miles Davis himself before he died in 1991 and the artist’s own commentary accompanies this remarkable showcase of his work.
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Michael Ray Charles: A Retrospective
by Cherise Smith
Non-Fiction, 759.13. A curator and art historian presents this first in-depth examination of the artist whose provocative paintings recast images of racism in consumer culture, which is accompanied by nearly 100 color images documenting nearly 30 years of visual art.
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Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas
by Halima Taha
Non-Fiction, 760.8996. Enhanced by full-color reproductions of works by both renowned and emerging artists, a complete guide to collecting African-American art offers a historical overview and advice on galleries, auctions, dealers, and more.
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Black Hollywood: Reimaging Iconic Movie Moments
by Carell Augustus
New Non-Fiction, 779.2 AU46B. In Black Hollywood, photographer Carell Augustus has enlisted Black celebrities and performers from all areas of entertainment to recreate iconic scenes from classic Hollywood movies, television, and other media. The images illuminate the role of race in Hollywood history by re-imagining classic films with Black actors, renewing readers' appreciation of the past while celebrating the hottest Black stars of today and inspiring the artists of the future.
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Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem
by Daniel R. Day
Biography, DAY. With his eponymous store on 125th Street in Harlem, Dapper Dan pioneered high-end streetwear in the early 1980s, remixing classic luxury-brand logos into his own flamboyant designs. But before reinventing fashion, he was a hungry boy with holes in his shoes, a teen who daringly gambled drug dealers out of their money, a young man in a prison cell who found nourishment in books, and, finally, a designer who broke barriers to outfit music, sport, and crime world celebrities in looks that went on to define an era. By turns playful, poignant, and inspiring, Dapper Dan's memoir is a high-stakes coming-of-age story spanning more than 70 years and set against the backdrop of an ever-evolving America.
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Bluff City: The Secret Life of Photographer Ernest Withers
by Preston Lauterbach
Biography, WITHERS. The little-known story of an iconic photographer, whose work captured--and influenced--a critical moment in American history. Ernest Withers took some of the most legendary images of the 1950s and '60s: Martin Luther King Jr. riding a newly integrated bus in Montgomery, Alabama; Emmett Till's uncle pointing an accusatory finger across the courtroom at his nephew's killer. But from his position at the heart of the cultural revolution, Withers was simultaneously gathering information for the FBI. Withers traversed disparate worlds, from Black Power meetings to raucous Memphis nightclubs where Elvis brushed shoulders with B. B. King. In this gripping narrative history, Preston Lauterbach examines the complicated political and economic forces that informed Withers' seeming betrayal of those he witnessed, and suggests that Withers' attention to nuance--so arresting in his photography--also made him essential to the FBI.
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Basquiat: Rage to Riches
Non-Fiction DVDs, B BASQUIAT. Jean-Michel Basquiat was a rock star of the early 80s art scene: he lived fast, died young and created thousands of drawings and paintings. It took less than a decade to go from anonymous graffiti writer to an epoch-defining art star. He has emerged as one of the most important artists of his generation and now exhibits in museums all over the world.
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A New Color: The Art of Being Edythe Boone
Non-Fiction DVDs, B BOONE. Joyfully profiles the life and work of celebrated artist Edythe Boone whose colorful murals portray some of the major events of our time and illustrate the transformative power of art. Long before Black Lives Matter became a rallying cry, septuagenarian Boone embodied that truth as an accomplished artist and educator. From humble Harlem roots, the indefatigable Boone pursued her love of art and her dream of someday creating a new color – “a color that no one had ever seen before.” Boone moved her family from Harlem to Berkeley in the 1970’s. In the Bay Area, she was drawn to community mural projects that channeled her artistic talent into public advocacy for racial and social justice, including the landmark MaestraPeace mural on the San Francisco Women’s Building.
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Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
by Javaka Steptoe
Picture Books, STEPTOE. Presents the life of the artist, who was inspired as a child by a book of anatomy given to him by his mother after being injured in a car crash and who went on to become a celebrity in the art world before his early death at twenty-eight.
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Creative Quest
by Questlove
Non-Fiction, 153.35 Q38C. The award-winning cultural entrepreneur and co-founder of the influential hip-hop group The Roots draws on the philosophies and examples of the creative people in his life to counsel readers on how to change their perspectives about creativity to live a life of inspiration and originality.
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Isn't Her Grace Amazing: The Women Who Changed Gospel Music
by Cheryl Wills
New Non-Fiction, 782.254 W685I. Celebrating the overlooked women who have left an indelible mark on gospel music, this book showcases the talents, gifts and skills of twenty-five women, chronicling their journeys from the choir loft to the world's largest stages.
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The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince
by Mayte Garcia
Non-Fiction, 782.42164. A candid assessment of the iconic musician's personal and professional life by his first wife traces their long-distance courtship, marriage, and creative partnership as well as the challenges that compromised their romance.
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The Jacksons Legacy
by Fred Bronson
Non-Fiction, 782.421644. Written by Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, a first-person visual history of the Jacksons combines exclusive interviews, anecdotes, quotes and previously unseen family archive photos tracing their meteoric rise and history-making tours.
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Ledisi: Better Than Alright: Finding Peace, Love & Power
by Ledisi
Non-Fiction, 782.421644. The editors of the premiere lifestyle and fashion magazine for African-American women present this collection of inspiring thoughts, quotes and stories from the Grammy-nominated musician to provide empowerment and motivation to readers everywhere.
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Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations
by Mark Ribowsky
Non-Fiction, 782.421644. The Temptations are an incomparable soul group, with dozens of chart-topping hits such as My Girl and Papa Was a Rollin Stone. From the sharp suits, stylish choreography, and distinctive vocals that epitomized their onstage triumphs to the personal failings and psycho-dramas that played out behind the scenes, Ain't Too Proud to Beg tells the complete story of this most popular—and tragic—of all Motown super groups. Based on in-depth research and interviews with founding Temptations member Otis Williams and many others, the book reveals the highly individual, even mutually antagonistic, nature of the group's members. Venturing beyond the money and the fame, it shares the compelling tale of these sometime allies, sometime rivals and reveals the unique dynamic of push and pull and give and take that resulted in musical genius.
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Let Love Have the Last Word: A Memoir
by Common
Non-Fiction, 782.421649 C737L. The Grammy Award-, Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning musician, actor and activist presents a follow-up to One Day It'll All Make Sense that explores how love and mindfulness can build communities and inspire positive empowerment.
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Soul Train: The Music, Dance, and Style of a Generation
by Questlove
Non-Fiction, 791.456578. With its smooth, soulful tunes and groovy dance moves, Soul Train launched the careers of countless African American artists and set lasting trends in music, dance, and fashion for more than three decades. Questlove reveals the remarkable story of the captivating program, and his text is paired with more than 350 photographs of the show's most memorable episodes and the larger-than-life characters who defined it: the great host Don Cornelius, the extraordinary musicians, and the people who lived the phenomenon from dance floor. Gladys Knight contributed a foreword to this incredible volume. Nick Cannon contributed the preface.
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Chuck Berry: An American Life
by R. J. Smith
New Biography, BERRY, CHUCK. This definitive biography of the legendary performer and rock and roll pioneer examines his St. Louis childhood and his transformative effect on American culture, as well as the more troubling aspects of his public and private life.
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Kill 'em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul
by James McBride
Biography, BROWN. National Book Award winner James McBride goes in search of the "real" James Brown after receiving a tip that promises to uncover the man behind the myth. His surprising journey illuminates not only our understanding of this immensely troubled, misunderstood, and complicated soul genius but the ways in which our cultural heritage has been shaped by Brown's legacy.
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Music is My Mistress
by Duke Ellington
Biography, ELLINGTON. The celebrated musician and entertainer discusses his life and travels and presents profiles of personalities he has come to know as friends
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Marvin Gaye, My Brother
by Frankie Gaye
Biography, GAYE. The brother of the Motown legend shares his account of life with Marvin Gaye in this revealing, loving portrait of a music legend, his professional success, his turbulent personal life, and his tragic death.
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Sing For Your Life: A Story of Race, Music, and Family
by Daniel Bergner
Biography, GREEN. A chronicle of a young Black man's journey from violence to the world's elite opera circles describes Ryan Speedo Green's abuse-marked upbringing and struggles with racism and imprisonment before winning a New York Metropolitan Opera competition.
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Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
by Herbie Hancock
Biography, HANCOCK. The legendary jazz musician and composer reflects on his seven decades in music, tracing his early years as a musical prodigy and work in Miles Davis' second quintet to his multigenre explorations and collaborations with fellow artists.
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Odetta: A Life in Music and Protest
by Ian Zack
Biography, HOLMES. A portrait of the music artist credited as the “Voice of the Civil Rights Movement” traces Odetta’s early life in deeply segregated Alabama through her famed performances in major cities, demonstrating how she combated racism through her powerful lyrics.
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Didn't We Almost Have It All: In Defense of Whitney Houston
by Gerrick Kennedy
This look at the troubled star a decade after her passing examines her struggles with fame, relationships and mental health within the pressure of tabloid culture mental health stigmas, and racial divisions in America.
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Time Is Tight: My Life, Note by Note
by Booker T. Jones
Biography, JONES. The leader of the Stax Records house band and architect of the Memphis soul sound describes his early years in segregated Memphis, his career at Stax, and his collaborations with such other artists as Bob Dylan and Otis Redding.
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Lightnin' Hopkins: His Life and Blues
by Alan B. Govenar
Biography, HOPKINS. By the time of his death in 1982, Sam “Lightnin” Hopkins was likely the most recorded blues artist in history. Born in 1912 to a poor sharecropping family, Hopkins left home when he was only eight years old with a guitar his brother had given him. He made his living however he could, playing the blues and taking odd jobs when money was short. Hopkins didn’t begin recording until 1946, when he was dubbed “Lightnin” during his first session, and he soon joined Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker on the national R & B charts. But by the time he was “rediscovered” by Mack McCormick and Sam Charters in 1959, his popularity had begun to wane. A second career emerged--now Lightnin’ was pitched to white audiences, not black ones, and he became immensely successful, singing about his country roots and injustices that informed the civil rights era with a searing emotive power.
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Eartha & Kitt
by Kitt Shapiro
Biography, KITT, EARTHA. In this unique combination of memoir and cultural history, we come to know one of the greatest stars the world has ever seen--Eartha Kitt--as revealed by the person who knew her best: her daughter. Eartha, who was a mix of Black, Cherokee, and white, is viewed by the world as Black. Kitt, her biological daughter, is blonde and light skinned. This is the story of a young girl being raised by her mother, who happened to be one of the most famous celebrities in the world. For three decades, they traveled the world together as mother and daughter.
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Let Love Rule
by Lenny Kravitz
Biography, KRAVITZ, LENNY. The popular rock musician reflects on his life, from his struggles at school and tensions at home to his three-decade career as a songwriter, producer, and performer.
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The Big Life of Little Richard
by Mark Ribowsky
Biography, LITTLE RICHARD. The Big Life of Little Richard not only explores a legendary stage persona, but also a complex life under the makeup and pomade, the neon-lit duds and piano pyrotechnics, along with a full-body dive into the waters of sexual fluidity.
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Traveling Soul: The Life of Curtis Mayfield
by Todd Mayfield
Biography, MAYFIELD. Curtis Mayfield was one of the seminal vocalists and most talented guitarists of his era. He was also a social critic, and his music had a vital influence on the civil rights movement. Todd Mayfield tells his famously private father's story in riveting detail, from his birth into dire poverty and life in the slums of Chicago to the tragic accident that left him paralyzed, and his long-awaited recognition by the music industry.
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Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original
by Robin D. G. Kelley
In a book based on inside interviews and complete access to Monk's private papers and recordings, the author of Race Rebels tells an intimate story of the jazz great and puts him in historical context, in a book that includes an index, photos and a discography.
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In the Midnight Hour: The Life & Soul of Wilson Pickett
by Tony Fletcher
Biography, PICKETT. Drawn from extensive interviews with the singer's close family and friends and regular members of his studio and touring bands, In the Midnight Hour is a narrative portrait of one of the greatest voices of soul and a rare window into the social upheavals that surrounded him, the genre he helped shape along the way, and the pitfalls of the fame that success brought him.
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The Art & Science of Respect: A Memoir
by James Prince
Biography, PRINCE. For decades, serial entrepreneur James Prince presided over Rap-A-Lot Records, one of the first and most successful independent rap labels. In his memoir, he explains how he earned his reputation as one of the most respected men in Hip Hop. By staying true to his three principles of heart, loyalty, and commitment, and an unwavering faith in God, he has defeated many adversaries. In recounting his compelling life story, Prince analyzes the art and science of earning respect - and giving respect - and how to apply these principles to your own life.
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Nina Simone: The Biography
by David Brun-Lambert
Biography, SIMONE. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in North Carolina at the tail-end of the Great Depression, Nina Simone was a precocious child with dreams of becoming the world’s first Black classical soloist. After a rejection from an elite New York conservatoire—a rejection she always believed stemmed from the color of her skin—she began performing jazz, blues, and classical songs in a bar to fund her music studies. In 1958 her rendition of the Gershwin standard “I Loves You Porgy” became a Top 40 hit, and her subsequent debut album Little Girl Blue launched what would become an extensive singing and songwriting career. This extraordinary biography follows her sparkling career as well as her passionate belief in racial equality that eventually led her to undergo self-imposed exile from America in 1970.
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Queen of Bebop: The Musical Lives of Sarah Vaughan
by Elaine M. Hayes
Biography, VAUGHN. An account of the life of the influential jazz artist and civil rights advocate shares additional insights into her lesser-known contributions as an African-American woman, drawing on inside sources to discuss her creative process and challenge misperceptions about her character.
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In Search of Pharrell Williams
by Paul Lester
Biography, WILLIAMS. A major biography of the 11-time Grammy Award-winning music artist, producer, actor and writer draws on interviews with Williams and his family and friends to offer key insights into his life and influences behind his professional persona.
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Showtime at the Apollo: The Epic Tale of Harlem's Legendary Theater
by Ted Fox
Graphic Novels, FOX. Writer Ted Fox and artist James Otis Smith bring to life Harlem's legendary theater in this graphic novel adaptation of Fox's definitive, critically acclaimed history of the Apollo. Since its inception as an African-American theater in 1934, the Apollo, and the thousands of entertainers who performed there, have led the way in the presentation of swing, bebop, rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel, soul, funk and hip-hop-along with the latest in dance and comedy. The Apollo has nurtured and featured thousands of artists, many of whom have become legends. The beauty they have given the world--their art--transcends the hatred, ignorance, and intolerance that often made their lives difficult. Today, the Apollo enjoys an almost mythical status. With its breathtaking art, this graphic novel adaptation of Showtime at the Apollo brings to life the theater's legendary significance in music history, African American history, and to the culture of New York City."
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After the Dance: My Life with Marvin Gaye
by Jan Gaye
Axis 360 eBook. The second wife of the late, legendary R&B star, describes how she met the Motown superstar when she was 17 and began a torrid love affair and marriage that was eventually shattered by drugs, family dysfunction and the burdens of fame.
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Wild Thing: The Short, Spellbinding Life of Jimi Hendrix
by Philip Norman
Axis 360 eBook. Published to mark the 50th anniversary of Hendrix’s death, a commemorative portrait by the best-selling author of Shout! draws on interviews with friends, lovers, bandmates and family members to include coverage of Hendrix’s segregated early performances and historic appearances.
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Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson
by Annye C Anderson
Axis 360 eBook. The stepsister of Robert Johnson presents an intimate portrait of the blues legend that goes beyond the legacy of his music to discuss his upbringing in the Mississippi Delta and the true story of his tragic death.
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More Myself: A Journey
by Alicia Keys
Axis 360 eAudiobook. The 15-time Grammy Award-winning music artist traces her journey from self-censorship to full expression, describing her complicated relationship with her father, the people-pleasing nature that characterized her early career and her struggles with gender expectations.
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Prince: The Man, the Symbol, the Music
by Eric Braun
Axis 360 eBook. Profiles the life and career of the multitalented musician and songwriter, discussing his childhood, rise to fame, and contractual dispute with his record label.
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My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire
by Maurice White
Axis 360 eBook. Recounts the author's life, revealing the rise of the legendary group Earth, Wind & Fire, sharing the story of his success, and reflecting on the blessings music brought to his life.
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Bessie
Feature Films, BESSIE. Profiles the life and career of legendary blues singer Bessie Smith.
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Ray
Feature Films, RAY. Ray Charles was born in a poor predominantly black town in central Florida. He went blind at the age of 7. With the staunch support of his determined single mother, he developed a fierce resolve. He had wit and incredible talent, which would eventually enable him to overcome not only Jim Crow racism and the cruel prejudices against the blind, but also discover his own sound. Nonetheless, as Ray's unprecedented fame grew, so did his weakness for drugs and women, until they threatened to strip away the very things he held most dear.
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Respect
Feature Films, RESPECT. Offers a look into the life of Aretha Franklin: from her childhood traumatized by the loss of her mother through her difficult rise to international fame in the sixties, when she was also struggling with an abusive marriage and alcohol problems
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Summer of Soul
Feature Film DVD, SUMMER. Tells the story of the Harlem Cultural Festival that took place in Mount Morris Park in 1969 and its significance as a celebration of black history and culture.
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Rejoice & Shout
Non-Fiction DVD, 782.254. Covers 200 years of musical history of African-American Christianity, featuring the legends of Gospel music, including The Staple Singers, The Clara Ward Singers, The Dixie Hummingbirds, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Culled from hundreds of hours of music, tracing the evolution of gospel music through its many styles – the spirituals and early hymns, the four-part harmony-based quartets, the integration of blues and swing, the emergence of “soul,” and the blending of rap and hip-hop elements. It connects the history of African-American culture with gospel as it first impacted popular culture at large and captures so much of what is special about this music and African-American Christianity.
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The Torch
Non-Fiction DVD, B GUY, BUDDY. Looks at Buddy Guy's musical legacy through interviews, performances, and the young guitar player Quinn Sullivan, who has been mentored by Guy since he was a child.
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Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
Non-Fiction DVD, B DAVIS, MILES. Examines the life of Miles Davis through his music, home movies, and his manuscripts and paintings.
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Charley Pride: I'm Just Me
Non-Fiction DVD, B PRIDE, CHARLEY. Profiles the life and career of African American country musician, Charley Pride.
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Tina
Non-Fiction DVD, B TURNER, TINA. Profiles the life and career of Tina Turner, featuring her personal reflections, archival interviews, and contributions from others
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Marian Anderson: A Voice Uplifted
by Victoria Garrett Jones
Juvenile Biography, ANDERSON. Marian Anderson’s majestic voice mesmerized the nation--but her courage in confronting racism was even more inspirational. She became the first African - American to record spirituals for a major recording company, and the first to appear on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House. Victoria Garrett Jones tells her remarkable story, from Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhood to the world’s finest concert stages.
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Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Jazz
by Megan Schoeneberger
Juvenile Biography, FITZGERALD. Offers a brief introduction to the life of jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, who recorded more than two hundred albums and performed at Carnegie Hall twenty-six times.
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Song for Jimi: The Story of Guitar Legend Jimi Hendrix
by Charles R. Smith
Accompanied by psychedelic artwork, this one-of-a-kind mix of rhythm and rhyme captures the soul of the rock icon as he struggled to live life on his own terms. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations.
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Billie Holiday: Singer
by Forrest Cole
Juvenile Biography, HOLIDAY. Discusses the life and career of Billie Holiday.
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Who is Stevie Wonder?
by Jim Gigliotti
Juvenile Paperbacks, GIGLIOTTI. Looks at the life, musical accomplishments, and civil rights work of Stevie Wonder.
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Who was Louis Armstrong?
by Yona Zeldis McDonough
Juvenile Paperbacks, MCDONOUGH. Explores how a tough black kid from New Orleans became an amazing jazz musician and band leader at a pivotal time in American history.
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Trombone Shorty
by Troy Andrews
Picture Books, ANDREWS. A visual profile of the musical child prodigy and Grammy-nominated headliner at the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest relates, through sumptuous artwork and text, the story about his childhood dream of becoming a musician against the odds.
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Little Melba and Her Big Trombone
by Katheryn Russell-Brown
Picture Books, RUSSELL-BROWN. A biography of African American musician Melba Doretta Liston, a virtuoso musician who played the trombone and composed and arranged music for many of the great jazz musicians of the twentieth century.
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A Voice Named Aretha
by Katheryn Russell-Brown
Picture Books, RUSSELL-BROWN. An inspiring picture book biography about the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, traces her life story from childhood as the shy daughter of a famous Detroit preacher and civil rights activist to become one of the most celebrated vocal artists of the past six decades as well as an outspoken proponent for equal rights. Illustrations.
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R-E-S-P-E-C-T : Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul
by Carole Boston Weatherford
Picture Books, WEATHERFORD. Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical talent was clear from her earliest days in her father's Detroit church. Aretha sang with a soaring voice that spanned more than three octaves. Her incredible talent and string of hit songs earned her the title "the Queen of Soul." This Queen was a multi-Grammy winner and the first female inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And there was even more to Aretha than being a singer, songwriter, and pianist: she was an activist, too. Her song "Respect" was an anthem for people fighting for civil rights and women's rights. With words that sing and art that shines, this vibrant portrait of Aretha Franklin pays her the R-E-S-P-E-C-T this Queen of Soul deserves.
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Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World
by Wil Haygood
Non-Fiction, 791.436529. The author of The Butler and Showdown examines 100 years of Black movies--using the struggles and triumphs of the artists, and the films themselves, as a prism to explore Black culture and the civil rights movement in America.
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Spike
by Spike Lee
Non-Fiction, 791.4372. This career-spanning monograph visually celebrates the life and career of the world-renowned, Academy Award-winning filmmaker—and one of the most prominent voices of race and racism—who has made an indelible mark in both cinematic history and contemporary society.
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Love Me As I Am
by Garcelle Beauvais
New Biography, BEAUVAIS, GARCELLE. The model, actress, black pop culture icon, and "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star--in this engaging, entertaining, and empowering memoir--shares her life, from her childhood to her rise to success, and the lessons she learned along the way to become the woman she is today.
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Living in Color: What's Funny About Me
by Tommy Davidson
Biography, DAVIDSON, TOMMY. The popular performer and standup comedian describes his life growing up black in a loving white family and the racial barriers he helped to break down on In Living Color alongside Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx and the Wayans brothers.
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Finding Me
by Viola Davis
Biography, DAVIS, VIOLA. The critically acclaimed film, television and theater actress presents an inspiring and deeply honest story of her life, from her coming-of-age in Rhode Island to her current hard-won success.
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Act Like You Got Some Sense: And Other Things My Daughters Taught Me
by Jamie Foxx
Biography, FOXX. In this hilarious and heartfelt memoir, award-winning, multi-talented entertainer Jamie Foxx shares the story of being raised by his no-nonsense grandmother, the glamour and pitfalls of life in Hollywood, and the lessons he took from both worlds to raise his two daughters.
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Black and Blue: the Redd Foxx Story
by Michael Starr
Biography, FOXX. Tells the story of Foxx, a veteran comedian and "overnight sensation" at the age of forty-nine whose early life was defined by adversity - and his post-Sanford and Son years by a blur of women, cocaine, endless lawsuits, financial chaos, and a losing battle with the IRS. Foxx's frank, trailblazing style as the "King of the Party Records" opened the door for a generation of African-American comedians including Dick Gregory, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and Chris Rock. Foxx took the country by storm in January 1972 as crotchety, bow-legged Watts junk dealer Fred Sanford in Sanford and Son, one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history. Interviews with friends, confidantes, and colleagues provide a unique insight into this generous, brash, vulnerable performer - a man who Norman Lear described as "inherently, innately funny in every part of his being."
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Lorraine Hansberry: The Life Behind A Raisin in the Sun
by Charles J. Shields
Biography, HANSBERRY, LORRAINE. This authoritative biography of one of the 20th century's most admired playwrights who penned A Raisin in the Sun examines the parts of her life that have escaped public knowledge, including her struggle with class, sexuality and race.
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Walking in My Joy: In These Streets
by Jenifer Lewis
New Biography, LEWIS, JENIFER. In this entertaining essay collection, the author of The Mother of Black Hollywood and the costar of ABCs hit sitcom Black-ish looks back on some of her memorable adventures and experiences, showing us how to be present in the moment and reject being a victim of circumstance.
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Higher is Waiting
by Tyler Perry
Biography, PERRY. The cinematic innovator behind Tyler Perry Studios traces his youth in New Orleans through his successful career in an uplifting account of his spiritual awakening that explains how his faith has enriched his life and sustained him in hard times.
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Unprotected: A Memoir
by Billy Porter
Biography, PORTER. The incomparable Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner shares his life story of coming of age in a world where simply being himself was a constant struggle and how unbreakable determination led him through countless hard times to where he is now.
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Will
by Will Smith
Biography, SMITH. A product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, and a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind, in this memoir, one of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life.
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Just As I Am
by Cicely Tyson
Biography, TYSON. Memoir from the actress who has graced the stage and screen for six decades.
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You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories
by Gabrielle Union
Biography, UNION, GABRIELLE. The actress and activist, at her most vulnerable, sharing how her ever-changing life presents challenges, even as it gives her moments of pure joy, opens up about her surrogacy journey and takes on racist institutions and practices in the entertainment industry.
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Scenes from My Life: A Memoir
by Michael Kenneth Williams
New Biography, WILLIAMS, MICHAEL K. Written by the late, iconic actor before his death, this candid and moving memoir of hard-won success, struggles with addiction and a lifelong mission to give back tells the story of his whole life in his own voice, in his own words, as only he could.
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I am Richard Pryor
Non-Fiction DVD, B PRYOR, RICHARD. Tells the life story of the iconic comedian and actor, Richard Pryor.
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Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker
by Patricia Hruby Powell
Juvenile Biography, BAKER. Combines exuberant verse and stirring illustrations in a picture book introduction to the life of the passionate performer and civil rights activist that traces her journey from the slums of St. Louis to the world's most famous stages.
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The Nutcracker in Harlem
by T. E. McMorrow
Picture Books, MCMORROW. Set in New York City at the height of the Harlem Renaissance, a reimagining of the classic Nutcracker story follows the efforts of a young girl who finds her voice as a musician during an enchanting adventure alongside a toy that comes to life.
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Michigan City Public Library
100 E. 4th Street
Michigan City, Indiana 46360
219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
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