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Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture: 4 volumes

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From the Apollo Theater to the Harlem Renaissance, from barber shop and beauty shop culture to African American holidays, family reunions, and festivals, and from the days of black baseball to the era of a black president, the culture of African Americans is truly unique and diverse. This diversity is the result of intricate customs forged in tightly woven communities―not only in the United States, but in many cases also stemming from the traditions of another continent. Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture presents information in a traditional A–Z organization, capturing the essence of the customs of African Americans and presenting this rich cultural heritage through the lens of popular culture. Each entry includes historical and current information to provide a meaningful background for the topic and the perspective to appreciate its significance in a modern context. This encyclopedia is a valuable research tool that provides easy access to a wealth of information on the African American experience.

1908 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

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About the author

Jessie Carney Smith

42 books6 followers
Dr. Jessie Carney Smith was born September 14, 1930 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Dr. Smith has won many honors and awards, including the National Women's Book Association Award in 1992 and the Martin Luther King Black Authors Award in 1982. Her most recent include the National Coalition of 100 Black Women's Candace Award in Education; the Women's National Book Association Award; the Black Caucus of the American Library Association Achievement Award; and the Anna J. Cooper Award for Distinguished Scholarship from SAGE journal on black women.

Born into the segregated South during the Jim Crow era, she learned to turn adversity into opportunity. Dr. Smith attained degrees during a time when women, particularly African American women, were not expected to do so. She is the author of numerous publications including books, edited works and research articles, and is well noted for her work as a librarian and educator.

Dr. Smith began exploring her passion for writing as a way of bridging the gaps in scholarship. In 1992 she published the award winning, Notable African American Women and went on to publish Notable African American Men in 1999. Her other books include, Black Firsts: 2000 Years of Extraordinary Achievement in 1994, Statistical Record of Black America in 1995 and Black Firsts: 4000 Groundbreaking and Pioneering Historical Events in 2003.

She graduated from North Carolina A&T with a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. Her desire to attain her master’s degree took her to Cornell University. She soon married and had a son. After a brief leave from school, she returned to Michigan State University where she received her master’s degree in 1955 in Child Development.

Smith went on to receive her master’s degree in Library Science from George Peabody College at Vanderbilt University in 1957 and earned a Ph. D. in Library Science from the University of Illinois in 1964. Dr. Smith became the first African American to receive a Ph. D. in library science from that institution.

In 1957, Dr. Smith became head of cataloguing and coordinator of library science at Fisk University, while also working as a Nashville city school teacher. She began her current position as head librarian in 1965.

Most info from author interview at http://www.visionaryproject.org/smith...

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
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14 reviews
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June 23, 2012
Heather Blackwell
Title:
Smith, J.C. (Ed.). (2010). Encyclopedia of african-amercian popular culture. Westport, CT: Green Publishing.
Type of Reference:
Encyclopedia
Call Number:
973
Brief Description:
This current encyclopedia contains more than 600 articles on African-Americans in popular culture, including athletes, singers, and authors.
Review:
Stratton, S. (2011, May 1). [Review of the book Encyclopedia of african-amercian popular culture]. Booklist Online. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com.libsrv....
Relevance and Relationship
This current reference source is unlike other sources of African-American information in the collection because it focuses on African-American culture in pop culture, not just the history and influence of African-American culture. Although is a bit costly, it is a three volume set and would be beneficial to the diverse community of the school.
Purpose
This source will meet the information needs of a wide variety of students. The information contained in the source gives specific detail about a variety of topics related to African-American popular culture, including barbershops, jump rope games, stepping, and many others. In also contains biographical entries on many popular African-Americans, including Oprah Winfrey and Clarence Thomas. Because the source is geared for younger readers, the writing style is easy to read and understand.
Validity
This book is an up-to-date reference, and has been edited by a knowledgeable and authoritative person. Also, it has been reviewed by a reputable source. Because it is current, it could be used for years to make it even more cost effective. Because the source is based on fact and includes a bibliography, there is a little chance for bias in the information.
Format
This is a print source in a three-volume set. It includes both text and photographs that enhance the information.
Arrangement and Presentation
This encyclopedia is arranged alphabetically by topics and biographical entries. There is also a bibliography, and appendix, and an index at the end in order to students to quickly find their desired information.
Diversity
Because this resource was written for the young adult reader, the writing style and photographs would appeal to all learners. Also, this particular source would appeal to the large population of African-American students in the school community.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews

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