Dion Graham

Richard Pryor was arguably the single most influential performer of the second half of the twentieth century, and certainly he was the most successful black actor/comedian ever. Controversial and somewhat enigmatic in his lifetime, Pryor's performances opened up a new world of possibilities, merging fantasy with angry reality in a way that wasn't just new-it was heretofore unthinkable. His childhood in Peoria, Illinois, was spent just trying to survive....

American Book Award-winning author Edwidge Danticat earned a National Book Award nomination for this brilliant collection of stories, which includes Pushcart Prize winner "Between the Pool and the Gardenias." A "remarkably gifted writer" (Publishers Weekly), Danticat examines the brutality of her native Haiti, particularly as it affects women, in tales that soar with raw emotion. "Spare, elegant and moving, these stories cohere into a superb collection."...

This Very Short Introduction looks at Africa's past and reflects on the changing ways it has been imagined and represented, both in Africa and beyond. The author illustrates important aspects of Africa's history with a range of fascinating historical examples, drawn from over five millennia across this vast continent. The multitude of topics that the listener will learn about in this succinct work include the unity and diversity of African cultures,...

Sixteen-year-old Elwyn Parker is a member of the austere community of Christian believers at the Church of Our Blessed Redeemer Who Walked Upon the Waters, a devout and sincere piano prodigy who learns too late that the saintly girl he has had a crush on all his life is inexplicably pregnant and soon to be wed. Then the beautiful forty-two-year-old widow, Sister Morrisohn, in the midst of the confused emotions of her grieving, ends up in Elwyn's arms. Despite...

A moving, heartwarming memoir about a conservation hero and real-life chimpanzee whisperer - now the subject of the award-winning documentary film Pant Hoot. Stany Nyandwi's gift for communicating with chimpanzees is so special that world-renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall has called him a chimpanzee whisperer. His skills and devotion to these creatures - our closest living relatives, with whom we share 98.7 percent of our DNA - have earned him...

In Frisco's Kid, Tasha Francisco was a strong-willed, independent child, thrown into the temporary care of her Navy SEAL uncle, Alan "Frisco" Francisco. Years older, but still just a kid himself, Thomas King lived nearby. Tasha took one look and declared she would marry him someday. Thomas wasn't quite so sure about that. Now Tasha is a strong-willed, independent young woman, and Thomas is an officer and a hospital corpsman with SEAL Team Ten. When...

Mr. Peebles shares his entrepreneurial success through first person lessons he has learned. Part The Art of the Deal and part Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun, Mr. Peebles weaves business lessons through his own journey from government page to CEO of the largest Black owned Real Estate Development firm. Peebles will share the hard knock lessons he learned along the way and share first person accounts of what it takes to succeed. His message...

A collection of reimagined classic fairy tales, African, and African American folktales that bring to life past, present, and future visions of Black culture.

When fate brings college student Jazmine and gangsta rapper X-Man together, they have nothing in common but a dream to make it in the music business. Suddenly Black Tie Records discovers them both, and they discover each other. Can their passionate love survive a world scarred with street violence and cut-throat ambition? Sheneska Jackson captures the gritty language and ambiance of the 'hood.

With heart-stopping stories by Zane, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Joy M. Copeland, Robert Fleming, Terence Taylor, Francine Lewis, Brandon Massey, and 12 other established and up-and-coming writers, Dark Dreams is a must-have contemporary anthology of supernatural tales for any collection.