BOOK SUMMARY
Time Period 1
The “Pre-United States” Days (1513-1774)
African American History Literature: What good cold ever come out of people who were bought and taken miles away from their homes as slaves, to an unknown land? Did they ever stand a chance of survival?
- African American History Literature: In this time period, you would discover how people who were perceived as nothing but slaves, were able to stand equally intelligent as every other human;
- You would also learn how they severely suffered loss of human dignity, loss of their freedom and in some cases, death, in a strange land.
- This time period also reveals how in spite of their ordeal, they still stood out as a race in literature, arts, science, math and every other aspect of life, even in a strange land. Not only did they stand out, they were a significant part of the attainment of independence in the United States of America. What was the journey to change like? What did their freedom cost? Did it really give them the change they desired?
Time Period 2
The New Country (1775-1800)
Not only did they put their lives at a risk, some African American history literature lost their lives to fighting for the independence of their colony. And what did they get in return?
- In this time period, you would see how the African American history literature actively participated in the revolution that led to the independence of the colony. You would also see how this was a step towards ending the prevalent practice of slavery, against them. Was this a successful move?
- This time period also uncovers a different fight to freedom that had just started for the African Americans. This time, the fight was just a race versus an ideology that had held so many in bondage for a long time; a race against the practice that had continuously ruined families, love and life; a race versus slavery. Where the leadership and even the constitution of the newly formed state were not in their favor, what was to be hoped for?
Time Period 3
Antebellum And The Civil War (1891-1865)
The more the government and the white Americans kept working against the freedom of the African American history literature, the harder the African American literature fought against their slavery; they fought every way, with everything.
- In this time period, you would discover what challenges accompanied the African Americans at the peak of their journey to freedom in the United States. You would learn how it was characterized by numerous deaths of remarkable abolitionists, several bloody slaves revolts, the secession of some parts of the independent state, which led to a civil war and ultimately, the loss of thousands of lives.
- You would also realize that the fights were not just in arms and ammunitions. Instead, the African Americans also used their arts and science as notable weapons.
- In this time period, you would know if in the end, all these sufficed to grant the race freedom from servitude were realized. Were they going to sing a new song? Was their life of misery about to come to an end? Find out in the pages of this time period.
Time Period 4
Reconstruction (1866-1900)
After the African- Americans had the victory of illegalizing slavery in the United States of America, there was yet another fight they had to win. In fact, the outcome of this fight either gave essence to their initial victory or not.
- In this period, you would learn how eventually, the phrase ‘All men are born equal’ gradually began to become a reality to African American history literature.
- You would also find out that their journey had however not come to an end. Although the fight had ended and the freedom of the African Americans had been guaranteed at the national level, they had just started another journey which was going to take many years.
- You would learn how they went through the journey to recognizing, enforcing and expanding their freedom, at local levels, amongst all and sundry. Was this also characterized by bloodshed and bloody revolutions? What was their weapon this time around? This time period encapsulates these, and so much more.
Time Period 5
The Road To Greater Equality (1901-1976)
The resilience of the African- American race is highly commendable. Against all odds, they consistently fought for the implementation of their Civil rights in law and in action, and succeeded.
- In this time period, you would find out how extreme racism played out in the United States against the African American history literature. It was a period where they contended, not against slavery, rather, against hatred by the whites. This hatred for the race by the whites reflected in every aspect of their lives. From language, when the whites referred to them as ‘colored’, to employment, where they were the last to be employed but the first to be laid off; from education opportunities, to the violent attacks they had on different occasions.
- However, not only will this time period tell you about the ordeal of the African Americans, it also explains their fight against it. Like the biblical history of the Israelites, the more they suffered, the stronger they became. They excelled in sports, arts, literature, music and the little opportunities they could lay their hands on, which in some instances, gained international recognition. What was their defense strategy?
Time Period 6
The Age Of Reckoning (1977-2019)
From chains, and shackles to freedom; from hate and abuse, to love and justice; from rejection to acceptance and support. This was the progressive story of the African Americans in the United States.
- In this time period, you would learn how the African Americans finally became victorious after their fights for the revolution for the independence of today’s United States of America, to the wars for the end of their servitude, to their fights against racism.
- In this time period, you would also discover the instrumentality of one strong weapon, which was not just a defense mechanism, but also the wining mechanism for the African American history literature.
- You would learn what this weapon was and how it led to a total turn around and change in mindset of majority of the whites in the United States of America during this period. Although it did not become the perfect world where blacks and whites cohabited like they were really the same, you would discover that it birthed the beginning of the ‘happily ever after’ the African Americans had long fought for; the one that they had long looked forward to. What was this wining mechanism? To what extent did it turn things around?
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