✨ Review ✨ Black on Black: On Our Resilience and Brilliance in America by Daniel Black

This book of essays was incredibly profound -- reflecting on topics including race, religion, culture, sexuality, politics, and so much more.

He writes about Black beauty, educating Black youth and HBCUs, Black churches, Black queerness, AIDS in Black communities, Billy Porter, and on and on. I especially appreciated his writing on Black queer identity and the ties between AIDS prevention and perceived low self worth of Black queer youth.

I have a million quotes highlighted and yet can't pick a single one to share. Admittedly, this is a little heavy on religion in the early essays, but if that's not your jam, skim on to the middle of the book.

This was filled with heartbreak and joy, and so much honesty about race and racism in the U.S. Please give this a read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)
Genre: non-fiction essays with lots of memoir-like content woven in
Pub Date: out now!

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

I will read literally anything Dr. Daniel Black writes - I think he is truly a gifted artist whose voice is powerful, accessible, and always inspiring. Black on Black is no exception - in this essay collection Black explores the experiences of folks in the Black community. The essays will challenge you and force you to consider the experiences of marginalized folks in our communities. As is his signature, Black will leave you feeling hopeful and optimistic despite the heaviness of the topics explored.

5 stars - a must read for everyone - thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC - Black on Black is out now!

Thanks to Hanover Square Press for the copy of this ARC.

I knew I needed to read this after loving Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black. He is such a fantastic writer, and in Black on Black, he delivers truth, wisdom, experience, and emotion in a collection of essays on Black resilience and brilliance. Daniel covers so many relevant topics: HBCUs and academic standards, beauty standards, the role of the Black church, HIV/AIDS, being closeted as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, integration, and police violence. I really appreciated Daniel's perspective - it's one that I personally need to hear and listen to - and I love the way he brings heartfelt words onto the page to drive home the facts that he also presents. Highly recommend picking up any/all of his works.

Dr. Daniel Black does it again! In this brilliant collection of essays, Dr. Black provides us with a critical exploration of the past, present, and potential future of Blackness as it relates to key sectors of Black life: identity formation, the church, education, gender and sexuality formation, cultural politics, the creative arts and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the parts of the book that speak to Dr. Black's own journey of becoming. He writes about the first time he was asked to memorize and present a speech at church which unlocked his gift as an orator. The first time his grandmother gave him a purse to keep his diary in and supported his journey of discovering who he truly is under the expectations of what society deems acceptable Black masculinity.

As someone who has taught at Clark Atlanta University for over 30 years, I enjoyed his perspective on the state of HBCU's and how historically black colleges and universities are both safe spaces for Black students and not doing enough to center the unique educational needs they have. There is a brilliant deconstruction of the ways integration insulted the worth and value of black social institutions. There is so much power jam packed into this collection. Whether you are a reader of Dr. Black or not, this collection is a worthwhile introduction to his body of work and Black thought.

Every time I interact with Dr. Black's work I am changed in some way and more connected to the ancestors. Out of many of my favorite quotes this one resonates deeply:

"Shirley Chisholm ran for president in the 1970s because she believed she could lead the nation- whether others agreed or not. These ancestors knew something about themselves, their people, that didn't require white authorization."

Thank you Dr. Black for committing your life's work to reminding us about ourselves as a people. Bravo!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy!

Daniel Black showcases his own brilliance in this masterful collection of essays that examine multiple facets of American Blackness. He’s a scholar, an educator, and a writer (among other titles and talents). These pieces contain observations from a life fully-lived buffeted by constructive critiques and actionable suggestions that are obviously well-researched and presented in an almost conversational tone delivered with heartfelt concern for his people and all of humanity.

He unpacks a LOT within this relatively condensed offering. Some essays featured commentary on popular topics:

• Black Beauty is covered in "Black, But Not Beautiful" which is a call to redefine beauty standards to embrace self-love and respect.
• Black Media (Movies, Music, and Television): "Harriett’s Chariot" examines African Spiritualism as depicted in the 2019 movie Harriet directed by Kasi Lemmons, "The Power of Pose" examines the importance of representation and the impact of the television series, Pose.
• The plight of the Black Church is examined in "Prayer Won’t Fix This."
• The empowering nature and crippling principles of HBCUs are the subject of "Beauties and Struggles of HBCUs."
•. Social Commentary relating to LBGTQAI+ struggles and challenges (and its impact to the larger communities) are covered in "Dying to Be Loved" (HIV/AIDS concerns when partnering/dating) and "Nowhere To Hide" touches on “closeted” members of the lettered community.
• The desire for social desegregation and failure of integration is discussed in "Integration."

I highlighted so many passages for research and noted poignant points – almost all the essays contained personal reflections from his rural Southern childhood and time as an undergraduate at Clark U.and as a graduate student at Temple U.

Well Done!

Thanks to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press, and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.

Black on Black; On Our Resilience and Brilliance in America by Daniel Black is a personal and powerful book of essays that you will not want to miss. Not only does it speak about the hard things in life, it also celebrates the beauty, strength, and resilience that life can hold.