Black in America: A Broadview Topics Reader

Black in America: A Broadview Topics Reader is the first in what is projected to be a series of thematic readers intended for use in Introductory Composition courses. The emphasis is on twenty-first-century writing (Ta-Nehisi Coates, Claudia Rankine, and Roxane Gay figure prominently), but a substantial representation of vitally important writing from other eras is also included, from Olaudah Equiano and Sojourner Truth to James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and Alice Walker; in all there are over 40 selections. The anthology includes examples of academic writing, of writing for popular audiences, of journalism, of speeches, and of blog posts and other writing that originated on the web. Selections are arranged by author in rough chronological order; alternative thematic and rhetorical tables of contents are also provided. Each selection is prefaced by a headnote providing context, and followed by questions and suggestions for discussion. Explanatory annotations are provided at the bottom of the page, and paragraphs are numbered for ready reference during class discussions. Brief biographical notes appear at the back of the book.