Let's Flip the Script: An African American Discourse on Language, Literature, and Learning

African American Life

by Keith Gilyard

Building on themes presented in Voices of the Self, Keith Gilyard examines connections among language, politics, expressive culture and pedagogy, with reference to American African literature. Areas such as diversity, dialect and learning are discussed.

Genres: Language

Paperback

First published November 1, 1996

Reviews

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection is made up of previously published/given presentations, essays, and personal remarks Gilyard gave over a brief time period (1990 - 1996). Gilyard’s tone reminds me of Dr. Marilyn Mobley’s of CWRU in that he speaks openly of his personal experiences and history and is unafraid to mix in slang phrases with dense and politically revolutionary ideas about language and discourse. One of my favorite lines is: “We want to bring all the righteousness of African American expressive and intellectual output to bear full force upon the creation of more Black known bards whose production will be wide and wonderful as well” (110).

[Andrew Vachss · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of America's most powerful poets gives us a brilliant, evocative discourse on language itself ... the politics of literary colonialism. And if you haven't read I Figure, you'll never know what "for real" really means.