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100 Amazing Facts About the Negro
From one of our premier writers, scholars, and public intellectuals: a surprising, inspiring, often boldly infuriating, highly instructive and entertaining compendium of curiosities regarding African Americans.
In 1934, 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof: A Short Cut to the World History of the Negro was published by Joel A. Rogers, a largely self-educated black journalist and historian. Now with élan and erudition—and winning enthusiasm—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., gives us a corrective yet loving homage to Rogers’s work. Relying on the latest scholarship, Gates leads us on a romp through African American history and gossip in question and answer format: Who was the first African American? What was the second Middle Passage? Did black people own slaves? Why was cotton king? Who was the first black president in North America? How much African ancestry does the average African American have? Who really invented “the talented tenth”? What were the biggest acts of betrayal within the enslaved community? Who was the first black American woman to be a self-made millionaire? For 100 questions, 100 answers, intended to shine light on the sheer complexity and diversity of being African American.
(With black-and-white illustrations throughout.)
In 1934, 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof: A Short Cut to the World History of the Negro was published by Joel A. Rogers, a largely self-educated black journalist and historian. Now with élan and erudition—and winning enthusiasm—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., gives us a corrective yet loving homage to Rogers’s work. Relying on the latest scholarship, Gates leads us on a romp through African American history and gossip in question and answer format: Who was the first African American? What was the second Middle Passage? Did black people own slaves? Why was cotton king? Who was the first black president in North America? How much African ancestry does the average African American have? Who really invented “the talented tenth”? What were the biggest acts of betrayal within the enslaved community? Who was the first black American woman to be a self-made millionaire? For 100 questions, 100 answers, intended to shine light on the sheer complexity and diversity of being African American.
(With black-and-white illustrations throughout.)
Audiobook
First published April 1, 2014
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1248 people want to read
About the author
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
290 books862 followersHenry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr. is a Professor of African and African-American Studies at Harvard University and Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. He is well-known as a literary critic, an editor of literature, and a proponent of black literature and black cultural studies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 17, 2017
A celebration of Black Excellence.
Not just American Black Excellence but Black Excellence the whole world over.
Henry Louis Gates Jr. updates and expands upon the original book 100 Amazing Facts About The Negro with Complete Proof which was first published in 1957 by Joel Augustus Rogers. Giving us a factual and fun romp through the history of Black Excellence.
The excellence that the black race embodies isn't magic. Its hard work mixed with integrity and a firm will to persevere.
Highly Recommended!
Not just American Black Excellence but Black Excellence the whole world over.
Henry Louis Gates Jr. updates and expands upon the original book 100 Amazing Facts About The Negro with Complete Proof which was first published in 1957 by Joel Augustus Rogers. Giving us a factual and fun romp through the history of Black Excellence.
The excellence that the black race embodies isn't magic. Its hard work mixed with integrity and a firm will to persevere.
Highly Recommended!
November 8, 2020
This book is a revisiting and expansion of a book by the journalist and historian of black history, Joel A. Rogers. It is written in a question and answer format so you can't use it to search for a topic in any organized way, and the answers are necessarily brief. However, there are extensive footnotes and many of the answers are interesting enough to warrant deeper exploration. The questions aren't arranged in any particular order. Some examples are: "Who buried the dead from the battle of Gettysburg?, What happened to the 'forty acres and a mule' that former slaves were promised?, Who was the first negro saint?, What was the second Middle Passage?, What happened to Argentina's black population? and Why was the summer of 1964 pivotal in the fight for civil rights."
The book touches on examples of negro history primarily in the United States, but also in other parts of the world, including Europe, Africa and South America. While the book was certainly informative, parts were definitely more interesting to me than others, and it would probably be better to dip into it a little bit at a time rather than reading it cover to cover as I did. I listened to the audio book, but followed along in the ebook so that I could view the illustrations.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The book touches on examples of negro history primarily in the United States, but also in other parts of the world, including Europe, Africa and South America. While the book was certainly informative, parts were definitely more interesting to me than others, and it would probably be better to dip into it a little bit at a time rather than reading it cover to cover as I did. I listened to the audio book, but followed along in the ebook so that I could view the illustrations.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
October 12, 2017
Fascinating!! Did anyone know there was a black man on the Titanic?!
June 5, 2017
When I first saw the title of this book, I was more than slightly horrified. ‘Negro’? Who says that anymore???
You see, I was unfamiliar with the 1934 book by Joel Rogers - and this book is an updated, sharp, and timely homage to that original book. (By the way, I now want to read the original as well.)
In our updated 100 Amazing Facts About The Negro, by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the author brings us 100 fascinating tidbits about blacks and their history in our modern world. Notice I said blacks - not African Americans. While there are plenty of African Americans profiled here, the book also features people from Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, and Africa – all sharing African ancestry and all impacting our world in amazing ways. Aside from specific people, you’ll also learn about exactly how much black blood the average white American may have and how much Native American blood the average African American has. You’ll earn about black saints, politicians, poets, and even a most unusual family who sailed on the Titanic – I never even heard of them before!
As well versed in history as I thought I was, I was astounded to learn of people I’d never before heard of and thoroughly enjoyed testing my family on their knowledge of some of these fascinating facts.
Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in history and culture!
*ARC provided by Net Galley
You see, I was unfamiliar with the 1934 book by Joel Rogers - and this book is an updated, sharp, and timely homage to that original book. (By the way, I now want to read the original as well.)
In our updated 100 Amazing Facts About The Negro, by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the author brings us 100 fascinating tidbits about blacks and their history in our modern world. Notice I said blacks - not African Americans. While there are plenty of African Americans profiled here, the book also features people from Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, and Africa – all sharing African ancestry and all impacting our world in amazing ways. Aside from specific people, you’ll also learn about exactly how much black blood the average white American may have and how much Native American blood the average African American has. You’ll earn about black saints, politicians, poets, and even a most unusual family who sailed on the Titanic – I never even heard of them before!
As well versed in history as I thought I was, I was astounded to learn of people I’d never before heard of and thoroughly enjoyed testing my family on their knowledge of some of these fascinating facts.
Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in history and culture!
*ARC provided by Net Galley
June 21, 2017
Gates Does Rogers Proud
Joel Rogers' 1934 book, "100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof...", was, as you might expect, a wildly idiosyncratic work. Henry Gates has taken the Rogers framework, has updated the "facts", and has added his own engaging, personal stamp to the project.
There is indeed much here to entertain, inform, inspire, and prompt further thought and reading. The tone is conversational rather than academic, and while the book is founded upon deep scholarship it has a very engaging and welcoming style.
The Rogers frame has its benefits but also its challenges. Since the book is set out as answers to 100 interesting questions it is necessarily a bit of a hodge podge, and the topics follow no particular order. Because some of the questions overlap there are a number of facts, events, and important moments that appear several times, in various "answers". What was interesting in 1934 may not seem quite so interesting now, and so topics about black wealthy Russians, or the black ancestry of writers like Alexandre Dumas may not resonate with a modern reader. I would also suspect that there are some academic disagreements and controversies between some of the lines, (say, for example, in the treatment of Malcolm X), but as a general reader that was not especially evident to me.
But these are small matters. The larger and more important point is that Gates has set out a feast for the interested reader. This is, at a minimum, an excellent primer on the historic outlines of slavery in the United States, an interesting treatment of Lincoln and the Civil War, and in a larger sense a proud and wide ranging celebration of both famous and little known black Americans. One can skim, browse, or read carefully and deeply - all three approaches will bring their own rewards. As I say, Gates has done a fine, fine job building upon what Joel Rogers created, and this book has earned that "Amazing" title.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
Joel Rogers' 1934 book, "100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof...", was, as you might expect, a wildly idiosyncratic work. Henry Gates has taken the Rogers framework, has updated the "facts", and has added his own engaging, personal stamp to the project.
There is indeed much here to entertain, inform, inspire, and prompt further thought and reading. The tone is conversational rather than academic, and while the book is founded upon deep scholarship it has a very engaging and welcoming style.
The Rogers frame has its benefits but also its challenges. Since the book is set out as answers to 100 interesting questions it is necessarily a bit of a hodge podge, and the topics follow no particular order. Because some of the questions overlap there are a number of facts, events, and important moments that appear several times, in various "answers". What was interesting in 1934 may not seem quite so interesting now, and so topics about black wealthy Russians, or the black ancestry of writers like Alexandre Dumas may not resonate with a modern reader. I would also suspect that there are some academic disagreements and controversies between some of the lines, (say, for example, in the treatment of Malcolm X), but as a general reader that was not especially evident to me.
But these are small matters. The larger and more important point is that Gates has set out a feast for the interested reader. This is, at a minimum, an excellent primer on the historic outlines of slavery in the United States, an interesting treatment of Lincoln and the Civil War, and in a larger sense a proud and wide ranging celebration of both famous and little known black Americans. One can skim, browse, or read carefully and deeply - all three approaches will bring their own rewards. As I say, Gates has done a fine, fine job building upon what Joel Rogers created, and this book has earned that "Amazing" title.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
June 28, 2021
(Note - I received this as an advanced copy courtesy of NetGalley)
Walking in the footsteps of Joel Roger and his 1934 work “100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof: A Short Cut to the World History of the Negro,” Gates, to put it simply, has crafted an absolutely fantastic work. Loaded from beginning to an end with a dizzying abundance of facts, stories, corrections of the historical record, and statistics that span time from the Roman Empire up to the Modern Era, there are probably very few who will be able to finish this work without having at least a score of brand new doors opened for them into the richness of black history that they’ll want to step into and explore even further (and that’s most likely quite a lowball average estimate when I consider the incredible amount that I was able to personally learn).
With its coverage of a magnificently diverse range of topics, events and figures all organized into a masterfully digestible format, this is not only an eye-opening delight, but I also believe this to be a brand new must-read for any history fan.
Walking in the footsteps of Joel Roger and his 1934 work “100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof: A Short Cut to the World History of the Negro,” Gates, to put it simply, has crafted an absolutely fantastic work. Loaded from beginning to an end with a dizzying abundance of facts, stories, corrections of the historical record, and statistics that span time from the Roman Empire up to the Modern Era, there are probably very few who will be able to finish this work without having at least a score of brand new doors opened for them into the richness of black history that they’ll want to step into and explore even further (and that’s most likely quite a lowball average estimate when I consider the incredible amount that I was able to personally learn).
With its coverage of a magnificently diverse range of topics, events and figures all organized into a masterfully digestible format, this is not only an eye-opening delight, but I also believe this to be a brand new must-read for any history fan.
June 26, 2017
It's a very good book and would be great for a history teacher and/or homeschoolers. I liked learning and exploring the facts and information on the history African Americans. I love the book and will definitely be implementing it into my homeschool history lectures this year. If you're into history and facts of African Americans then this your book.
January 27, 2020
Well, if you're looking for one book to read during Black History Month, you could to a lot worse than this fascinating collection of articles about black history by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
The book took us from Pushkin to Dumas, Argentina to Ethiopia, from Jack Johnson (the first black heavyweight champion) to Saint Maurice (the first black saint.)
It told us about Malcolm X at Oxford, John Brown at Harper's Ferry, and the only black family on the Titanic.
Gates does a fantastic job providing context and research and always fascinating stories.
It's my first 5 star book this year. Y'all should read it.
The book took us from Pushkin to Dumas, Argentina to Ethiopia, from Jack Johnson (the first black heavyweight champion) to Saint Maurice (the first black saint.)
It told us about Malcolm X at Oxford, John Brown at Harper's Ferry, and the only black family on the Titanic.
Gates does a fantastic job providing context and research and always fascinating stories.
It's my first 5 star book this year. Y'all should read it.
March 17, 2018
Close to 500 pages of powerful information regarding the Afro American race and the contributions made to this country. I learned a lot over a few days of reading this book. Being presented by the distinguished and brilliant Henry Louis Gates Jr., no less, was an absolute thrill.
October 18, 2017
A Good Reason for the “Edgy” Title
I think most readers will see this title and ask, “What’s with that title?” Well, I did. The title seems very controversial; why in the world did the author pick that title?
The first thing to know about 100 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THE NEGRO, is that the title was not picked to be some edgy title. It’s not that at all; author Henry Louis Gates is simply updating the classic 1934 book with the same name.
The original book was titled, “100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof: A Short Cut to the World History of the Negro,” and was published by Joel A. Rogers, a “largely self-educated black journalist and historian. “
In reading this book, I found it fun to just leaf through the various questions, and focus on ones that intrigued me. There were many that I could not answer—plus some real surprises. Here’s a few:
Q# 2: “How many Africans were taken to the United States during the entire history of the slave trade?”
I had no idea that most of the slaves went to the Caribbean and South America. The author explains: “Between 1525 and 1866, 12.5 million Africans were shipped to the New World. . . In fact, the overwhelming majority of the African slaves were shipped directly to the Caribbean and South America; Brazil alone received 4.86 million.”
Here’s another:
Q21: “Who was the first African-American fighter pilot?”
It was Eugene Jacques Bullard, who served during World War I.
You get the idea. This book is fun to read and fun to learn new things.
Advance Review Copy courtesy of the publisher.
I think most readers will see this title and ask, “What’s with that title?” Well, I did. The title seems very controversial; why in the world did the author pick that title?
The first thing to know about 100 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THE NEGRO, is that the title was not picked to be some edgy title. It’s not that at all; author Henry Louis Gates is simply updating the classic 1934 book with the same name.
The original book was titled, “100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof: A Short Cut to the World History of the Negro,” and was published by Joel A. Rogers, a “largely self-educated black journalist and historian. “
In reading this book, I found it fun to just leaf through the various questions, and focus on ones that intrigued me. There were many that I could not answer—plus some real surprises. Here’s a few:
Q# 2: “How many Africans were taken to the United States during the entire history of the slave trade?”
I had no idea that most of the slaves went to the Caribbean and South America. The author explains: “Between 1525 and 1866, 12.5 million Africans were shipped to the New World. . . In fact, the overwhelming majority of the African slaves were shipped directly to the Caribbean and South America; Brazil alone received 4.86 million.”
Here’s another:
Q21: “Who was the first African-American fighter pilot?”
It was Eugene Jacques Bullard, who served during World War I.
You get the idea. This book is fun to read and fun to learn new things.
Advance Review Copy courtesy of the publisher.
February 10, 2018
This is a kind of book that I like to read before bed. There is no plot other than the articles about amazing black people and events. You can read a few at a time or you can read several. Each holding your attention. Henry Louis Gates, Jr must have a hard time choosing the content of this book. What to include, what not to include, or what could be in a second book.
Not only is the content interesting but the book itself is a work of art. It's shiny pages, it's wonderful paper, and the photos make this hefty book a joy.
Not only is the content interesting but the book itself is a work of art. It's shiny pages, it's wonderful paper, and the photos make this hefty book a joy.
January 24, 2020
5 stars for content, but 1.5 for organization. This is a collection articles about important figures in, um, Black? negro? African/descendent? History.
*Side note: I admit what caught my attention was the somewhat archaic title. It didn’t seem PC to me, so I was curious who would have signed off on it. From the preface I learned the title comes from an old (1920’s -40’s?) news paper column whose aim was to educate the black American population (then commonly referred to as Negro) about their history. The author of the book is currently the chair of the African American Research Department at Harvard. It has a longer more involved name, but anyway. In other words, while not all will agree with the guys opinions, you can’t say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. *
Anyway. I gather that these were originally presented as blog posts, which would allow for their very scattered focus to be, if not acceptable, at least not a distraction. In book format it meant that there wasn’t much flow. I didn’t feel a lot of pull to keep going because we were literally jumping from 18th century Russian to 20th century New York and back to 17th century Haiti. Because I don’t have much of a scaffold built around the topic yet, it was really hard for me to jump around and figure out where all this information fit into current schema.
All said though, it was worth the read. I mean this in no way disrespectfully, but it would be an excellent bathroom book. That is, one where you could open it at random, read for however long you need to be there and close it again having learned something.
*Side note: I admit what caught my attention was the somewhat archaic title. It didn’t seem PC to me, so I was curious who would have signed off on it. From the preface I learned the title comes from an old (1920’s -40’s?) news paper column whose aim was to educate the black American population (then commonly referred to as Negro) about their history. The author of the book is currently the chair of the African American Research Department at Harvard. It has a longer more involved name, but anyway. In other words, while not all will agree with the guys opinions, you can’t say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. *
Anyway. I gather that these were originally presented as blog posts, which would allow for their very scattered focus to be, if not acceptable, at least not a distraction. In book format it meant that there wasn’t much flow. I didn’t feel a lot of pull to keep going because we were literally jumping from 18th century Russian to 20th century New York and back to 17th century Haiti. Because I don’t have much of a scaffold built around the topic yet, it was really hard for me to jump around and figure out where all this information fit into current schema.
All said though, it was worth the read. I mean this in no way disrespectfully, but it would be an excellent bathroom book. That is, one where you could open it at random, read for however long you need to be there and close it again having learned something.
March 31, 2023
Black history is American history and world history for that matter as provided by the 100 narratives in Gates’ book. Easy to read and much to learn. Highly recommend.
October 13, 2019
Fascinating facts about Africans and their descendants in 100 well-researched, clearly written, and artistically illustrated nutshells.
March 8, 2019
An excellent compendium of stories that all Americans should have grown up knowing.
Stories known but left unwoven into the common fabric of history.
It falls down in readability but then, that wasn’t the point of this work.
Stories known but left unwoven into the common fabric of history.
It falls down in readability but then, that wasn’t the point of this work.
February 9, 2021
Celebrating and honoring Black History month with the incomparable Henry Louis Gates, Jr. His research and knowledge of black history show a lifelong study and devotion, and there is so much we can learn and begin to understand with the works of Professor Gates.
Very highly recommended to all.
Very highly recommended to all.
August 8, 2017
Henry Louis Gates Jr. & team's update and revision to the compendium of Joel Rogers' columns in the Pittsburgh Courier.
The original intention was to provide historical information about the past accomplishments and achievements of black people throughout time. The book provides 100 different stories, many of which feature slavery and its condition, but many others about various historical figures who were of African descent and other important exploits by Africans and African-Americans.
A worthwhile exploration demonstrating that people of African descent have been active in the world and have accomplished many notable achievements throughout history.
**--galley received as part of an early review program
The original intention was to provide historical information about the past accomplishments and achievements of black people throughout time. The book provides 100 different stories, many of which feature slavery and its condition, but many others about various historical figures who were of African descent and other important exploits by Africans and African-Americans.
A worthwhile exploration demonstrating that people of African descent have been active in the world and have accomplished many notable achievements throughout history.
**--galley received as part of an early review program
November 20, 2017
In 1957 "100 Amazing Facts About the Negro With Complete Proof" was considered a black version of Ripley's Believe It or Not. It was written by a black newspaperman named Joel A. Rogers. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., chose a similar title (deliberately retaining "Negro") for an updated and revised version. It can be read from 1 to 100 or it can be dipped into -- the 3- to 5-page entries are randomly arranged (not chronological and not alphabetical). There's lots to learn, from "How did black soldiers come to fight in the American Civil War?" to "What happened to Argentina's black population?" to entries about the slave trade and slavery.
February 27, 2018
When I first saw the title, I was taken aback. I mean, that term hasn't been used since the early 60s. However, seeing Henry Louis Gates' name comforted me, since I have read his other works and trust him very much.
This is an update of a book written in the 1950s, and it is a gem. 100 nuggets of information, written in bite-sized nuggets. I am a living historian who specialises in Black history, and I feel like I know quite a lot about the history, but I've learned things I didn't know.
I highly recommend it!
This is an update of a book written in the 1950s, and it is a gem. 100 nuggets of information, written in bite-sized nuggets. I am a living historian who specialises in Black history, and I feel like I know quite a lot about the history, but I've learned things I didn't know.
I highly recommend it!
Read
July 8, 2020I’m someone who’s always like to absorb information in little bits. Whether it is trivia, daily quotes or other random tidbits, I like to be able to gather factoids and be able to do further research on them as I have time. One way I’ve been able to feed my mental curiosity cabinet this way has been listening to a podcast called “Engines of our Ingenuity”, a podcast that’s 4-5 minutes long and plays on Jazz 88.5 as I head out the door to Shoreview library. This podcast covers how people have used tools and technology to solve a litany of problems over the span of human history. The podcast paints a colorful picture of human endeavor regardless of gender, race, ability, nationality or sexual orientation.
It’s because of this podcast, and my overall thirst for bits of knowledge, that I became excited when I saw a copy of 100 Amazing Facts about the Negro which the Shoreview library had in circulation. Written originally in 1934, and updated by Henry Louis Gates Jr (of the TV genealogy show “Roots” fame) in 2017, this volume consists of 100 little chapters which cover various topics from history, politics, sports, culture, business and more. All of these topics, stories and answered questions pertain to life and culture of African Americans not just from the earliest days of the United States but from Ancient and Medieval times as well. I will say though that I have some trouble in accepting the “Negro” in the title, but perhaps it’s a nod to the historicity of previous publications.
Most of the facts in this book are, indeed, posed as questions such as “Who was the first female African American Millionaire?” or “Who was the richest person to have ever lived?” which seek to answer a specific question. Yet others like “Why should we teach students today about the Civil Rights movement?” and “How are African American women changing the face of the economy?” pose issues that are broader yet are nonetheless important. I think all four of these questions were my favorite of the volume. The two facts about African American women in particular are a testament to creativity in the face of obstacles in making a life for oneself and I always find such stories inspiring!
Overall, this book is an excellent read and I’d highly recommend this book to everyone. It’s fairly easy to pick which of the 100 facts you want to read first and save others for later; the book isn’t organized in chronological order so you don’t have to read it cover to cover (unless you want to). I’m planning on buying this book soon so I can go over it at my own pace and to better absorb its content and possibly research a specific question or issue beyond what 100 Amazing Facts about the Negro has written.
It’s because of this podcast, and my overall thirst for bits of knowledge, that I became excited when I saw a copy of 100 Amazing Facts about the Negro which the Shoreview library had in circulation. Written originally in 1934, and updated by Henry Louis Gates Jr (of the TV genealogy show “Roots” fame) in 2017, this volume consists of 100 little chapters which cover various topics from history, politics, sports, culture, business and more. All of these topics, stories and answered questions pertain to life and culture of African Americans not just from the earliest days of the United States but from Ancient and Medieval times as well. I will say though that I have some trouble in accepting the “Negro” in the title, but perhaps it’s a nod to the historicity of previous publications.
Most of the facts in this book are, indeed, posed as questions such as “Who was the first female African American Millionaire?” or “Who was the richest person to have ever lived?” which seek to answer a specific question. Yet others like “Why should we teach students today about the Civil Rights movement?” and “How are African American women changing the face of the economy?” pose issues that are broader yet are nonetheless important. I think all four of these questions were my favorite of the volume. The two facts about African American women in particular are a testament to creativity in the face of obstacles in making a life for oneself and I always find such stories inspiring!
Overall, this book is an excellent read and I’d highly recommend this book to everyone. It’s fairly easy to pick which of the 100 facts you want to read first and save others for later; the book isn’t organized in chronological order so you don’t have to read it cover to cover (unless you want to). I’m planning on buying this book soon so I can go over it at my own pace and to better absorb its content and possibly research a specific question or issue beyond what 100 Amazing Facts about the Negro has written.
February 15, 2021
100 Amazing Facts About the Negro by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Published April 1, 2014
#bgrtreadingchallenge 2021 ~A book recommended in Black Girls Read TOO
BOOK#91 OF #100𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮
This history and research needs to be told. There were more depressing facts than amazing facts. It was physically painful to read. I thought it would be more uplifting
The first edition of Joel Augustus Rogers’s now legendary 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro with Complete Proof, published in 1934, was billed as “A Negro ‘Believe It or Not.’” Rogers’s little book was priceless because he was delivering enlightenment and pride, steeped in historical research, to a people too long starved on the lie that they were worth nothing. For African Americans of the Jim Crow era, Rogers’s was their first black history teacher. But Rogers was not always shy about embellishing the “facts” and minimizing ambiguity; neither was he above shock journalism now and then.
With élan and erudition—and with winning enthusiasm—Henry Louis Gates, Jr. gives us a corrective yet loving homage to Roger’s work. Relying on the latest scholarship, Gates leads us on a romp through African, diasporic, and African-American history in question-and-answer format. Among the one hundred questions: Who were Africa’s first ambassadors to Europe? Who was the first black president in North America? Did Lincoln really free the slaves? Who was history’s wealthiest person? What percentage of white Americans have recent African ancestry? Why did free black people living in the South before the end of the Civil War stay there? Who was the first black head of state in modern Western history? Where was the first Underground Railroad? Who was the first black American woman to be a self-made millionaire? Which black man made many of our favorite household products better?
Here is a surprising, inspiring, sometimes boldly mischievous—all the while highly instructive and entertaining—compendium of historical curiosities intended to illuminate the sheer complexity and diversity of being “Negro” in the world.
Published April 1, 2014
#bgrtreadingchallenge 2021 ~A book recommended in Black Girls Read TOO
BOOK#91 OF #100𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮
This history and research needs to be told. There were more depressing facts than amazing facts. It was physically painful to read. I thought it would be more uplifting
The first edition of Joel Augustus Rogers’s now legendary 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro with Complete Proof, published in 1934, was billed as “A Negro ‘Believe It or Not.’” Rogers’s little book was priceless because he was delivering enlightenment and pride, steeped in historical research, to a people too long starved on the lie that they were worth nothing. For African Americans of the Jim Crow era, Rogers’s was their first black history teacher. But Rogers was not always shy about embellishing the “facts” and minimizing ambiguity; neither was he above shock journalism now and then.
With élan and erudition—and with winning enthusiasm—Henry Louis Gates, Jr. gives us a corrective yet loving homage to Roger’s work. Relying on the latest scholarship, Gates leads us on a romp through African, diasporic, and African-American history in question-and-answer format. Among the one hundred questions: Who were Africa’s first ambassadors to Europe? Who was the first black president in North America? Did Lincoln really free the slaves? Who was history’s wealthiest person? What percentage of white Americans have recent African ancestry? Why did free black people living in the South before the end of the Civil War stay there? Who was the first black head of state in modern Western history? Where was the first Underground Railroad? Who was the first black American woman to be a self-made millionaire? Which black man made many of our favorite household products better?
Here is a surprising, inspiring, sometimes boldly mischievous—all the while highly instructive and entertaining—compendium of historical curiosities intended to illuminate the sheer complexity and diversity of being “Negro” in the world.
February 26, 2019
100 Amazing Facts About the Negro is a package full of revelations and pride for black people. Especially in this month of black history, in which media tends to not let us forget about Martin Luther King, Jr., and slavery, it's more than a breath of fresh air to be met with anecdotes about what black people have done and experienced outside of the realm of chains and horror.
This book seeks to flesh out the black identity, and to bring color to the black experience in a variety of ways. There are stories of historians and boxers, of Chicago's founder, of mixed-race blacks who held tight to their heritage even as they passed in society, blacks in government, science, and the arts, and so forth. Though some of the facts are familiar, there are many that have been hidden away, and it's a joy to read about little known pieces of history that have escaped the eye of the main public.
As a black American, I was very interested in the facts related to African-Americans. I know very well the struggles faced during the civil rights movement, and the nightmarish details found in retellings of slavery, but I will admit that I can't help but wonder why other stories are not in focus during Black History Month [or any month, for that matter]. Reading 100 Amazing Facts about the Negro is inspiring. Learning about black professionals and academics in the same space as more explicitly racial achievements are wedged in between is proof that we have the ability to multi-task, and to shine brightly even in the fact of immense tragedy.
100 Amazing Facts About the Negro is the book for anyone looking for a splash into the many aspects of the black experience, from diasporic to motherland tales. It's eye-opening, and refreshing, and I feel like it gives a solid foundation for someone wanting to dig into the history of us.
This book seeks to flesh out the black identity, and to bring color to the black experience in a variety of ways. There are stories of historians and boxers, of Chicago's founder, of mixed-race blacks who held tight to their heritage even as they passed in society, blacks in government, science, and the arts, and so forth. Though some of the facts are familiar, there are many that have been hidden away, and it's a joy to read about little known pieces of history that have escaped the eye of the main public.
As a black American, I was very interested in the facts related to African-Americans. I know very well the struggles faced during the civil rights movement, and the nightmarish details found in retellings of slavery, but I will admit that I can't help but wonder why other stories are not in focus during Black History Month [or any month, for that matter]. Reading 100 Amazing Facts about the Negro is inspiring. Learning about black professionals and academics in the same space as more explicitly racial achievements are wedged in between is proof that we have the ability to multi-task, and to shine brightly even in the fact of immense tragedy.
100 Amazing Facts About the Negro is the book for anyone looking for a splash into the many aspects of the black experience, from diasporic to motherland tales. It's eye-opening, and refreshing, and I feel like it gives a solid foundation for someone wanting to dig into the history of us.
June 11, 2024
I wanted to go consult Gates' write-up for Juneteenth in this book just now, only to discover that it was checked out. That made me wonder whether I had rated or reviewed this book. Come to find out I have done neither, so let me correct that.
Most books on Goodreads I don't rate at all, not because I don't think they're good or enjoy them, but because I am stingy and don't like to assign a rating unless I can assign an outright five stars. But first off, Gates is good. Second, his book is interesting. I read the whole thing straight through, which I realized not all of the reviewers cared for, as it is essentially a collection of individual pieces, but I found them all enjoyable/informative. Third, it has lasting merit because I still find myself referring to it and/or referring others to it.
Fourth, I read it as a library book but I actually ended up buying two copies: one for my dad (because he is an 80-year-old white Mississippian who has come a long way but still likes to argue about race matters and make sweeping statements about how supposedly "No one will ever say say/acknowledge X/Y/Z") and one for myself (so that I can argue back with him.) (Yes, my copy is at home right now and I am at the library, or I wouldn't be writing this.) Also I suspected he would like it, because Gates is good and talks about just the kind of stuff my dad likes to kvetch about, so I figured he should find plenty to agree with, in addition to the more "food for thought" grumblers.
Incidentally, he liked the book: he ended up reading the whole thing too.
Most books on Goodreads I don't rate at all, not because I don't think they're good or enjoy them, but because I am stingy and don't like to assign a rating unless I can assign an outright five stars. But first off, Gates is good. Second, his book is interesting. I read the whole thing straight through, which I realized not all of the reviewers cared for, as it is essentially a collection of individual pieces, but I found them all enjoyable/informative. Third, it has lasting merit because I still find myself referring to it and/or referring others to it.
Fourth, I read it as a library book but I actually ended up buying two copies: one for my dad (because he is an 80-year-old white Mississippian who has come a long way but still likes to argue about race matters and make sweeping statements about how supposedly "No one will ever say say/acknowledge X/Y/Z") and one for myself (so that I can argue back with him.) (Yes, my copy is at home right now and I am at the library, or I wouldn't be writing this.) Also I suspected he would like it, because Gates is good and talks about just the kind of stuff my dad likes to kvetch about, so I figured he should find plenty to agree with, in addition to the more "food for thought" grumblers.
Incidentally, he liked the book: he ended up reading the whole thing too.
March 2, 2020
This book had many fascinating stories. Most were new to me, such as the Titanic story. However, some had a lot of details while some stories were rather sketchy. So I feel the book was somewhat uneven. I was familiar with some of the historical figures covered, such as Madame Walker, Condoleeza Rice, and Dido Elizabeth Belle. Other people intrigued me and I would like to know more about them, such as Alexandre Dumas, Alessandro de' Medici, Bass Reeves, and Abram Gannibal. I encourage other readers to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. After visiting that museum, I was inspired to visit Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Maryland. After reading this book, I am much more curious about St. Augustine, Florida, and will visit it soon.
August 6, 2018
The title of this book does not really describe the contents. Yes, I get it that "Amazing Facts About the Negro" was in the mid 20th century a sort of answer to "Ripley's Believe It Or Not." So it's a cute choice, a choice with a motivation, but I still don't think it's a good choice.
The fact that this is printed on heavy glossy paper makes it feel like it's intended as a schoolbook, and I think that's really the best use for it. It's really "100 Little Essays," and I could picture reading and discussing one each day in somebody's fifth period African-American Studies class. (Not in order. I'd recommend skipping around.) They're pretty dry, and trying to read more than one or two at a sitting doesn't really work. But one at a time with accompanying chatter would be all right.
The fact that this is printed on heavy glossy paper makes it feel like it's intended as a schoolbook, and I think that's really the best use for it. It's really "100 Little Essays," and I could picture reading and discussing one each day in somebody's fifth period African-American Studies class. (Not in order. I'd recommend skipping around.) They're pretty dry, and trying to read more than one or two at a sitting doesn't really work. But one at a time with accompanying chatter would be all right.
January 9, 2020
Amazing book! First off, the format was great. I could pick the book at any time and work through 2 to 5 stories a day. As you read each story, you realize that books could be (and have been) written about each story. My "want to read" list has grown significantly as I worked my way through the book.
Second, the stories themselves are surprising, uplifting, heartbreaking, and profound. As I said above, I could only read 2 to 5 stories a day, as I would be overcome with anger that we weren't taught this in school, or heartbroken at the beautiful lives ruined. But there are uplifting stories in this book also! I hope that American history is taught better today than when I was in high school in the 1970s, showing that African American history IS American history.
Second, the stories themselves are surprising, uplifting, heartbreaking, and profound. As I said above, I could only read 2 to 5 stories a day, as I would be overcome with anger that we weren't taught this in school, or heartbroken at the beautiful lives ruined. But there are uplifting stories in this book also! I hope that American history is taught better today than when I was in high school in the 1970s, showing that African American history IS American history.
December 29, 2020
This is an amazing book. I learned a lot that I should have been taught in my American basic education. I enjoyed how each fact features a picture. It is a gorgeous book with high quality glossy paper! There are interesting Pan-African facts, such as how the Medici's and Peter the Great had African relatives, as well as Pushkin and Dumas. Africa's first ambassador was from present day Angola in 1604 sent to Rome. In 1829 Vicente Guerrero the second president of Mexico was the first black president of North America. A chapter on blacks owning slaves, Juneteenth, the founder of Chicago, ... Just so many facts! This book features history, literature, politics...and women and men. I requested the American Embassy in Ouaga to buy it for its library.
February 15, 2018
Wow so much good information. And probably the most beautiful book on my shelf. As much a history of black historians as a book of black history. Feels like a collaborative effort. And much better than any other history of whatever in 100 whatever books I’ve read.
Focuses on the less well know history, and can be read in any order. Some of the chapter titles are goofy and some sections read as a list of names. Led me to many other books I want to read.
Things I learned: More Free blacks in the antebellum south than in the antebellum north. Alexander Dumas is black. The first American ventriloquist was black and performed in white face.
Focuses on the less well know history, and can be read in any order. Some of the chapter titles are goofy and some sections read as a list of names. Led me to many other books I want to read.
Things I learned: More Free blacks in the antebellum south than in the antebellum north. Alexander Dumas is black. The first American ventriloquist was black and performed in white face.
November 29, 2017
The 2017 book "100 Amazing Facts About the Negro" was written by Henry Louis Gates Jr and his support team based (in part) on columns he and his team researched and presented online. Gates' undergraduate degree is from Yale and his doctorate is from Columbia University. He hosts a PBS series about discovering our ancestry roots and he is currently a professor and research director at Harvard. The Amazing Fact book is well referenced, and inspirational. I learned so much from him about my world and life values -- Thank you Henry Gates Jr.
(L/P)
(L/P)
June 30, 2020
An updated and expanded version of Joel Rogers' 1957 book by the same title. Some of this I knew and some was entirely new to me. Mexico had a Black president 180 years before the U.S. did; what’s myth and what’s documented fact about Harriet Tubman; a bit about Black saints; what has been learned about the roots of the U.S. population through the use of DNA testing and what the limits are to what it can tell us.
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