Lift Every Voice: A Celebration of Black Lives

by Nikole Hannah-Jones (Introduction), Oprah Winfrey (Foreword)

More than 50 elders share their remarkable experiences of being Black in America in a collection of powerful photographs and interviews


For so long, too many stories that reveal what it means and feels like to be Black in America have been overlooked outside Black communities. After these long years of racial reckonings and nascent awakenings, Lift Every Voice presents interviews with the oldest generation of Black Americans about their lives, their experiences, and the wisdom that can carry all of us to a better future. The 54 fascinating individuals—civil rights activists, hometown heroes, celebrities, and many others—include:

• Andre de Shields, an actor, director, and choreographer who discusses the essential values and lessons his parents taught him
• Clarice Freeman, an educator and community leader in Houston, Texas who speaks about how to live a long and fulfilling life
• Fred Gray, a civil rights lawyer who represented Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin, also featured in the book, against disorderly conduct charges for their refusal to give up their bus seats to white passengers
• Patti LaBelle a singer/songwriter who shares her thoughts on aging and her career as an internationally celebrated powerhouse singer
• Faye Wattleton, a reproductive rights activist and the first African American and youngest president of Planned Parenthood who recounts her experience as a nurse and midwife in the 1960s

The insightful interviews were conducted by a brilliant team, many of whom are rising Black journalists from historically Black colleges and universities, and the portraits were shot by a talented group of next generation Black photographers. Lift Every Voice is named after the James Weldon Johnson poem and hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which is often referred to as the "Black national anthem."

Lift Every Voice is both a testament to the strength of the elders’ stories and a triumphant beginning for a new generation of Black journalists and photographers

Genres: Nonfiction, African American, History

256 pages, Hardcover

Published April 26, 2022

About the author

Nikole Hannah-Jones is an American investigative journalist known for her coverage of civil rights in the United States. In April 2015, she became a staff writer for The New York Times.

Reviews

[Graydon Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is an inherent value in listening to people’s stories, and this is a wonderful collection of Black elders in different areas of American society. This is an important book because it captures history. We shouldn’t take it for granted!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

These types of books are always subjective, but I feel like there is a good selection of people representing the areas of Perseverance, Creativity, Strength, Innovation, Inspiration, and Eloquence, and while some of the people included are familiarly famous, most are not. It was a joy to read their stories.

For each person, there is a color photograph of them, what they are known for, where they live, who interviewed them, who took their photo, an introduction about them, an interview with them, a quote by the person, and 2-3 additional photographs.

At the end of the book are thumbnail photos of the interviewers along with a thumbnail sketch about who they are. There is a similar list for the photographers for this project.

[Will Plunkett · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a regular viewer of the Henry Louis Gates, Jr. PBS program Finding Your Roots, this book seems to follow that pattern; however, the featured individuals are more locally-notable than nationally or internationally. That makes it more real, and them more approachable. The ambit of categories: publishing, social and governmental work, athletics, arts and photography, education, law; all of these fit a phrase that some of the interviewees mentioned: "what do you want to be when you grow up?" What ties each of them together is the time period in which they've lived (important to note: at the time of publication, all are still alive, and all are at least in their 70s with some over 100 years of age) and how society changed over then.

[Cheryl Spangler · Rating 4 out of 5]

An anthology of voices...many from elders and from a wide variety of backgrounds. I liked that the photos and interviews were done by a wide variety of young professionals and students. How would you respond when asked about what has been unique or interesting in your life? How have you impacted others? What do you think is important for young people going forward to have a good life? How do you define what is a good life? I especially liked hearing from the gal who was 110 at the time of her interview. Think about the things she has witnessed!

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Jennings 🩷