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From My People: 400 Years of African American Folklore: An Anthology
"What an astonishingly rich collection of African American folklore Dance has produced! A major contribution to African American scholarship."―Henry Louis Gates, Jr. A magnificent celebration of―and an essential introduction to―African American life and culture. Folklore displays the heart and soul of a people. African American folklore not only hands down traditions and wisdom through the generations but also tells the history of a people banned from writing and reading during slavery. In this anthology, Daryl Cumber Dance collects a wealth of tales that have survived and been adapted over the years, many featuring characters (like Brer' Rabbit) from African culture. She leaves no genre of folklore out, including everything from proverbs and recipes to folk songs and rumor. There is a section on the unique style that African Americans have consciously fashioned, including works by and about Paul Laurence Dunbar, Zora Neale Hurston, and Jelly Roll Morton. Within the chapter on folk art, which includes a sixteen-page color insert, quilts, dolls, sculpture, and painting get their due. From the famous to the anonymous, From My People is Dance's gift back to her culture. A Booklist Top Ten African American Nonfiction Book of the Year. Nominated for the Library of Virginia Literary Award. 82 illustrations
784 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 1, 2021
"From My People" is an anthology divided into thirteen chapters which takes the readers on a 400 year journey of African American folklore ranging from to slavery times to 2000.Each of the chapters begins with a introduction providing context on the overall chapter followed by stories and other literacy artifacts from various time periods.
The book begins with an introduction by the book's editor in which she provides context for the way in which the book's content is presented as well as state the goal of the anthology is collect, preserve, and respect the integrity of the folk text. Chapter one focuses on folktales and discusses how African Americans uses folktales as a way to convey experiences including slavery, racism, and supernatural encounters. Chapter two focuses on folk music and includes songs lyrics for spirituals, blues, ballads, zydeco, and rap. Chapter three focuses on the style of soul and discusses African American unique style of fashion, and physical aura. Chapter four focuses on folk arts and crafts and showcases carvings, sculptures, pottery, dolls, musical instruments, and graffiti. Chapter five focuses on sermon and other speeches and presents speeches by Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Zora Neale Hurston, and Martin Luther King Jr.
Chapter six focuses on. Chapter seven focuses on soul food and provides recipes by the author as well as the author's friends and family members. Chapter eight focuses on proverbs, aphorisms, and other memorable sayings. Chapter nine focuses on folk rhymes, work songs, and shouts. Chapter ten focuses on riddles, verbal tests, and contents. Chapter eleven focuses on superstitions and other folk beliefs. Chapter twelve focuses on rumors that have circulated via printed books, printed fliers, and email. Chapter thirteen focuses on the role of technology in spreading modern day folktales as well as amusing stories which have been shared primarily through email or through photocopies sent to the author.
I really enjoyed this book due to the variety of types of literature represented including folktales, short stories, riddles, and songs lyrics. In addition, the author does a wonderful job of providing visual representations of African American creativity by showing artwork as well as examples of hairstyles and clothing. Although this book is massive at 736 pages, 700 of those pages are designated to African American folklore while the remaining 36 pages contains a list of audiovisual resources, a bibliography, a list of book credits, and a index.
The book begins with an introduction by the book's editor in which she provides context for the way in which the book's content is presented as well as state the goal of the anthology is collect, preserve, and respect the integrity of the folk text. Chapter one focuses on folktales and discusses how African Americans uses folktales as a way to convey experiences including slavery, racism, and supernatural encounters. Chapter two focuses on folk music and includes songs lyrics for spirituals, blues, ballads, zydeco, and rap. Chapter three focuses on the style of soul and discusses African American unique style of fashion, and physical aura. Chapter four focuses on folk arts and crafts and showcases carvings, sculptures, pottery, dolls, musical instruments, and graffiti. Chapter five focuses on sermon and other speeches and presents speeches by Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Zora Neale Hurston, and Martin Luther King Jr.
Chapter six focuses on. Chapter seven focuses on soul food and provides recipes by the author as well as the author's friends and family members. Chapter eight focuses on proverbs, aphorisms, and other memorable sayings. Chapter nine focuses on folk rhymes, work songs, and shouts. Chapter ten focuses on riddles, verbal tests, and contents. Chapter eleven focuses on superstitions and other folk beliefs. Chapter twelve focuses on rumors that have circulated via printed books, printed fliers, and email. Chapter thirteen focuses on the role of technology in spreading modern day folktales as well as amusing stories which have been shared primarily through email or through photocopies sent to the author.
I really enjoyed this book due to the variety of types of literature represented including folktales, short stories, riddles, and songs lyrics. In addition, the author does a wonderful job of providing visual representations of African American creativity by showing artwork as well as examples of hairstyles and clothing. Although this book is massive at 736 pages, 700 of those pages are designated to African American folklore while the remaining 36 pages contains a list of audiovisual resources, a bibliography, a list of book credits, and a index.
June 16, 2017
A better subtitle: An Anthology of African American Culture.
I purchased From My People out of a desire to deepen my understanding of African American folk tales and oral tradition. Having bought a used copy online, I was surprised to flip to the table of contents and discover a whole section on recipes. And another whole section on chain emails circa 2000.
Look, I get it: in a technical sense, folklore does encompass these things. But I don’t think that’s how the term ‘folklore’ is largely used these days, and whoever selected the subtitle did the book a disservice. The folk tale section is relatively short, which disappointed me, but I also think the subtitle might not appeal to those who would enjoy the broad scope of the book.
It’s a decent anthology. Four hundred years is a stretch (most of the book comes from the last 150 / 200 years, with an emphasis on the twentieth century). That’s understandable as you can’t go back and interview a slave in 1760, and unfortunately, not many people were interviewing eighteenth-century slaves about their lives. Again, though, deciding to include that detail in the subtitle is to the book’s detriment.
The decision to not always note when an interview was conducted or when a piece was published, however, is perhaps the biggest annoyance. There’s a huge difference when someone is relaying a story from their childhood when they’re telling that story at the age of 17 versus 70.
Having said all of that, it’s a decent survey of African American culture, although more as a reference than to read in its entirety. Recommended.
I purchased From My People out of a desire to deepen my understanding of African American folk tales and oral tradition. Having bought a used copy online, I was surprised to flip to the table of contents and discover a whole section on recipes. And another whole section on chain emails circa 2000.
Look, I get it: in a technical sense, folklore does encompass these things. But I don’t think that’s how the term ‘folklore’ is largely used these days, and whoever selected the subtitle did the book a disservice. The folk tale section is relatively short, which disappointed me, but I also think the subtitle might not appeal to those who would enjoy the broad scope of the book.
It’s a decent anthology. Four hundred years is a stretch (most of the book comes from the last 150 / 200 years, with an emphasis on the twentieth century). That’s understandable as you can’t go back and interview a slave in 1760, and unfortunately, not many people were interviewing eighteenth-century slaves about their lives. Again, though, deciding to include that detail in the subtitle is to the book’s detriment.
The decision to not always note when an interview was conducted or when a piece was published, however, is perhaps the biggest annoyance. There’s a huge difference when someone is relaying a story from their childhood when they’re telling that story at the age of 17 versus 70.
Having said all of that, it’s a decent survey of African American culture, although more as a reference than to read in its entirety. Recommended.
March 5, 2016
From my People is packed with a variety of stories, poems, pictures, and even human of African-American folklore. It is not a book that can be picked up and read cover to cover. Daryl Cumber Dance did an incredible job compiling such a complete collection. This book clearly shows that she has a passion for making sure these stories continue.
As with any book that has such a range of styles, it is hard to rate. Some of the stories were incredible, some stories were thought-provoking, and some just seem to ramble on. I even found some stories that just made me smile.
I would recommend this book only as a reference. It would be a good place if someone was looking for something about a specific topic. Then it would be great to refer to a related tale, joke, or even picture. Other than that, it can be tedious. Still, I can't imaging how difficult it was to compile this collection and for that the author deserves kudos.
As with any book that has such a range of styles, it is hard to rate. Some of the stories were incredible, some stories were thought-provoking, and some just seem to ramble on. I even found some stories that just made me smile.
I would recommend this book only as a reference. It would be a good place if someone was looking for something about a specific topic. Then it would be great to refer to a related tale, joke, or even picture. Other than that, it can be tedious. Still, I can't imaging how difficult it was to compile this collection and for that the author deserves kudos.
July 30, 2012
Very good and broad anthology - the examples are great. Some of the later chapters seems like a stretch, but I really enjoyed what Cumber Dance put together here.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews