Post Black: How a New Generation Is Redefining African American Identity

by Ytasha L. Womack, Derek T. Dingle (Foreword)

As a young journalist covering black life at large, author Ytasha L. Womack was caught unaware when she found herself straddling black culture’s rarely acknowledged generation gaps and cultural divides. Traditional images show blacks unified culturally, politically, and socially, united by race at venues such as churches and community meetings. But in the “post black” era, even though individuals define themselves first as black, they do not necessarily define themselves by tradition as much as by personal interests, points of view, and lifestyle.

 

In Post Black: How a New Generation Is Redefining African American Identity, Womack takes a fresh look at dynamics shaping the lives of contemporary African Americans. Although grateful to generations that have paved the way, many cannot relate to the rhetoric of pundits who speak as ambassadors of black life any more than they see themselves in exaggerated hip-hop images. Combining interviews, opinions of experts, and extensive research, Post Black will open the eyes of some, validate the lives of others, and provide a realistic picture of the expanding community.

Genres: Nonfiction, Race, Criticism

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Ytasha L. Womack is an award-winning filmmaker/author/journalist and choreographer. She is author/creator of the popfuturist/afrofuturist novel 2212:Book of Rayla, first of the groundbreaking Rayla 2212 series. Her other books include the critically acclaimed Post Black: How a New Generation is Redefining African American Identity, a popular cultural studies text universities across the US, and her most recent work Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci Fi and Fantasy Culture. She also co-edited the anthology Beats, Rhymes and Life: What We Love and Hate About Hip Hop.

A Chicago native, her film projects include The Engagement (director) and Love Shorts (producer/writer). A social media and pop culture expert, she frequently consults and guest lectures for corporations and universities across the world. She received her B.A in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University and studied Arts, Entertainment and Media Management at Columbia College in Chicago.

- summarised from http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/bio/wo...

She can be found at:

http://www.iafrofuturism.com/

https://www.facebook.com/iafrofuturism

http://postblackexperience.com/

http://www.postblackthebook.blogspot....

Reviews

[Paul, · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book in general, and it was a great book for me personally. It clued me in to some of the discussions and issues inside of the black community. For example, I knew nothing about the conflict between modern African immigrants and the descendants of African slaves. It also showed me that the black community is facing exactly the same issues that globalization and education differential are forcing on everybody. Even though M(r)s. Womack is writing from the black perspective, many (if not most) of the issues are global. The social complexities are not much different for the rural family in India, the black family in the Chicago projects, or the children of white, middle class ranchers in West Texas. When the younger generation goes off to college, they make new friends, get new kinds of jobs, and they just don't fit where they came from. They have changed. And it makes everyone confused. It's a tough situation and it's happening everywhere that children are making a better life for themselves than their parents were able to. Many cultures are dealing with the spirituality over religion phenomena, identity in an era of mixed heritage, etc. So I see this book as a great case study in the global changes happening in our world today, and I am glad to hear a lot of the hope in the voices of a people group that were treated so very poorly.

[Sahar Find Me On Story Graph · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the world becomes smaller, be it with the help of intercontinental traveling or the Internet, it is becoming more and more evident that an easily definable identity is a thing of the past. If music is a good reflection of an individual’s identity, the increasing number of crossover musical genres testifies to this coming together of various identities. My personal list of MP3s can testify to the complexity of my own identity: I have Chinese and South American music, Japanese and Indian, as well as many African and European songs – all on top of the typical North American play list you would expect someone who listens to Top 40 to have.

If you’re not convinced, take a closer look at your own play list. I’m sure that it’s a lot more multicultural than you think it is!

Going hand in hand with this increasing complexity in an ever-shrinking world is that of new possibilities, some of which were unimaginable a mere 50 years ago. One such possibility recently achieved is the election of the first African-American president of the United States. Not only was it a historical moment, but it has generated countless important conversations about race around the world.

Ytasha L. Womack’s Post Black: How a New Generation is redefining African American Identity is an engaging reflection on the topic of the African-American identity in the 21st century and can serve as a great foundation to continue these conversations. This reflection will of course engage African-Americans, but also Americans in general, as well as any individual interested in the evolution of racism and its effect on the identity of a people, be they African-American or other.

And unfortunately, there is a lot of that going on in the world.

Understanding that the current definition of one identity fitting all African-Americans (the obsolete ‘one size fits all’ approach) is an important part of both abovementioned problems; by examining some of the diversity within the African-American community, Mrs. Womack is helping to shatter, once and for all, the minimising stereotype of the African-American individual’s identity. She explores some of the diversity within the African-American community firsthand, interviewing young black professionals, African and Caribbean immigrants, Alternative Christians and non-Christians, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders, biracial and multiracial Americans and community-based artists.

Nowhere does the author claim that her book is anything but a reflection; it does not offer solutions to either the African-American identity crisis nor to the unfortunately still-present problems related to racism. Be it as it may, a re-examination of the various assumptions about African-American identity being at the heart of this book, it cannot but help further our understanding on the topic, which will definitely help in both defining this identity as well as dealing with racism. It’s not the solution, but it can definitely be part of it.

Mrs. Womack holds the reflection about the African-American identity crisis on two levels. The first level is that of the African-American identity as opposed to other identities. The second level is that of the African-American identity within its own community, as the self-defined identity of African-American baby boomers versus that of Generation Xers and Millennials differ greatly but is only starting to be seriously addressed.

But don’t think that the heavy nature of the topic makes for tedious reading. Womack’s voice is really that of a personal yet serious conversation on the various topics she covers. She shares her personal experience with issues of race, that of her family and friends, and adds them to the results of numerous interviews she held while writing this book. The result is as easy to read as the topic is heavy, a rare combination that makes for a great addition to any bookshelf.

Just like with any other book on the subject, Post Black: How a New Generation is redefining African American Identity isn’t going to answer questions regarding identity and racism. At the very least, it helps contribute to their resolution by continuing an open, honest and respectful conversation on said topics, a conversation that doesn’t shy away from delving into difficult places. This book belongs in the collection of anyone concerned with the still-present racism in America.

(First published on Blogcritics and http://saharsreviews.wordpress.com)

[Fenesha Hubbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defining blackness as it is perceived worldwide is no easy task. Post Black narrows the focus to the USA, helping you 'sift through the muck of stereotypes lining our paths to discover our individual identity.' (Womack, 96) This book takes Gen Xers down memory lane and maybe even to an open mic to pontificate on the topics mentioned. Gen Yers may find reason to argue some points in order to defend themselves. Gen Z will probably reference Post Black in a high school Afro History course. Baby boomers and those before them may read it with a critical eye because Womack covers everything from the (too) personal to the political. She selected topics considered critical to black identity and remained unbiased for most of the text. I wonder how much more in depth Womack could have gone if she answered the cliff hanger questions posed throughout the book. Overall, the book is well put together. She writes like a journalist-- with substance and structure. I can't wait to read Afrofuturism!

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course, I loved this book. Womack says in non-fiction exactly what I attempt to say in my novel, Koontown Killing Kaper.

[Georgie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book after reading Negroland, a Memoir by Margo Jefferson. Both perspectives grew my learning, opened my eyes to a lot of ignorance I've held and increased my respect for experiences I will never have. Thanks. I REALLY LIKED this book.

[APRIL KENNEDY]

Different view from my generation.