Black Coffee discussion

Forgive me if this is a repost, but I thought we should start a discussion where people could post a subject and group members could offer suggested readings about that subject.

I'll start. :)

I'm looking for books (fiction or non-fiction) on Afro- Germans...more so "Rhineland Bastards", I know it's a derogatory term, but I don't know the PC term. These were Afro-German children of mixed German and African parentage, who were fathered by Africans serving as French colonial troops occupying the Rhineland after World War I and were subjected to forced sterilization under Hilter's rule.

Great idea Lulu! And I hope that you get your answer because I am interested as well!

Destined to Witness: Growing Up Black in Nazi Germany

Lulu I had this book on my TBR list for a while. Im not sure if this is what you had in mind

Also, I think this is a great post to have ladies!

I have been looking for books on slavery in the midwest or blacks migrating to the midwest. I read 2 this year and I was fascinated with that topic. I know a lot of slaves moved to the midwest thinking they would have a better life but they were fooled.

Maya wrote: "Destined to Witness: Growing Up Black in Nazi Germany

Lulu I had this book on my TBR list for a while. Im no..."

Thanks Maya!! I thought I'd seen at least one book on it, but couldn't remember! Thank you.

you're welcome

Lulu wrote: "Forgive me if this is a repost, but I thought we should start a discussion where people could post a subject and group members could offer suggested readings about that subject.

I'll start. :)

I'..."

If you want fiction dealing with an Afro-German musician there's also Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan.

"I know a lot of slaves moved to the midwest thinking they would have a better life but they were fooled. "

It's funny you say that because I was thinking the same thing. How many slave narratives try to reach the goal of going "North" and it's never talked about what happens once they reach it. The book Queen by Alex Haley touches on it a bit though.

Beverly Jenkins has several books about a small town in Kansas founded by free Blacks. My favorite is Something Like Love.

kisha wrote: ""I know a lot of slaves moved to the midwest thinking they would have a better life but they were fooled. "

It's funny you say that because I was thinking the same thing. How many slave narrative..."

yes I read Queen years ago. Classic read!

Andrea wrote: "Beverly Jenkins has several books about a small town in Kansas founded by free Blacks. My favorite is Something Like Love."

Adding to my list! thank you

Maybe you can try Abraham's Well Maya. It was a group read not to long ago.

Lulu wrote: "Maybe you can try Abraham's Well Maya. It was a group read not to long ago."

Got it! Thank you

Shomeret wrote: "Lulu wrote: "Forgive me if this is a repost, but I thought we should start a discussion where people could post a subject and group members could offer suggested readings about that subject.

I'll ..."

Thank you Shomeret!

MsG wrote: "Maya wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Beverly Jenkins has several books about a small town in Kansas founded by free Blacks. My favorite is Something Like Love."

Adding to my list! thank you"..."

Thank you!

I have a book topic request.

I recently realized that there is a hole in my exploration of African American history. Specifically, I have never read about what became of former slaves who escaped on the underground railroad to Canada. So I'm wondering does anyone know of any books by black Canadians who escaped from slavery. Books that tell what life was like in Canada for former slaves. Or books about those descended from former slaves.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Onni wrote: "I have a book topic request.

I recently realized that there is a hole in my exploration of African American history. Specifically, I have never read about what became of former slaves who escaped..."

I'd love to see if anyone can recommend books about this because it's something I'm interested in as well.

I did a search and found a book that is a collection of narratives of African American slaves who escaped to Canada. The Refugee: North Side View of Slavery. Benjamin Drew collected these narratives in 1856. I found the original edition which can be downloaded from archive.org in various formats at https://archive.org/details/anorthsid... . I have to say that I tried reading the Kindle edition and it wasn't very readable.

A few academic libraries have the 1969 Addison-Wesley edition in print format that I linked to on Goodreads above.

Thank you Shomeret. I will take a look at that.

Here are a couple ofother books of African American slaves that escaped to slavery:

I've Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad by Karolyn Smardz Frost

This is interesting as it the escaped slaves were involved in a legal case where Michigan demand the return of the slaves but Canada defended. The couple went on to start the first "taxi" business in Toronto and was a station on the Underground Railroad

Flight to Canada by Ishmael Reed

George And Rue by George Elliott Clarke
The author mainly writes about the slaves that emigrated to Nova Scotia after the Revolution War.
This book is set in the 1930s or so but does deal with some of the history of the original settlement.

Here are a couple of books on slavery in the Midwest or black migrating there.

I agree that Beverly Jenkins has several books set in the Midwest that are historical fiction/romance. But she includes an author's note about the history that a book speaks to and also often lists the books that she used in her research.

In Search of the Racial Frontier: African Americans in the American West, 1528-1990 by Quintard Taylor
This may be to comprehensive for what you are looking for but the bibliography might be helpful

Exodusters: Black Migration to Kansas After Reconstruction by Nell Irvin Painter

African American Women of the Old West by Tricia Martineau Wagner
The author has several books about AA in the midwest

The Black West: A Documentary and Pictoral History of the African American Role in the Westward Expansion of the United States by William Loren Katz
This author also has several books on this topic.

Thanks for posting Beverly! I am always looking for books based in the midwest

I looking for books on african americans and the revolutionary war and also about the reconstruction era.

Beverly wrote: "Here are a couple of books on slavery in the Midwest or black migrating there.

I agree that Beverly Jenkins has several books set in the Midwest that are historical fiction/romance..."

Thanks - this is a wonderful list of resources.

Maya wrote: "Thanks for posting Beverly! I am always looking for books based in the midwest"

You are welcome.
Midwest you say - if I think of any others I will try to remember to post but not necessarily an area that I seek out.

Felicia wrote: "I looking for books on african americans and the revolutionary war and also about the reconstruction era."

Not sure what you are looking for fiction. nonfiction or both.

One of my favorite novels regarding the Reconstruction period is:
Jam on the Vine by LaShonda Katrice Barnett.

Midnight by Beverly Jenkins set in the the Revolutionary period.

Breena Clarke - has written several historical fiction books spanning the periods you are interested in.

Thanks Beverly!!!!!

Jam on the Vine looks interesting. Adding to my list

Felicia wrote: "I looking for books on african americans and the revolutionary war and also about the reconstruction era."

Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II

I've had this one on my list some time now. I read some good reviews. I just need to find time to read it

yea Maya That's on the reading list too.....

Maya wrote: "Felicia wrote: "I looking for books on african americans and the revolutionary war and also about the reconstruction era."

[book:Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from..."

This a must read. It was a 5 star read for me. Well-researched and well-written. The author is a journalist so for a non-fiction book is reads very smoothly - more like a novel but unfortunately was so true.

Thanks Beverly. I hope to read it before the year is out

I wasn't to sure where to place this comment/links but seemed to settle to place .

One of the books that I have been looking forward this year is The Mothers by Brit Bennett which will be released on Oct 11th.

But I am even more curious after this article was in my inbox this morning and then I was lead to the second article.

“In a lot of ways, I was writing in the direction of my fears.” A profile of Brit Bennett.
http://www.vogue.com/13480568/brit-be...

I know that a number of readers here are interested in "slave narratives" so here is the second link which is also authored by Brit Bennett.
Slave narratives have always been popular—and predictable. Can a new generation rewrite the rules?
https://newrepublic.com/article/13570...

I saw Detroit '67 last night and, while I am old enough to remember Watts and other events in that period, I was entirely unaware of 12th street in Detroit and this period of police brutality and unrest. Is anyone aware of good books, fiction or nonfiction focused on late 60s Detroit?

Anybody know any interesting books about Trinidad and Tobago? Maybe even set in Trinidad and Tobago?

Lulu wrote: "Anybody know any interesting books about Trinidad and Tobago? Maybe even set in Trinidad and Tobago?"

Not sure what you are looking for but here are a couple of books that I have read that is set in Trinidad and Tobago:

Mycroft Holmes
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle
Lime Tree Can't Bear Orange
Crick Crack, Monkey
Trinidad Noir

Thanks Beverly!! I'm just looking to learn more about the country.

Lulu, check out VS Naipaul, Earl Lovelace and Lauren Francis-Sharma

Thanks Shannon!

Maya wrote: "I have been looking for books on slavery in the midwest or blacks migrating to the midwest. I read 2 this year and I was fascinated with that topic. I know a lot of slaves moved to the midwest thin..."

I wrote a fictional story on the subject but it isn't publish yet. It called "This Barbed Heart of Mine"