Book: Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans

Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans, Black History Book Spotlight

Listen to co-author Roland Laird introduce the book:

Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans (Young Adult Readers) by Roland Laird (Author), Taneshia Nash Laird (Author), Charles Johnson (Foreword), Elihu "Adofo" Bey (Illustrator)

"As a contribution to illustrated history from a black point of view," writes acclaimed foreword author Charles Johnson, "Still I Rise is a unique achievement, one that will be valued — like Art Spiegelman’s Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. . . by students, educators, collectors, and general readers for a long time to come."

Newly available in an updated edition, the compelling and irreverent graphic history that recounts the entire scope of the African-American experience, now concludes with Barack Obama’s groundbreaking 2008 presidential candidacy.

Still I Rise traces the epic struggles and victories of African-Americans in the face of racist obstacles and unfathomable hardships. It follows the rise of slavery; the Nat Turner Rebellion; military contributions of African Americans; the birth of modern integration; Freedom Summer; the emergence of Black Power; the Million Man March; and Hurricane Katrina. Cultural milestones are also found here, from the Harlem Renaissance and the Invisible Man to heritage festivals and artists who illuminate the complexity of African American life.

Heroic notables and visionaries are introduced: Frederick Douglass; Sojourner Truth; Madame C. J. Walker; Ida B. Wells; Malcolm X; Martin Luther King Jr.; and many more. Lesser-known luminaries are also featured, including Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black Studies, and Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, who campaigned for restitution from modern companies that played a direct role in slave trade.

The insightful text is sometimes acerbic, other times perceptively humorous, and always powerfully honest. The authors’ first-rate scholarship is supplemented with a healthy dose of attitude, and Bey’s illustrations are both energetic and uncompromising.

Taking its title from a Maya Angelou poem, Still I Rise is a moving and inspirational account of the rich history of African Americans. Purchase your copy today.

Meet the Authors
Noted African-American entrepreneur Roland Laird is co-founder of Posro Media, a Trenton, New Jersey-based company that produced the comic book series MC Squared: A Man With a Serious Game Plan and the syndicated comic strip The Griots. The company has worked and continues to develop a number of animated and documentary projects for film and television.

Taneshia Nash Laird, co-founder of Posro Media, is a recognized urban revitalization expert. In 2006, the Network Journal magazine honored her as one of "Forty Under 40" for her achievements in business and outstanding community service. Two years later, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine appointed Nash Laird to the Urban Enterprise Zone Authority.

Elihu "Adofo" Bey is a freelance commercial and comic-book artist based in Atlanta. In addition to drawing The Griots strip and the debut issue of MC Squared, Bey has illustrated album covers and CD booklets for top-selling recording artists.

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