Let Nobody Turn Us Around

This anthology of black writers traces the evolution of African-American perspectives throughout American history, from the early years of slavery to the end of the twentieth century. The essays, manifestos, interviews, and documents assembled here, contextualized with critical commentaries from Marable and Mullings, introduce the reader to the character and important controversies of each period of black history. The selections represent a broad spectrum of ideology. Conservative, radical, nationalistic, and integrationist approaches can be found in almost every period, yet there have been striking shifts in the evolution of social thought and activism. The editors judiciously illustrate how both continuity and change affected the African-American community in terms of its internal divisions, class structure, migration, social problems, leadership, and protest movements. They also show how gender, spirituality, literature, music, and connections to Africa and the Caribbean played a prominent role in black life and history.

“This is a fantastic book and wonderful resource for students and instructors. Well done!”

Praise for the first edition: No other anthology so fully incorporates views from African American women as well as men, workers as well as intellectuals, and individuals from diverse political perspectives..... -- Johnnetta B. Cole, president emerita of Spelman and Bennett Colleges
Praise for the first edition: A remarkably broad compilation of the signal primary sources through which black people articulated both their always shifting and always various definitions of what, precisely, a black identity is, as well as the most efficacious methods through which to achieve our freedom. Marable and Mullings have produced a work indispensable to the field of African-American Studies.... -- Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard University
Praise for the first edition: Manning Marable and Leith Mullings's text gives us a powerful interpretation and compilation of exemplary voices in the black past and present. Their progressive vision is a breath of fresh air and badly needed in these times.... -- Cornel West, Union Theological Seminary
Praise for the first edition: A readable, comprehensive, fascinating and thick anthology of African American documents that are as gripping as they are informative. Powerful, dramatic, hard to put down, this comprehensive volume of both significant leaders and ordinary people with highly perceptive views, should find a place in many college courses.... Afro Times
Praise for the first edition: There is no comparable volume that can match the comprehensive coverage in this first, single-volume documentary history of black thought. . . . Essential reading..... -- George M. Fredrickson, Stanford University
Praise for the first edition:Manning Marable and Leith Mullings's text gives us a powerful interpretation and compilation of exemplary voices in the black past and present. Their progressive vision is a breath of fresh air and badly needed in these times. -- Cornel West, Union Theological Seminary
Praise for the first edition:No other anthology so fully incorporates views from African American women as well as men, workers as well as intellectuals, and individuals from diverse political perspectives. -- Johnnetta B. Cole, president emerita of Spelman and Bennett Colleges
Praise for the first edition:There is no comparable volume that can match the comprehensive coverage in this first, single-volume documentary history of black thought. . . . Essential reading. -- George M. Fredrickson, Stanford University
Praise for the first edition:A remarkably broad compilation of the signal primary sources through which black people articulated both their always shifting and always various definitions of what, precisely, a black identity is, as well as the most efficacious methods through which to achieve our freedom. Marable and Mullings have produced a work indispensable to the field of African-American Studies. -- Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard University
Praise for the first edition:A readable, comprehensive, fascinating and thick anthology of African American documents that are as gripping as they are informative. Powerful, dramatic, hard to put down, this comprehensive volume of both significant leaders and ordinary people with highly perceptive views, should find a place in many college courses. Afro Times
Praise for the first edition:The editors make the crucial argument that the themes of reform, resistance, and renewal formed the cultural and social matrix of black consciousness, community, and public discourse. They identify the key debates in the black community throughout American history and provide an analytical framework of the major tendencies. They also make a forceful argument for making the issue of gender a central one throughout this important volume. Race Relations Abstracts
Praise for the first edition:It is an excellent work of scholarship and a reference that belongs in the homes of all Black Americans.
Praise for the first edition:Douglas and Malcolm X are joined by lesser-known names in this survey of how individual actions formed into a movement. Oral testimonies, interviews, and essays blend in an important coverage. The Bookwatch
Praise for the first edition:This unique and groundbreaking volume captures the struggle and hope persistent in the movement for social justice. Orlando Times
Praise for the first edition: An essential reference: instructive, evocative, surprising, enraging, painful, depressing—but ultimately exhilarating. Kirkus
-- Julie Lewis, De Anza College

Manning Marable is M. Moran Weston and Black Alumni Professor of African-American Studies and Director of the Center for Contemporary Black History at Columbia University.Leith Mullings is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the Graduate Center, City University of New York.

This anthology of black writers traces the evolution of African-American perspectives throughout American history, from the early years of slavery to the end of the twentieth century. The essays, manifestos, interviews, and documents assembled here, contextualized with critical commentaries from Marable and Mullings, introduce the reader to the character and important controversies of each period of black history. The selections represent a broad spectrum of ideology. Conservative, radical, nationalistic, and integrationist approaches can be found in almost every period, yet there have been striking shifts in the evolution of social thought and activism. The editors judiciously illustrate how both continuity and change affected the African-American community in terms of its internal divisions, class structure, migration, social problems, leadership, and protest movements. They also show how gender, spirituality, literature, music, and connections to Africa and the Caribbean played a prominent role in black life and history.

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