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A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories

By Bettye Collier-Thomas

By Bettye Collier-Thomas

By Bettye Collier-Thomas

By Bettye Collier-Thomas

Best Seller
Hardcover $19.95

Oct 09, 2018 | ISBN 9780807027837

Ebook $9.99

Oct 09, 2018 | ISBN 9780807027936

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    A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories by Bettye Collier-Thomas
    Hardcover $19.95
    Oct 09, 2018 | ISBN 9780807027837

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    • $19.95

      Oct 09, 2018 | ISBN 9780807027837

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    • Oct 09, 2018 | ISBN 9780807027936

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy the Ebook:

    About A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories

    An Esquire “Best Christmas Book to Read During the Holidays”

    A collection of Christmas stories written by African-American journalists, activists, and writers from the late 19th century to the modern civil rights movement.

    Back in print for the first time in over a decade, this landmark collection features writings from well-known black writers, activists, and visionaries such as Pauline Hopkins, Langston Hughes, and John Henrik Clarke along with literary gems from rediscovered writers. Originally published in African American newspapers, periodicals, and journals between 1880 and 1953, these enchanting Christmas tales are part of the black literary tradition that flourished after the Civil War.

    Edited and assembled by esteemed historian Dr. Bettye Collier-Thomas, the short stories and poems in this collection reflect the Christmas experiences of everyday African Americans and explore familial and romantic love, faith, and more serious topics such as racism, violence, poverty, and racial identity. Featuring the best stories and poems from previous editions along with new material including “The Sermon in the Cradle” by W. E. B. Du Bois, A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories celebrates a rich storytelling tradition and will be cherished by readers for years to come.

    About A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories

    An Esquire “Best Christmas Book to Read During the Holidays”

    An anthology of 22 Christmas stories written by African American journalists, activists, and writers from the late 19th century to the modern civil rights movement

    Originally published in African American newspapers, periodicals, and journals between 1880 and 1953, these Christmas stories are part of the black literary tradition that flourished after the Civil War.

    Edited and assembled by esteemed historian Dr. Bettye Collier-Thomas, this enchanting collection of Christmas tales is back in print for the first time in over a decade. These stories and poems reflect the Christmas experiences of everyday African Americans and explore familial and romantic love, faith, and more serious topics such as racism, violence, poverty, and racial identity.

    Featuring the best stories and poems from previous editions along with new material:

    • “The Sermon in the Cradle” by W.E.B. Du Bois
    • “A Carol of Color” by Mary Jenness
    • “The Christmas Reunion Down at Martinsville” by Augustus M. Hodges
    • “The Children’s Christmas” by Alice Moore Dunbar
    • “Christmas Eve Story” by Fanny Jackson Coppin
    • “Mollie’s Best Christmas Gift” by Mary E. Lee
    • “A Christmas Story” by Carrie Jane Thomas
    • “Fannie May’s Christmas” by Katherine Davis Tillman
    • “Elsie’s Christmas” by Salem Tutt Whitney
    • “General Washington: A Christmas Story” by Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins
    • “The Autobiography of a Dollar Bill” by Lelia Plummer
    • “Mirama’s Christmas Test” by Timothy Thomas Fortune
    • “A Christmas Party That Prevented a Split in the Church” by Margaret Black
    • “Three Men and a Woman” by Augustus M. Hodges
    • “It Came to Pass: A Christmas Story” by Bruce L. Reynolds
    • “A Christmas Journey” by Louis Lorenzo Redding
    • “Uncle U.S. Santa Claus” by James Conway Jackson
    • “The Devil Spends Christmas Eve in Dixie” by Andrew Dobson
    • “One Christmas Eve” by Langston Hughes
    • “Santa Claus is a White Man” by John Henrik Clarke
    • “Merry Christmas Eve” by Adele Hamlin
    • “White Christmas” by Valena Minor Williams

    A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories celebrates a rich storytelling tradition and will be cherished by readers for years to come.

    Product Details

    Category: Spiritual Fiction | Historical Fiction

    Hardcover | $19.95
    Published by Beacon Press
    Oct 09, 2018 | 248 Pages | 5-1/2 x 7-1/4 | ISBN 9780807027837

    Category: Spiritual Fiction

    Ebook | $9.99
    Published by Beacon Press
    Oct 09, 2018 | 248 Pages | ISBN 9780807027936

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    Praise

    “If you’re lured in by writers you know and love, like Langston Hughes and W .E. B. Du Bois, go ahead and get comfortable, because you’re bound to discover so many more.”
    —Esquire

    “One of the greatest Christmas gifts ever was the one given on Christmas Day: to bid us free to become better human beings. There will be for quite some time the question of how well we have used that gift. Some have used it to keep others down; some have used it as an excuse for plunder and mayhem; some have used it as a basis for love and forgiveness. A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories gives us all the gift of engaging our hearts and minds in the true stories of Christmas.”
    —Nikki Giovanni

    “I remember when I first picked up Bettye Collier-Thomas’s lovely collection of African American Christmas stories over two decades ago. My daughter was seven at the time and the book was like a dream come true. Here was a veritable who’s who of Black writers, whose powerful stories and poems ran the gamut of literary expressions—from the tragic to the comic, fables to romance. A book for all seasons, these stories are bound to amuse, educate, and inspire all kids, from one to ninety-two.”
    —Robin D. G. Kelley, author of Freedom Dreams

    Table Of Contents

    Note to Readers

    Introduction

    The Sermon in the Cradle
    W. E. B. Du Bois

    A Carol of Color
    Mary Jenness

    The Christmas Reunion Down at Martinsville
    Augustus M. Hodges

    The Children’s Christmas
    Alice Ruth Moore Dunbar

    Christmas Eve Story
    Fanny Jackson Coppin

    Mollie’s Best Christmas Gift
    Mary E. Lee

    A Christmas Story
    Carrie Jane Thomas

    Fannie May’s Christmas
    Katherine Davis Tillman

    Elsie’s Christmas
    Salem Tutt Whitney

    General Washington: A Christmas Story
    Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins

    The Autobiography of a Dollar Bill
    Lelia Plummer

    Mirama’s Christmas Test
    Timothy Thomas Fortune

    A Christmas Party That Prevented a Split in the Church
    Margaret Black

    Three Men and a Woman
    Augustus M. Hodges

    It Came to Pass: A Christmas Story
    Bruce L. Reynolds

    A Christmas Journey
    Louis Lorenzo Redding

    Uncle U.S. Santa Claus
    James Conway Jackson

    The Devil Spends Christmas Eve in Dixie
    Andrew Dobson

    One Christmas Eve
    Langston Hughes

    Santa Claus Is a White Man
    John Henrik Clarke

    Merry Christmas Eve
    Adele Hamlin

    White Christmas
    Valena Minor Williams

    Sources

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