Legendary African Americans
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The Life of Duke Ellington
Giant of Jazz
by Wendie C. Old
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Duke Ellington's brilliance as a jazz composer; bandleader; and pianist has never been equaled. The winner of eleven Grammy Awards, Duke Ellington, achieved success in New York's Cotton Club, wrote musical scores for stage plays, movies, and even composed his own short opera. This book offers a fascinating look at the life and career of a music legend.
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The Life of Carter G. Woodson
Father of African-American History
by Robert F. Durden
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Carter G. Woodson, born just ten years after the Civil War ended, grew up in the lingering shadow of slavery. The son of former slaves, Woodson became the first scholar of African-American history, creating this field of university study. He was also the creator of Negro History Week, which has now grown into Black History Month, celebrated nationwide. The life and career of this pioneering historian are detailed in this book.
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The Life of Louis Armstrong
King of Jazz
by Wendie C. Old
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
"Music has been in my blood from the day I was born," said Louis Armstrong. Author Wendie C. Old weaves a rich, colorful tapestry of the life of this beloved and brilliant musician known to his fans as Satchmo. Louis Armstrong rose from poverty and a troubled childhood to set the music world on fire with his lively trumpet playing and trademark raspy singing voice. With a natural talent for showmanship, Armstrong won fame while touring around the world, and proved to be one of the most extraordinary performers of the Jazz Age and beyond.
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The Life of Frederick Douglass
Speaking Out Against Slavery
by Anne Schraff
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Despite being a slave, Douglass learned to read and write. At age 21, he escaped from slavery and forged a new life for himself as a free man. Intelligent and charismatic, Douglass became the leading voice against slavery in the 1800s. "There is no way a nation can call itself free and accept slavery," said Frederick Douglass. Middle-grade readers and up will respond to Anne Schraff's fresh, lively retelling of Douglass' story.
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The Life of Marian Anderson
Diva and Humanitarian
by Andrea Broadwater
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
At a time in history when many doors were closed to African Americans, Marian Anderson, with the power of her magnificent voice, triumphed over racial barriers. Andrea Broadwater's spirited profile breathes new life into Anderson's inspiring story. During a career that spanned four decades, this quiet, proud woman lifted herself out of poverty and obscurity to become a world-famous singer.
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The Life of Harriet Tubman
Moses of the Underground Railroad
by Anne Schraff
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Sorting myth from truth in this amazing tale of courage and heroism, Anne Schraff breathes new life into the story of the most famous "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. "I grew up like a neglected weed, ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it. Now I've been free, I know what a dreadful condition slavery is." Harriet Tubman ran away from slavery in 1849, walking one hundred miles to freedom in the North. For the next sixteen years, Tubman risked her newfound freedom, and her life, to help about three hundred other slaves escape. During the Civil War, Tubman worked as a nurse and a scout for the Union army, and in her later years, she joined the struggle for the education of her people and for women's rights.
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The Life of Aretha Franklin
Queen of Soul
by Silvia Anne Sheafer
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Author Silvia Anne Sheafer relates the entertaining life and career of this legend of soul music, from her childhood in Detroit, through her struggles with personal heartache and racial prejudice, to her continued success as a major force in the music industry. Crowned the "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin has won fifteen Grammy Awards, and has also received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
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The Life of Zora Neale Hurston
Author and Folklorist
by Della A. Yannuzzi
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
An examination of the life and work of African-American author and storyteller Zora Neale Hurston, who has been recognized for her substantial contribution to American literature and southern African-American folklore. This book discusses her difficult personal life and nomadic existence, and how these struggles impacted her various written works.
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The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Leader for Civil Rights
by Michael A. Schuman
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
"So, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream..." These now famous words were spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the March on Washington in 1963. The many historic milestones of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, life are examined in this informative biography. Examining the civil rights leader's life from his birth in Atlanta, winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the march to Selma, his "I Have a Dream" speech, and his assassination.
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The Life of Arthur Ashe
Smashing the Color Barrier in Tennis
by David K. Wright
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
This is an interesting look at the life and career of this talented tennis legend, Arthur Ashe was the first African-American male ever to play professional tennis, and would go on to win thirty-three tournaments. A teacher, author, and activist, as well as a tennis star, Ashe continued to be politically and socially active until he died of AIDS-related pneumonia.
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The Life of George Washington Carver
Inventor and Scientist
by Barbara Kramer
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
George Washington Carver spent his life asking questions and looking for the answers. He gained a reputation as the farmers' best friend. He taught farmers about crop rotation, which meant instructing them to grow peanuts and sweet potatoes to "rest" their soil between cotton crops. What could they do with all those peanuts? Carver developed more than three hundred peanut-based products including milk and printers' ink. He also invented more than a hundred ways to use sweet potatoes. A section at the back of this book shares some of his recipes. Biographer Barbara Kramer entertainingly educates readers with her narrative about this modern marvel.
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The Life of Paul Robeson
Actor, Singer, Political Activist
by David K. Wright
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Paul Robeson, born 1898, was a two-time All-American football player and a law-school graduate in an era that offered few opportunities for African-Americans. He went on to win international acclaim as a singer and actor, breaking through barriers both on stage and in his life. Author David K. Wright tells the story of an exceptional entertainer who devoted his life to the causes of civil rights and equality. Robeson refused to compromise his integrity or to be told what African-Americans could or could not do. Robeson's career as a singer and actor suffered when the U.S. government accused him of being a communist.
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The Life of W.E.B. Du Bois
Civil Rights Champion
by Mark Rowh
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Author, activist, scholar-outspoken W.E.B. Du Bois was the leading voice for justice and civil rights in the United States in his time. Born soon after the Civil War, Du Bois believed that educated African Americans must lead their people. He used his talent as a writer to advocate for change as he helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), an organization dedicated to social activism. Du Bois was a controversial figure in his time, but his far-reaching efforts and his written legacy have inspired and influenced the generations that followed. Today he is regarded as a pioneer for civil rights and one of the greatest civil rights leaders in history.
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The Life of Paul Laurence Dunbar
Portrait of a Poet
by Catherine Reef
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
"I know why the caged bird sings," wrote Paul Laurence Dunbar in "Sympathy," one of his best-loved poems. Author Catherine Reef paints a rich and memorable portrait of the first African American to earn his living as a writer. Born in 1872 to former slaves, Dunbar touched the nation with poetry that portrayed the sorrows and the joys of African-American life. Dunbar's work spoke directly to the hearts of his readers, and his legacy inspired the generation of African-American poets who followed.
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The Life of Benjamin Banneker
Astronomer and Mathematician
by Laura Baskes Litwin
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Benjamin Banneker, born in 1731, was a man ahead of his time. As a free African American in a time of slavery, Banneker was not welcome in white society, and he spent most of his life on his Maryland farm. There he harnessed his keen and curious intellect to teach himself complex mathematics and astronomy. Banneker secured a place in history with his role in surveying the site for the capital city, Washington D.C., and his published almanacs with precise tide calculations and weather predictions. Also, Banneker himself was one of the first African Americans to speak out against slavery. Banneker's accomplishments were used by abolitionists as proof of the intellectual powers of his race.
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The Life of Dr. Charles Drew
Blood Bank Innovator
by Anne Schraff
Part of the Legendary African Americans series
Today, thanks to the work of a brilliant young doctor, blood banks and successful blood transfusions are commonplace. Dr. Charles Drew's pioneering research with blood plasma and storage made this possible. At a time of crippling racial segregation and prejudice, Drew proved that black doctors were equal to white doctors. During World War II, he created the first large-scale system for preserving blood, shipping seventeen thousand pints overseas for soldiers in Great Britain. Since then, millions of men, women, and children worldwide owe their lives to his work. In this page-turning account, author Anne Schraff demystifies Drew's extraordinary research and dispels the false rumors around his tragic and untimely death.
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