It is a testament to the omni-directional influence of Barack Obama that a coloring book about African history would close with a quote from the President and a picture of him and the rest of the First Family. This makes one automatically wonder whether black Americans still need to look to distant ancestors from another continent for heroes, if the leader of the country is already one of their own. . . .

"Who am I? It's a fundamental question for everyone, of course, but for African-Americans, it has particular resonance. Since our history in America is filled with grand contradictions, marginalization, and grotesque lies, African-Americans have largely been left alone in the dark to grapple with the issue of who we are.
Our shared experience as people of African-American descent have been marked by an endless wave of mixed messages, leaving questions that lack finite answers. . . .

Born into slavery in Georgia, Tom Wiggins was both blind and autistic. After discovering music, Tom was playing piano by age four. In 1908, he died an international musical celebrity in New York City.
"The Ballad of Blind Tom, Slave Pianist" by Diedre O'Connell tells the story of this unassuming man who could never forget a tune. He toured the country and the world, playing for packed music halls and private audiences, for celebrities and royalty. . . .

American culture has become obsessed with the intricate details of celebrity lives. People have also become increasingly interested in their own ancestry, which has been propelled by sites like Genealogy.com.
Harvard scholar and renowned author Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has combined the appeal of both and has written a captivating, thoroughly researched new book entitled "In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past." . . .

1.     Your History: From the Beginning of Time to Present    By J.A. Rogers
2.     African People in World History   By John Henrik Clarke
3.     Africa: Mother of Civilization   By Yosef be-Jochannon
4.     Fifty Days on Board a Slave Vessel     By Pascoe G. Hill . . . [and 96 more] . . .

Author M.T. Anderson will read from "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Volume II: Kingdom on the Waves" from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6 at The Seattle  Public Library, Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Microsoft Auditorium, Level 1....

In "Moving Up," Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, affectionately known as "Dr.…

Local photographer Kelly Johnson will sign copies of her book "Hair Dance" from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday April 26 at Talking Drum Bookstore, 446 N.E. Killingsworth Street. "Hair Dance" has been chosen by the Bank Street College of Education as the best children's book of 2008. For more information call 503-288-4106 or to see more about the photographer visit www.kellyjohnsonphoto.com

Hill Harper is best known for his roles as an actor in the television cops drama CSI-NY and from…

In his best-selling book, "The Lady, Her Lover, and Her Lord," Bishop T. D. Jakes examined a woman's most important relationships in life: with God, with her man, and with herself. In the smash hit "He-Motions," he turned his gaze to the hearts and minds of the other sex, offering both insight and empowerment to men and the women who love them.
Now, just in time for Mother's Day, Bishop Jakes brings us a book that celebrates motherhood and promises to be his most intensely personal book yet.