Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans Book

The history of Black America told in a graphical novel. A great introduction to those not as familiar with many of the events that have brought us to where we are today. It covers a lot of ground, so obviously you don't get the detail that would be like at times but it appears to do a good job covering the key figures and events in a way that allows the reader to do their own research on any topics of interest.

The graphical novel format is an interesting choice here. I would argue that while Bey's simplistic drawings don't distract from the history being told, they also don't really enhance the experience for the reader. There are some issues with the way the panels are laid out at times which makes it confusing to follow (the inclusion of arrows on some pages to guide the reader in the most egregious cases shows that this challenge may have been foreseen prior to publication).

I'm also not a fan of the additional 20 or so pages appended for the second edition (2009). While the recent history since the first publishing is appreciated, the art/lettering style changes in a way that is distracting and the entire tone is different. Our two narrators that take us through the journey suddenly appear to be antagonistic with each other due to their differing views of recent events. While the frustration is appreciated, the 180 tone shift from the first 90% of the book is sudden and surprising. Still it's nice that the book ends with a note of hope (sadly, a hope that hasn't really carried us through to today).

A very important read for those who want a quick primer for the history of the Black Experience in the US. There is a lot that we can understand in today's America if we educate ourselves on how we got here and the injustice that Black people have faced in America since their first arrival and the consequences of which continue to this day.