African American issues

Writer Marita Golden's first novel, A Woman's Place, traces the divergent paths of three African American women as they negotiate their relationships, faith, and careers.

Gail Lumet Buckley is the daughter of groundbreaking African American actress Lena Horne. Buckley's new book, The Hornes, traces her family's history from the Civil War to contemporary New York, untangling the unique experiences of the black bourgeoisie in the US.

While working as a preacher at a mortuary, Solomon Burke was recruited by Atlantic Records to make a country and western album. The record was a hit, but many listeners didn't know Burke is black. He joins Fresh Air to share stories of how he later made a name in soul music.

Poet, memoirist, and activist Maya Angelou discusses her life, career, and time spent living in Ghana.

Amiri Baraka, formerly LeRoi Jones, is a poet, playwright, essayist, and political activist who was of the first militant black writers to emerge in the 1960s. He addresses black life, music, and politics in his writing, and his works have often been seen as shocking. "The Autobiography of LeRoi Jones," Baraka's memoir, has just been released in paperback.

Taj Mahal is a musician known for his blues songs. Later in his career, he would incorporate African, Caribbean, and Latin influences into his music. His records appeal to blues, rock, and folk audiences, and a compilation of his work, "The Best of Taj Mahal," has recently been published. Mahal is in Philadelphia to perform at the Tower Theater.

Albert Race Sample's autobiography "Racehoss: Big Emma's Boy" describe his experiences growing up as the son of a black prostitute and gambler and one of her white clients. Sample later ended up in "Retrieve" a unit of the Texas Prison System, which Race describes as sadistic.

Alex Haley documented his family history going back several generations in Roots, which was later adapted into a popular television series. His first book was the landmark Autobiography of Malcom X, which was written in collaboration with the civil rights leader.

James Farmer returns to Fresh Air to share memories of the 1961 Freedom Rides and later race riots that erupted during later that decade. His new memoir, Lay Bare the Heart, has just been published.

John O'Neal cofounded the Free Southern Theater, a company closely aligned with the black civil rights movement. Louise Anderson is a prominent African American storyteller. They are both featured in the National Festival of Black Storytellers at Philadelphia's Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum.