Africanisms in American Culture

The first edition of this book (published in 1990) has stood as an important work in the field of diaspora studies for the past decade, and now the revised, expanded edition reflects the considerable changes in the field, exploring both West and Central African carryovers in America. "Africanisms" are elements of culture in the New World which can be traced to an African origin. The study of Africanisms is not without controversy, and editor Holloway details its historiography in his introduction. Fourteen essays by eleven contributors explore African elements in African American language, names, religious practices, music, artistic culture and folklore. Two essays focus specifically on the Gullah, and several others reference them. "The African Heritage of White America" by John Edward Philips (revised for this edition) discusses ways African culture has influenced whites, especially in Southern culture. What I found particularly intriguing was the idea that the basic elements of some "white Africanisms" have pretty much vanished from black culture. For example, though the banjo is of African origin, it is associated today almost entirely with white performers, specifically Appalachian. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in American culture, though I think it will appeal more to academic readers than general ones.