Talkin and Testifyin: The Language of Black America (Revised)

CONTENTS: 1 - From Africa to the New World and into the Space Age Introduction and History of Black English Structure 2 - 'It Bees Dat Way Sometime' Sounds and Structures of Present-Day Black English 3 - Black Semantics Words and Concepts in Black English, Past and Present 4 - 'How I Got Ovuh' African World View and Afro-American Oral Tradition 5 - 'The Forms of Things Unknown' Black Modes of Discourse 6 - Where It's At Black-White Language Attitudes 7 - Where Do We Go From Here? T.C.B.! Social Policy and Educational Practice * Afterword * Appendices: A - Some Well-Known Black Proverbs and Sayings B - Get Down Exercises on Black English Sounds and Structure C - Black Semantics -- A Selected Glossary

The issues that arise from American neglect of issues of language diversity have historically created barriers to the education of many children. Smitherman's classic text is a lesson in understanding how children begin schooling at different places, with different strengths to be tapped and explored. While it might be critiqued for being overly essentialist, it is a critical step in allowing non-African Americans (and may African Americans, too!) some insights into the history of a fascinating and rich linguistic tradition. I would consider this book an absolute MUST READ for anyone going into classrooms to teach. These are important ideas to consider and, politically, they get far to little time in the popular media. For a starter overview, let me also recommend Delpit & Perry's edited volume, _The Skin That We Speak_, with Smitherman as further explication to the overview presented there.