Signifyin(g), Sanctifyin', and Slam Dunking: A Reader in African American Expressive Culture (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781558491830)

Observers of American society have long noted the distinctive contribution of African Americans to the nation's cultural life. We find references to African American music and dance, black forms of oral expression, even a black style of playing basketball. But what do such terms really mean? Is it legitimate to talk about a distinct African American aesthetic, or is this simply a vestige of an outmoded racial essentialism? What makes a particular form of cultural expression "black" other than the fact that some African Americans may practice it? These are some of the questions addressed in the readings gathered in this volume by Gena Dagel Caponi. The essays, some previously published and others new, spring from a variety of disciplines and cover a broad range of topics, from the communal ritual of the ring shout to the evolution of rap to the improvisational genius of Michael Jordan. While each piece focuses on a different aspect of African American expressive culture, together they reveal a set of creative principles, techniques, and practices--a cultural aesthetic--that is remarkably consistent and resilient.

Author: Gena Dagel Caponi
ISBN-10: 155849183X
ISBN-13: 9781558491830
Publisher: University of Massachusetts Press
Language: English
Published: 10/12/1999
Pages: 480
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.62lbs
Size: 9.25h x 6.19w x 1.20d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 10/15/1999 pg. 72
Univ PR Books for Public Libry 01/01/2000 pg. 23 - Outstanding