This is actually a textbook (high school/college) I would say. I was reading it just as a basic history. I found it extremely informative. There is nothing in here that I found completely new, but the careful explanations of events certainly added considerable detail to my understanding not only on African American history, but of American history in general. I particularly liked that the authors consider such a broad variety of causes for historic events: great people, economics, social presssures, etc. It ranges from a background on African cultures up to events of 2007. (I can imagine the authors anxiously awaiting the opportunity to work the presidential campaign of Barack Obama into the next edition.) The authors have attempted to include cultural as well as historical events and devote a fair amount of space to music, which they consider to be extremely important in African-American culture, and to authors. One might complain that the visual arts are a bit scanted. At times, I thought that there might be a little more coverage of African Americans outside the South, but that was, after all, where the overwhelming majority lived and still live. Although it is sometimes clear that they have a particular point of view on a subject, they attempt to cover many controversies even-handedly. The text is heavily illustrated.

In addition to an extensive bibliography, there are annotated recommendations for further reading at the end of each chapter. The text includes chronologies and a glossary, as well as a detailed index.

In all, a book that I would recommend, even to those outside the classroom. ( )