Marita Golden

How Black Stories Shaped My OwnAward-winning author Marita Golden explores her writing career and how the igniting power of storytelling is still inspiring generations of Black authors today. A lifetime of stories to tell. Growing up, Marita would listen to bedtime stories of Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, and many other champions of Black history. Now a champion herself in the literary world, she shares her story in a motivational autobiography you will never forget. How to Become a Black Writer details Marita Golden’s life, career, and the most cherished memories she made along the way. From nurturing her passions during the civil rights movement to celebrating her 40th writing anniversary in D. C., Marita shows that every dreamer can inspire others with their story. A love letter to Black authors and readers. How to Become a Black Writer is not only just Marita’s story, but can also be the start of yours. Inside, you’ll find lessons and instructions based on her experiences during the renaissance of Black literature to help you cultivate your voice. Featuring timeless knowledge that helped not only Marita, but bestselling storytellers like Nzotake Shange and Toni Morrison, you, too can make a big change in the book publishing world. Discover meaningful events and the people behind them that helped Marita Golden to become the leading icon she is today, such as: How she was mentored under feminist poet Audre Lorde Life as a groundbreaking journalist at Essence Magazine Co-founding and leading the Hurston-Wright Foundation to help publish Black storiesSo if you’re looking for more motivational memoirs like Dear Black Girl, Legacy, or Badass Black Girl, you’ll love How to Become a Black Writer.

Empower Your Sons Against Institutionalized Racism“One of the most important pieces of literature for Black parents.”—MJ Fievre, author of Raising Confident Black KidsA powerful guide to navigate the challenges of raising families in turbulent times. In What Every Black Parent Needs to Know about Saving Our Sons, gain profound advice on how to protect and nurture Black teen boys. Essential knowledge, practical guidance. With intimate storytelling of her own son’s story and in-depth research against the chilling backdrop of racially motivated brutality, acclaimed author Marita Golden reveals alarming statistics and systemic issues affecting children of color—and remedies. A powerful and timely resource, What Every Black Parent Needs to Know about Saving Our Sons addresses pressing issues of today with new material and updated resources. Wisdom from psychologists, writers, and young Black men initiates meaningful discussions and delves into the complexities of Black parenting. Tackle topics such as generational trauma, being Black in white spaces, institutionalized racism, gun violence and how to not get shot, supporting mental health for black men, and other problems Black kids face. Embark on a transformative journey towards raising confident, successful, and resilient kids. Inside, find:Realities faced by Black families and the importance of teaching kids about racismGuidance to navigate, discuss, and explore the impact of fearing the black bodyConversations and strategies to keep our kids safe and growing up greatIf you liked The Light We Carry, Decoding Boys, Three Mothers, or American Carnage, you’ll love What Every Black Parent Needs to Know about Saving Our Sons.

Healthy Habits to Become the Strong Black WomenMarita Golden, a prominent interviewee of Oprah Winfrey, wrote this mental and physical health guide for women to learn who they are, to set healthy boundaries, and to jump into health related fitness practices to balance out their daily lives. Know Yourself. Jump start your relationship with yourself. Renowned author Marita Golden goes in-depth on how using meditation, silence, prayer, affirmations, and reflections allows for internal trust and confidence to blossom in your daily life. Set Boundaries. Setting boundaries can be difficult but they are necessary to living life as a strong woman in today’s world. Everyone else’s burdens are not yours to carry and no, you don’t have to fix everyone you come across! Learn how to set emotional boundaries, physical boundaries, and other boundaries to live freely. Inside, you’ll find:Healthy habits to reconnect with your inner self, your body, and those around youAn empowering book for women to learn how to take back their lives one day at a timeA mental health guide for women, black women affirmations, and reflection points to develop holistic wellnessIf you're looking for mental health books for young adults and/or the strong black women in your life, this book is for you! If you enjoyed Set Boundaries, Find Peace, How we Heal, This Is How You Heal or You Are Your Best Thing, you’ll love The New Black Woman.

In the Matter of Black Lives: Womanist Prose by Arica L. Coleman is a brilliant, energetic, and energizing meditation on Black history, American History, and the past decade of tumultuous, inspiring, radical and marginal change in this country we call America. Coleman is a scholar and public intellectual dedicated to relentless inquiry and the shattering of mythology and the challenging of conventional wisdom. As I read these essays which range from a journey to the plantation where her enslaved ancestors were held in bondage, to moving memorials to sheroes (journalist Gwen Ifill and Ida B. Wells among them) and heroes (W. E. B. Du Bois, James Baldwin among many) to incisive political analysis that makes the past feel absolutely present, I wondered where else could a reader encounter discourse on Beyonc , the mass murderer Dylan Roof, a discussion of the legacy of Black-Native relations, Black Lives Matter, discover the abolitionist Cassius Clay, whose namesake became Muhammad Ali, and a bracing examination of media coverage of Michelle Obama? This is a book that is necessary for anyone who cares about this country, its past and especially its future. As I read these essays and as they stayed with me for days after, I thought how appropriate this collection would be for young people to read. Why should readers of Time Magazine, The Crisis and The Washington Post have all the fun and be the only ones to experience the exhilaration of witnessing a questioning and questing mind at work? These essays are jam-packed with historical facts, critical thinking, and the kind of contextual analysis that too few young minds are exposed to. Coleman examines the major cultural and political schisms and changes of the last decade in essays that perfectly capture the frenzied roller coaster of change and retrenchment, the promise and failure of our political system and the courage of those who keep on pushing against it and forward every day, while keeping their eyes on the prize of justice and equality in a society addicted to instant gratification. This book is a map of where we have been and a GPS system for where we need to go, to survive, and to finally "discover" the America that has yet to be America to me (from the foreword by Marita Golden).

In the Matter of Black Lives: Womanist Prose by Arica L. Coleman is a brilliant, energetic, and energizing meditation on Black history, American History, and the past decade of tumultuous, inspiring, radical and marginal change in this country we call America. Coleman is a scholar and public intellectual dedicated to relentless inquiry and the shattering of mythology and the challenging of conventional wisdom. As I read these essays which range from a journey to the plantation where her enslaved ancestors were held in bondage, to moving memorials to sheroes (journalist Gwen Ifill and Ida B. Wells among them) and heroes (W. E. B. Du Bois, James Baldwin among many) to incisive political analysis that makes the past feel absolutely present, I wondered where else could a reader encounter discourse on Beyonc , the mass murderer Dylan Roof, a discussion of the legacy of Black-Native relations, Black Lives Matter, discover the abolitionist Cassius Clay, whose namesake became Muhammad Ali, and a bracing examination of media coverage of Michelle Obama? This is a book that is necessary for anyone who cares about this country, its past and especially its future. As I read these essays and as they stayed with me for days after, I thought how appropriate this collection would be for young people to read. Why should readers of Time Magazine, The Crisis and The Washington Post have all the fun and be the only ones to experience the exhilaration of witnessing a questioning and questing mind at work? These essays are jam-packed with historical facts, critical thinking, and the kind of contextual analysis that too few young minds are exposed to. Coleman examines the major cultural and political schisms and changes of the last decade in essays that perfectly capture the frenzied roller coaster of change and retrenchment, the promise and failure of our political system and the courage of those who keep on pushing against it and forward every day, while keeping their eyes on the prize of justice and equality in a society addicted to instant gratification. This book is a map of where we have been and a GPS system for where we need to go, to survive, and to finally "discover" the America that has yet to be America to me.(from the foreword by Marita Golden).

Raising Black Teen Boys in Turbulent Times "It is always heartening to see women step up to the writer's table. When the results are as adroit and affecting as Marita Golden's work, it is more than satisfying; it is a cause for celebration."—Toni Morrison, Nobel LaureateTwo decades ago, Marita was the first Black writer to address the horrifying statistic that haunts all Black mothers: the leading cause of death among Black males under twenty-one is homicide. Today, police brutality rages on as millions call for the reformation of our broken law enforcement in the wake of the traumatic murders of Black teen boys like Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Daunte Wright. Read an intimate account of a mother’s efforts to save her son. Writing her son’s story against the backdrop of a society plagued by systemic racism, economic inequality, and mass incarceration, Golden offers a form of witness and testimony in a time of crisis for Black Americans. Learn how to grapple with the realities of Black America. Join Golden as she confronts the root causes of violence inflicted upon Black teen boys and reassesses the legacy of her own generation's struggle for civil rights. Explore Black boys’ difficult road to adulthood in the U. S. and learn why single Black mothers are often wrongly blamed for their sons’ actions. Gain invaluable advice and knowledge from trustworthy sources. In Saving Our Sons, Golden documents her conversations with psychologists, writers, and young Black males themselves. This book is designed to help you: Discuss and unpack generational trauma with loved onesGain deeper insight into the injustices Black children face in the U. S. Recognize the importance of community for the success of Black teen boys If you liked Decoding Boys, Mother & Son: Our Back & Forth Journal, The Boy Crisis or Boy Mom, you’ll love Saving Our Sons.

Major Health Crisis Among Black Women Generated from Systemic Racism “Marita Golden’s The Strong Black Woman busts the myth that Black women are fierce and resilient by letting the reader in under the mask that proclaims ‘Black don’t crack.’” -Karen Arrington, coach, mentor, philanthropist, and author of NAACP Image Award-winning Your Next Level LifeSarton Women’s Book Award#1 New Release in ReferenceMeet Black women who have learned through hard lessons the importance of self-care and how to break through the cultural and family resistance to seeking therapy and professional mental health care. The Strong Black Woman Syndrome. For generations, in response to systemic racism, Black women and African American culture created the persona of the Strong Black Woman, a woman who, motivated by service and sacrifice, handles, manages, and overcomes any problem, any obstacle. The syndrome calls on Black women to be the problem-solvers and chief caretakers for everyone in their lives-never buckling, never feeling vulnerable, and never bothering with their pain. Hidden mental health crisis of anxiety and depression. To be a Black woman in America is to know you cannot protect your children or guarantee their safety, your value is consistently questioned, and even being “twice as good” is often not good enough. Consequently, Black women disproportionately experience anxiety and depression. Studies now conclusively connect racism and mental health-and physical health. Take care of your emotional health. You deserve to be emotionally healthy for yourself and those you love. More and more young Black women are re-examining the Strong Black Woman syndrome and engaging in self-care practices that change their lives. Hear stories of Black women who:Asked for helpBuilt lives that offer healingLearned to accept healingIf you have read The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health, The Racial Healing Handbook, or Black Fatigue, The Strong Black Woman is your next read.

2018 NAACP Image Award Nominee An NPR Best Book of 2017 From acclaimed author Marita Golden comes a moving African-American family drama of love and devotion in the face of Alzheimer’s disease. You just can’t plan for this kind of thing. Diane Tate certainly hasn’t. She never expected to slowly lose her talented husband to the debilitating effects of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. As a respected family court judge, she’s spent her life making tough calls, but when her sixty-eight-year-old husband’s health worsens and Diane is forced to move him into an assisted living facility, it seems her world is spinning out of control. As Gregory’s memory wavers and fades, Diane and her children must reexamine their connection to the man he once was?and learn to love the man he has become. For Diane’ daughter Lauren, it means honoring her father by following in his footsteps as a successful architect. For her son Sean, it means finding a way to repair the strained relationship with his father before it’s too late. Supporting her children in a changing landscape, Diane remains resolute in her goal to keep her family together?until her husband finds love with another resident of the facility. Suddenly faced with an uncertain future, Diane must choose a new path?and discover her own capacity for love.

Critically acclaimed Black writers reveal how books have shaped their personal lives--in often unexpected ways. In these thirteen strikingly candid interviews, bestselling authors, winners of the Pulitzer Prize, and writers picked by Oprah's Book Club discuss how the acts of reading and writing have deeply affected their lives by expanding the conceptual borders of their communities and broadening their sense of self. Edwidge Danticat movingly recounts the first time she encountered a Black character in a book and how this changed her worldview forever; Edward P. Jones speaks openly about being raised by an illiterate mother; J. California Cooper discusses the spiritual sources of her literary inspiration; Nathan McCall explains how reading saved his life while in prison; Pearl Cleage muses eloquently about how other people's stories help one make one's own way in the world; and world-renowned historian John Hope Franklin--in one of the last interviews he gave before his death--touchingly recalls his childhood in the segregated South and how reading opened his mind to life's greater possibilities. The stories that emerge from these in-depth interviews not only provide an important record of the creative life of leading Black writers but also explore the vast cultural and spiritual benefits of reading and writing, and they support the growing initiative to encourage people to read as both a passion and a pastime.

In her long-awaited fifth novel, acclaimed writer Marita Golden takes another unflinching look into the face of family, race, love and identity. For twelve years Carson Blake inhabited a world of his own creation. Scorned by the father who was incapable of showing him affection and nearly consumed by the mean streets of Prince George's County, Maryland, Carson did what no one else could: he saved himself. After joining the police force and building a family with his wife, Bunny, Carson is finally in control of his life in the enclave where African American wealth and privilege shares the same zip code with black American crime and tragedy. Both Carson and his wife have great careers and three beautiful children: Roslyn, Roseanne, and Juwan. Carson is a devoted father, determined not to be the father that Jimmy Blake was to him. But while Juwan's astounding artistic talent is his father's pride, the boy's close relationship with classmate Will conjures up emotions and questions in Carson that threaten to spill over and poison the entire Blake family. And then, one night in March, nearing the end of a routine shift, Carson stops a young black man for speeding. He orders Paul Houston to exit the car and drop to his knees. But when Houston retrieves something from his waistband and turns to face Carson, three shots are fired, one man loses his life and two families are wrenched from everything that came before and hurled into the haunting future of everything that will come after. When it is revealed that Paul, a son of educators and a teacher in Southeast D. C., was only holding a cell phone, Carson's carefully woven world begins to unravel. After is a penetrating work of discovery for a man whose life careens more than once off the edge of disaster. Golden's astounding prose will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

A black woman discusses her personal quest for self-awareness in Africa and her attempts to come to terms with her parents, her African-American heritage, her own family, her career, and her identity as a black and as a woman. Reprint. 12,500 first printing.

A meditation on the role that color plays among African Americans and in mainstream society describes the author's experiences with her parents' differing values, the impact of color on her education and career, and her role as a wife in Africa. By the author of Migrations of the Heart. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.

This volume brings together the complete fiction of the author of Passing and Quicksand, one of the most gifted writers of the Harlem Renaissance. Throughout her short but brilliant literary career, Nella Larsen wrote piercing dramas about the black middle class that featured sensitive, spirited heroines struggling to find a place where they belonged. Passing, Larsen s best-known work, is a disturbing story about the unraveling lives of two childhood friends, one of whom turns her back on her past and marries a white bigot. Just as disquieting is the portrait in Quicksand of Helga Crane, half black and half white, who is unable to escape her loneliness no matter where and with whom she lives. Race and marriage offer few securities here or in the other stories in this compulsively readable collection, rich in psychological complexity and imbued with a sense of place that brings Harlem vibrantly to life."

The author of the highly praised Saving Our Sons: Raising Black Children in a Turbulent World offers support to single mothers through an extended look at several single-mother families that highlights the positive qualities they share. Original.

Candid, poignant, provocative, and informative, the essays and stories in Skin Deep explore a wide spectrum of racial issues between black and white women, from self-identity and competition to childrearing and friendship. Eudora Welty contributes a bittersweet story of a one-hundred-year-old black woman whose spirit is as determined and strong as anything in nature. Bestselling author Naomi Wolf recalls her first exposure to racism growing up, examining the subtle forms it can take even among well-meaning people; bell hooks writes about the intersection between black women and feminist politics; and Joyce Carol Oates includes a one-act play in which racial stereotypes are reversed. Among the other writers featured in the collection are Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Susan Straight, Mary Morris, and Beverly Lowry. A groundbreaking anthology that reveals surprising insights and hidden truths to a subject too often clouded by misperceptions and easy assumptions, Skin Deep is a major contribution to understanding our culture.

Sharing her own experiences with raising her African-American son against the backdrop of a racially divided society, the author confronts the causes of violence surrounding African-American men while addressing the problems faced by growing boys. Reprint. Tour.

"A novel of impressive artistry and power." The Washington PostCaught in the web of history, generations of an African-American family play out their parts on a world stage that constantly changes, protected always by the love of one another, which never will.

The compelling story of three black women who meet at a New England college in the late sixties and form a friendship that will guide them through the changes, the joys, and the tears of the coming years Faith, small-boned and delicate, the daughter of a strong-willed mother and a father she no longer remembers, longs for the one experience that will show her to herself. Serena, a passionate and outspoken radical, has an intense political commitment and pride in her African roots, which will lead her to find a life on a continent far away. And Crystal, a poet from girlhood, has a long love affair with words that will be put to the ultimate test when she must explain to her father her love for a man of another race. Praise for A Woman's Place "A radical new talent . . . The poignancy invites comparison to The Color Purple."--New Woman "A book that should be bought, read, and cherished, because it is a story of hope, a story of triumph and, above all, a testimony to resilience."--The Philadelphia Tribune