This volume examines race, gender, and identity in African American culture. As with previous volumes in the series, these collected essays provide a social science and interdisciplinary framework for the exploration of Africana cultural and social phenomena. The contributors have adopted mixed methods and meta-theory tools of analysis to describe and evaluate these issues from an African-centered perspective.

Kameelah Martin examines the role of women in the films of Julie Dash and Kasi Lemmons. Toya Roberts offers an experimental study of African American males at predominantly white institutions of higher education. Rochelle Brocks digs into the transition, transformation, and transcendence of civil rights to the Black Arts/Black Power movements for social change. Portia K. Maultsby provides an ethnographic study, inspecting the genre of funk music in the United States. James L. Conyers, Jr. analyzes the doctoral dissertation of W. E. B. Du Bois, which cataloged the impact of colonialism on Africana culture. Kesha Morant Williams and Ronald L. Jackson II examine the impact of lupus on the identity of African American women. Ronald Turner's essay examines black workers challenging racist practices by their union representatives. Lisbeth Gant-Britton renders a conceptual history of the hip-hop community, with emphasis on international issues. This volume is an invaluable sourcebook for those studying African American affairs, history, and cultural studies.