Who even knew that any children of slaves were still alive? A debt of gratitude is owed to Sana Butler for compiling this bittersweet collection of revealing interviews with the offspring of folks freed by the Emancipation Proclamation well over a century ago. What makes this book special is how seamlessly the author contrasts her aging subjects' fading recollections with her own expectations of them and her intimate reflections about being Black and female in present-day America.

In "Who Will Cry for the Little Girl" author Alexander Lee Barrett follows the life of his own great-great-great-great-great Grandmother, Chaney Rice as she deals with life as a slave on the plantation of one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in Greene County, Alabama

By the time Felicia "Snoop" Pearson was 15, she was serving hard time for a murder she says happened in self-defense. But now, the woman that was born a "three-pound, cross-eyed crack baby in East Baltimore," is famous for starring as a cold-blooded villain on the critically acclaimed HBO series "The Wire."

Everybody knows Cornel West, the public intellectual, the popular Princeton University Professor and best-selling author who has remained dedicated to the plight of the poor and underprivileged over the course of his illustrious career. Yet few know anything about his private life, or about what has inspired him to remain on such a righteous path and in touch with his roots over the years...

In author Malik Green's new book, "The Black-print," the former crack addict and veteran spells out a way for wealth, prosperity and respect for African Americans. Despite 50 years or what Green skeptically calls progress, the Black community contuse to face a myriad of obstacles...

From 1974 to 1983, photographer Todd Gray was allowed near complete access to a young Michael Jackson. As his personal photographer during these years, Gray was able to capture the rising star both on and off stage...

Dorothy Dandridge was the first Black woman nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Almost a half century passed before another Black woman -- Halle Berry -- won the award.

It wasn't long after the birth of her daughter that Dr. Cassandra Joubert noticed that something was wrong. After all, this was her second child, so she naturally compared Maya to her relatively easy-to-raise, 4 year-old son, Josh.

The RZA – founder of The Wu Tang Clan – reveals a lot about himself in his new book, "The Tao of Wu." He tells you about how he used the game of chess and Eastern philosophy to overcome his fears; the final day of Ol' Dirty Bastard; the double life of Bobby Digital...

To recognize the work of censors everywhere, the American Library Association holds the annual Banned Books Week from Sept. 26 to Oct. 3. The purpose of Banned Books Week is to celebrate the freedom to read books – even books considered inappropriate, risqué or downright blasphemous...