Foreword by John Legend -- Introduction -- I. Care : Jamila Woods to Joycetta ; Tembe Denton-Hurst to her younger sister ; Nadia Owusu to her colleagues ; Joy-Ann reid to her hrair ; Bilquisu Abdullah on queer love ; Rakia Reynolds to Skai, Zoie, and Brammie ; Akili King to her unborn niece ; Joel Cast�on to dimples ; Barbara Edelin to Ken -- II. Awe : Morgan Jerkins to Egype ; Ben Crump to Thurgood Marshall ; Lynae Vanee Bogues on Black love ; Dick Parsons to jazz ; Douglas Kearney to Black-assed rasp ; Michael Eric Dyson to the Black church ; Imani Perry on Black love as grace ; Belinda Walker to Black America -- III. Loss : Allisa Charles-Findley to Botham Jean ; Jeh Charles Johnson to mom ; Tarana Burke to grandma ; Natalie Johnson to her namesake ; Bill Whitaker to dad ; Justus Cornelius Pugh to ancestors ; Rhianna Jones to dad ; Mahogany Browne to Erika -- IV. Ambivalence : Topaz Jones on "worry" ; Reverend Al Sharpton to his grandson ; Brianna Holt to self ; Jayne Allen to Blackness ; Kwame Dawes on fishing ; Cole Brown to Mama Brown ; VJ Jenkins to his unrequited love -- V. Transformation : Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts to Louisville ; Alexandra Elle to self ; Deborah Willis to her son ; Brontez Purnell to eleven-year-old Michael Jackson ; Chef R�oze Traore to mom ; Sojourner Brown to self ; Jenna Wortham to inner critic ; Jan Menafee to water ; Danez Smith to family, Alphabet Mafia, Tish ;n; nem, Jayson nem, Langston nem, and maybe you ; Malachi Elijah to my Black body.
Summary:
In this exquisite anthology of letters and illustrations, Cole Brown and Natalie Johnson bring together a constellation of influential Black figures to write to the people, places, and moments that mean the most to them. With a foreword from John Legend and contributions from Brontez Purnell, Morgan Jerkins, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Dr. Imani Perry, among many others, Black Love Letters is an ode to a phenomenal community: a testament to the fact that where there has been pain and suffering, there has also always been immeasurable, irrepressible joy and love.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.