Roland Laird and Taneshia Nash Laird, Illustrations by Elihu "Adofo" Bey

Sterling,  February 2009

"As a contribution to illustrated history from a black point of view," writes acclaimed foreword author Charles Johnson, "Still I Rise is a unique achievement, one that will be valued -- like Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale . . . by students, educators, collectors, and general readers for a long time to come." Newly available in an updated edition, the compelling and irreverent graphic history that recounts the entire scope of the African-American experience, now concludes with Barack Obama's groundbreaking 2008 presidential candidacy.

Still I Rise traces the epic struggles and victories of African-Americans in the face of racist obstacles and unfathomable hardships. It follows the rise of slavery; the Nat Turner Rebellion; military contributions of African Americans; the birth of modern integration; Freedom Summer; the emergence of Black Power; the Million Man March; and Hurricane Katrina. Cultural milestones are also found here, from the Harlem Renaissance and the Invisible Man to heritage festivals and artists who illuminate the complexity of AfricanAmerican life. Heroic notables and visionaries are introduced: Frederick Douglass; Sojourner Truth; Madame C. J. Walker; Ida B. Wells; Malcolm X; Martin Luther King Jr.; and many more. Lesser-known luminaries are also featured, including Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black Studies, and Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, who campaigned for restitution from modern companies that played a direct role in slave trade.

The insightful text is sometimes acerbic, other times perceptively humorous, and always powerfully honest. The authors' first-rate scholarship is supplemented with a healthy dose of attitude, and Bey's illustrations are both energetic and uncompromising.

Taking its title from a Maya Angelou poem, Still I Rise is a moving and inspirational account of the rich history of African Americans.