One Drop

Shifting the Lens on Race

Yaba Blay

$69.99

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Beacon Press
04 May 2021

Society & Social Sciences; Sociology & anthropology

"Challenges narrow perceptions of Blackness as both an identity and lived reality to understand the diversity of what it means to be Black in the US and around the world

Challenges narrow perceptions of Blackness as both an identity and lived reality to understand the diversity of what it means to be Black in the US and around the world

What exactly is Blackness and what does it mean to be Black? Is Blackness a matter of biology or consciousness? Who determines who is Black and who is not? Who's Black, who's not, and who cares?

In the United States, a Black person has come to be defined as any person with any known Black ancestry. Statutorily referred to as ""the rule of hypodescent,"" this definition of Blackness is more popularly known as the ""one-drop rule,"" meaning that a person with any trace of Black ancestry, however small or (in)visible, cannot be considered White. A method of social order that began almost immediately after the arrival of enslaved Africans in America, by 1910 it was the law in almost all southern states. At a time when the one-drop rule functioned to protect and preserve White racial purity, Blackness was both a matter of biology and the law. One was either Black or White. Period. Has the social and political landscape changed one hundred years later?

One Drop explores the extent to which historical definitions of race continue to shape contemporary racial identities and lived experiences of racial difference. Featuring the perspectives of 60 contributors representing 25 countries and combining candid narratives with striking portraiture, this book provides living testimony to the diversity of Blackness. Although contributors use varying terms to self-identify, they all see themselves as part of the larger racial, cultural, and social group generally referred to as Black. They have all had their identity called into question simply because they do not fit neatly into the stereotypical ""Black box""-dark skin, ""kinky"" hair, broad nose, full lips, etc. Most have been asked ""What are you?"" or the more politically correct ""Where are you from?"" throughout their lives. It is through contributors' lived experiences with and lived imaginings of Black identity that we can visualize multiple possibilities for Blackness."

By: Yaba Blay
Imprint: Beacon Press
Country of Publication: United States
Weight: 567g
ISBN: 9780807073360
ISBN 10: 0807073369
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 04 May 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Author’s Note Intro Introspection Mixed Black American Black Diaspora Black Outro Notes Acknowledgements About

Dr. Yaba Blay is a scholar-activist and cultural creative whose work centers the lived experiences of Black women and girls. She has launched viral campaigns including #PrettyPeriod and #ProfessionalBlackGirl and has appeared on CNN, BET, MSNBC, and NPR. Dr. Blay's work has been featured in the New York Times, Ebony, Essence, and The Root. A thought leader on Black racial identity, colorism, and beauty politics, she is a globally sought-after speaker and consultant. Connect with her online at yabablay.com.

Reviews for One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race

When people ask, what does it mean to love Blackness, one answer is the work of Yaba Blay. Academic, scholar, public intellectual, lover of Black folk and Black culture, Yaba is one of the most brilliant and committed critics and advocates writing and thinking and working on behalf of Black people today. --Michael Eric Dyson, New York Times best-selling author One Drop visually stuns while showing us the many different and often surprising faces of Blackness that make up the Americas. Yaba Blay is a scholar and cultural worker whose unapologetic love and centering of Black women and girls has made her one of today's most formidable voices. In a world that shreds Black women's self-esteem in big and small ways every day, we depend on Blay's writing, Instagram tutorials, and undaunted compassion to put us back together again. --Brittney Cooper, author of the New York Times bestseller Eloquent Rage In this contemporary sociopolitical climate, where we are confronted by questions of racial identity almost daily, One Drop presents a nuanced exploration that serves as a practical guide for thinking critically about what it means to be Black in this moment. --Tarana J. Burke, author, activist, and founder of the Me Too movement