“Part autobiography, part stand-up routine, part contemporary political analysis, and astute all over.”
Raised by a pro-black, pan-Afrikan single mother during the crack years of 1980s Washington, DC, and educated at Sidwell Friends School and Harvard University, Baratunde Thurston has over thirty years’ experience in being black. Now, through stories of his politically inspired Nigerian name, the heroics of his hippie mother, the murder of his drug-abusing father, and other revelatory black details, he shares with readers of all colors his wisdom and expertise of HOW TO BE BLACK (Harper; February 2012; $23.99)
Combining personal memoir, interviews, irreverent how-to, and resource guides to meet every reader’s blackness needs, this book offers practical advice on everything from “How to Be The Black Friend” to “How to Be The (Next) Black President” to “How to Celebrate Black History Month.”
For additional perspective, Baratunde assembled an award-winning Black Panel—three black women, three black men, and one white man as a control group—and asked them such revealing questions as: “When Did You First Realize You Were Black?” “How Black Are You?” “Can You Swim?”
via HowToBeBlack.me
“As a black woman, this book helped me realize I’m actually a white man.”
– Patton Oswalt
Like vampires and extremely rich people, black folk can sense one another. #HowToBeBlack
— Baratunde (@baratunde) January 31, 2012
My hood had everything #TheWire had except for universal critical acclaim and the undying love of white people who saw it #HowToBeBlack #DC
— Baratunde (@baratunde) January 31, 2012