Hokum : An Anthology of African-American Humor

This book is less a comprehensive collection of African-American humor than a mix-tape narrative dubbed by a trusted friend-a sampler of underground classics, rare grooves, and timeless summer jams, poetry and prose juxtaposed with the blues, hip-hop, political speeches, and the world's funniest radio sermon. The subtle musings of Toni Cade Bambara, Henry Dumas, and Harryette Mullen are bracketed by the profane and often loud ruminations of Langston Hughes, Darius James, Wanda Coleman, Tish Benson, Steve Cannon, and Hattie Gossett. Some of the funniest writers don't write, so included are selections from well-known yet unpublished wits Lightnin' Hopkins, Mike Tyson, and the Reverend Al Sharpton. Selections also come from public figures and authors whose humor, although incisive and profound, is often overlooked: Malcolm X, Suzan-Lori Parks, Zora Neale Hurston, Sojourner Truth, and W.E.B. Dubois. Groundbreaking, fierce, and hilarious, this is a necessary anthology for any fan or student of American writing, with a huge range and a smart, political grasp of the uses of humor.;Intro; Title Page; Copyright Page; Table of Contents; Introduction; pissed off to the highest degree of pisstivity; Sojourner Truthâ#x80;#x94;"" And aâ#x80;#x99;nâ#x80;#x99;t I a Woman?"" (1851); W. E. B. DuBoisâ#x80;#x94;"" On Being Crazy"" (1923); Zora Neale Hurstonâ#x80;#x94;""â#x80;#x99; Possum or Pig?"" (1926); Chester Himesâ#x80;#x94;"" Let Me at the Enemyâ#x80;#x94; anâ#x80;#x99; George Brown"" (1944); Malcolm Xâ#x80;#x94;"" Message to the Grass Roots"" (1963); Langston Hughesâ#x80;#x94;"" Pose-Outs"" (1965); Lightninâ#x80;#x99; Hopkinsâ#x80;#x94;"" Cadillac Blues"" (performed 1968); H. Rap Brownâ#x80;#x94; from Die, Nigger, Die! (1969); Sam Greenleeâ#x80;#x94; from Tlie Spook Who Sat by the Door (1969) Intro Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction pissed off to the highest degree of pisstivity Sojourner Truthâ#x80 #x94 "" And aâ#x80 #x99 nâ#x80 #x99 t I a Woman?"" (1851) W. E. B. DuBoisâ#x80 #x94 "" On Being Crazy"" (1923) Zora Neale Hurstonâ#x80 #x94 ""â#x80 #x99 Possum or Pig?"" (1926) Chester Himesâ#x80 #x94 "" Let Me at the Enemyâ#x80 #x94 anâ#x80 #x99 George Brown"" (1944) Malcolm Xâ#x80 #x94 "" Message to the Grass Roots"" (1963) Langston Hughesâ#x80 #x94 "" Pose-Outs"" (1965) Lightninâ#x80 #x99 Hopkinsâ#x80 #x94 "" Cadillac Blues"" (performed 1968) H. Rap Brownâ#x80 #x94 from Die, Nigger, Die! (1969) Sam Greenleeâ#x80 #x94 from Tlie Spook Who Sat by the Door (1969) Wanda Colemanâ#x80 #x94 "" April 15th 1985"" (c. 1985)Identifying Marks"" (c. 1985) On that Stuff That Ainâ#x80 #x99 t Nevah Been Long Enuff for No Damn Body"" (c. 1985) Hattie Gossettâ#x80 #x94 "" yo daddy: an 80s version of the dozens"" (1988) Ammiri Barakaâ#x80 #x94 "" Wise 1"" (1995) Cornelius Eadyâ#x80 #x94 "" The Cab Dover Who Ripped Me Off"" (1997) Tish Bensonâ#x80 #x94 "" Fifth-Ward E-Mail"" (2003) Al Sharptonâ#x80 #x94 Presidential campaign speech delivered to the San Francisco Commonwealth Club (2003) Mike Tysonâ#x80 #x94 The Wit and Wisdom of Mike Tyson (1987-2004) (nothing serious) just bugginâ#x80 #x99 Paul Laurence Dunbarâ#x80 #x94 "" When De Coâ#x80 #x99 n Poneâ#x80 #x99 s Hot"" (1895)Bert Williamsâ#x80 #x94 "" How Fried?"" (1913) Assorted jokes compiled by Alex Rogers (1918) Rudolph Fisherâ#x80 #x94 "" The City of Refuge"" (1925) Zora Neale Hurstonâ#x80 #x94 "" The Bone of Contention"" (c. 1929). George Schuylerâ#x80 #x94 from Black No More (1931) James Weldon Johnsonâ#x80 #x94 "" Brer Rabbit, Youâ#x80 #x99 s de Cutesâ#x80 #x99 of â#x80 #x99 Em All"" (1935) Sterling Brownâ#x80 #x94 "" Slim in Atlanta"" (1932) Slim Lands a Job?"" (1932) Crispus Attucks McKoy"" (1965) Gwendolyn Brooksâ#x80 #x94 "" at the hairdresserâ#x80 #x99 s"" (1945) One reason cats . . ."" (1968) A song in the front yard"" (1945)Langston Hughesâ#x80 #x94 "" Adventure"" (c. 1962) Gary Belkin (writing as Muhammad Ali)â#x80 #x94 ""Clay Comes Out to Meet Liston"" (1963) Henry Dumasâ#x80 #x94 "" Double Nigger"" (1965) Ishmael Reedâ#x80 #x94 from Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down (1969) Toni Cade Bambaraâ#x80 #x94 "" The Lesson"" (1972) Etheridge Knightâ#x80 #x94 "" Dark Prophecy: I Sing of Shine"" (1973) Memo #9"" (1973) Rehabilitation & Treatment in the Prisons of America"" (1973) Kyle Bakerâ#x80 #x94 "" Sands of Blood,"" from The Cowboy Wally Show (1988) Spike Leeâ#x80 #x94 from Do the Right Thing (1989) Patricia Smithâ#x80 #x94 "" Boy Sneezes, Head Explodes"" (1991)Darius Jamesâ#x80 #x94 "" Lilâ#x80 #x99 Black Zambo,"" from Negrophobia (1992) Lord Finesseâ#x80 #x94 "" Return of the Funky Man"" (1992) Hilton Alsâ#x80 #x94 "" The Only One"" (1994) John Farrisâ#x80 #x94 In the Park After School with the Girl & the Boy (1994) Elizabeth Alexanderâ#x80 #x94 "" Talk Radio, D.C."" (1996) Erika Ellisâ#x80 #x94 from Good Fences (1999) Percival Everettâ#x80 #x94 from Erasure (2001) Colson Whiteheadâ#x80 #x94 from John Henry Days (2001) Willie Perdomoâ#x80 #x94 "" Should Old Shit Be Forgot"" (2003) black absurdity Zora. Neale Hurstonâ#x80 #x94 "" Book of Harlem"" (c. 1921) Chester Himesâ#x80 #x94 "" Dirty Deceivers"" (1948) Edited by the author of The Sellout , winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize, Hokum is a liberating, eccentric, savagely comic anthology of the funniest writing by black Americans. This book is less a comprehensive collection than it is a mix-tape narrative dubbed by a trusted friend-a sampler of underground classics, rare grooves, and timeless summer jams, poetry and prose juxtaposed with the blues, hip-hop, political speeches, and the world's funniest radio sermon. The subtle musings of Toni Cade Bambara, Henry Dumas, and Harryette Mullen are bracketed by the profane and often loud ruminations of Langston Hughes, Darius James, Wanda Coleman, Tish Benson, Steve Cannon, and Hattie Gossett. Some of the funniest writers don't write, so included are selections from well-known yet unpublished wits Lightnin' Hopkins, Mike Tyson, and the Reverend Al Sharpton. Selections also come from public figures and authors whose humor, although incisive and profound, is often overlooked: Malcolm X, Suzan-Lori Parks, Zora Neale Hurston, Sojourner Truth, and W.E.B. Dubois. Groundbreaking, fierce, and hilarious, this is a necessary anthology for any fan or student of American writing, with a huge range and a smart, political grasp of the uses of humor. A collection of African-American writings is comprised of poetry, prose, political speeches, hip-hop, and the blues by such authors as Langston Hughes, Darius James, Zora Neale Hurston, and W.E.B. Du Bois