Robin D. G. Kelley is Professor of African-American Studies at Columbia University and author of several books, most recently Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination. He lives in New York City. Earl Lewis is Provost and the Asa G. Candler Professor of History and African-American Studies at Emory University. He is the author of several books including In Their Own Interests, Love On Trial (with HeidiArdizzone) and Defending Diversity (with Patricia Gurin and Jeffrey Lehman). He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

"First rate.... Readable.... Guarantee[s] the book a rating as a primary reference."--The Richmond Times-Dispatch"Kelley and Lewis have provided us with what amounts to the first new interpretation of African-American history for the twenty-first century.... They have raised the bar for the production of new work on African Americans."--Journal of Southern History"Sweeping in scope, this invaluable survey charts the transformation of Blacks from Africans into African Americans."--Emerge"Provides an intelligent introduction to the history's intricacies, divisions and accomplishments."--Publishers Weekly