What Every Black Parent Needs to Know About Saving Our Sons

Marita Golden is an accomplished author of dozens of critically acclaimed novels and nonfiction works, including The Strong Black Woman. She is also the co-founder of The Hurston/Wright Foundation, an American literary nonprofit organization that provides workshops, classes, support, and community for talented and successful Black writers. During her teaching career, she has taught creative writing at numerous colleges and universities, including Johns Hopkins University and Virginia Commonwealth University. Marita is the recipient of many esteemed writing and literary activism awards, such as the International Literary Hall of Fame of Writers of African Descent Inductee (Gwendolyn Brooks Center at Chicago State University), the Barnes and Noble Writers for Writers Award (Poets and Writers), and the Distinguished Service Award (Authors Guild). Currently, as a masterful creative writing coach and literary consultant, Marita spends her time coaching burgeoning and seasoned authors through the necessary stages of fear and anxiety in the creative process.

“Marita Golden’s Saving Our Sons was revelatory when first published and remains so today. Saving Our Sons is a superb mother’s, artist’s, teacher’s, and community activist’s love story of her son and by extension, all Black sons. This is a book that provides life lessons for our daughters too. Saving Our Sons is critical as a guide, motivator, love-note, and an avenue into lifesaving discussions of the heart for all Black children.”—Haki R. Madhubuti, founder of Third World Press and author of Black Men: Obsolete, Single, Dangerous (1991) and Taught By Women: Poems As Resistance Language New and Selected (2020)“It is always heartening to see women step up to the writer's table. When the results are as adroit and affecting as Marita Golden's work, it is more than satisfying; it is a cause for celebration.”—Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate“Marita Golden has captured the special pain that shadows the joy of Black parenthood in these turbulent times. Elegantly written, this book is a breakthrough.”—Chicago Tribune“A wonderful storyteller, an uncompromising mind, Marita Golden explores theAfrican-American experience in a completely original way.”—Newsweek“In this book, Marita reminds us why every black parent should be vigilant and intentional in considering how to steer young black boys—and girls as well—through the precarious passage to adulthood. Saving Our Sons is disturbingly relevant in this, the twenty-first century. It’s a compelling read.”—Nathan McCall, author of Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young Black Man in America"One of the most important pieces of literature for Black parents."—MJ Fievre, author of Raising Confident Black Kids

• ContentsAuthor’s PrefaceAcknowledgementsCalling My NameTrouble the WatersAn Acquaintance with GriefSoon One MorningEpilogueThe Dead Call Us to RememberAbout the Author