As Black History Month 2011 begins, I thought back to some of the books I read last year on the topic -- and a few that I missed. Here's a short list of recommendations, including two favorites, bios of Louis Armstrong and Willie Mays, who lived through the Civil Rights era but stayed mostly on the sidelines of the major upheavals. Still, their stories provided insight into the turmoil gripping America in those days. (I don't have a good book on the topic on my nightstand right now, so suggestions are welcome.)
"Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend" by James S. Hirsch.
"Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong" by Terry Teachout.
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot.
"The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson.
"The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore.
Enjoy!