The University of Kansas Libraries

               The name of this book collection is Black Fire: Art/Leadership/Protest Writings of the 60s/70s. The focus of this collection is paperback texts from the 1960s and 1970s (however I did include a few reprints). I focused on this era because of its importance to me. Throughout college, I have embraced a number of different ideologies and methods of understanding. More importantly, I want to display the wide array of thinkers during this time. Black Fire represents a particular phase of inquiry that I embrace and critique. I firmly believe that one has to be critical of the things they care about. That said, Black Fire is a supplement to my personal and intellectual growth through college.

               Growing up, my mother told me a saying she picked up as a child: "If you want to hide something from a black person put it in a book." She told me that growing up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama would leave some people feeling that way and she didn't want me to fall victim to such logic. As time went on, she encouraged me to read and explore various types of literature from Dean Koontz novels to the encyclopedia. I was officially "that guy" with the useless knowledge. I didn't, and still, don't mind that title. Eventually, my love for reading was specific to anything fictional. When I decided to go to college I figured I should begin reading more academic texts and engaging myself in research-like subject matter. I began college in 2003, but ironically my education didn't start until the following year. I attended public lectures from leaders like Lani Gunier and Louis Farrakhan. These were part of my attempt to understand the broad field of African American Studies. Events like the Farrakhan speech ushered me into a period of black consciousness. I embraced rhetoric of the Black Panther Party and various other Pan-Afrikan ideals, hoping they would lay the intellectual foundation I so desperately wanted. During this time, I began purchasing books like Soul on Ice, When the Word is Given, and Look Out Whitey! These books are important to me because they represent my initial encounters with black empowerment literature. While I may not agree with all of the content, I appreciate the period of history they help me understand.

              My search for books is always an adventure. Most of the books in this collection come from used book stores and close friends. My favorite bookstores have piles of paperbacks and odd stacks of material marked with penciled prices and home-made labels on the shelves. They reek of countercultural nostalgia and hidden gems of knowledge. These stores can be found everywhere. In the Kansas City area, I purchase books from various stores in the Westport area. While doing a research project in Minneapolis a couple of years ago, I found the Book House. This store bombards you with books from the jump. I remember walking in and seeing piles upon piles of books. The stairway was no exception. Places like this have an essence that defies barcodes and retail value. When I enter a bookstore, I just browse. Once in a blue moon I might look for something particular, but I generally like to exploration.

             When I decided to construct a mini-library; I knew I would catalogue my protest paperbacks (as I affectionately call them) first. I slowly combed through my other random purchases and intellectual branches to claim a space for my portable propaganda. Many of the spaces seemed a little too large, so I cleared a small bookshelf next to my bed placed each text on the shelf. I thought it very fitting to place remnants of my past, both personal and cultural, next to my bed. That way, I am able to randomly grab them, throw them in my bag and take off. Over the past few years, these books have changed my life. I've gained a better appreciation for my past and it's preservation through these books. Recently, I branched the collection out and included magazines from this period. The three featured in this collection are Look, Ebony, and Life. I am fascinated by visual culture and these magazines not only have amazing stories, but they feature amazing photography that are of great importance to Black Fire.

              In the future, I plan to expand this collection. I would like to incorporate more memoirs and photos from the era, as well as magazines. Although I have left the Black Nationalism school of thought, I still look for positive elements espoused by its leading proponents. I begin graduate school this fall and I my selection criteria are loosely based on the school's proximity to used bookstores. As the collection grows, I am able to share it with those close to me and anyone who has an interest. I just hope that others see my passions about books and feed off the positive vibes, for Black Fire truly represents my search for identity and a progressive foundation of knowledge.