I'm not sure how to classify this. It is history, poetry, short stories, essays and excerpts from larger works. There is a lot here to digest. I feel my privilege in that I can now pick up something lighter to escape whereas African American's don't have the luxury of changing their skin color to experience a kinder gentler world. There is a lot of exceptional writing here. I was glad to be introduced to some wonderful authors. A lot of the content is heartbreaking. I was sorry not to find some joy, but I think I understand why. I found Norton's Anthology of Literature by Women much easier to read even though it is about the same length. Perhaps because as a woman I could more easily understand the perspective. This was a great education and a great challenge. ( )