Kindle Experiences

One of the biggest delights I've derived from my Kindle is the discovery of old, out-of-print and forgotten books that I never even knew existed. I knew before I bought the Kindle that books in the public domain were free or virtually so, but I didn't anticipate how frequently I would come across entirely new discoveries.

My most recent find that fits in that category is The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, written by James Weldon Johnson in 1912 and published anonymously. It was reissued in 1927 by Knopf with Johnson's name. Despite the title, it is fiction, although it probably draws heavily on Johnson's personal experience. The question of fiction or non-fiction hardly matters; it is a great book of American history. I was going to write Black American history, but Black American history is American history. The author steps out of the narrative and makes important social observations about Blacks in the America of 1912.

James Weldon Johnson was a fascinating man. He authored several books of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Until the advent of "We Shall Overcome," his poem "Lift Every Voice and Sing," set to music by his brother, was generally considered the Black National Anthem. He was a US diplomat, serving in Venezuela and Nicaragua. He was the first black man to hold a leadership position in the NAACP (in 1920 believe it or not!). He was an important promoter of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. And my favorite tidbit: Johnson is honored with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA) on June 25. Gawd bless Wikipedia. Check it out.