A personal account of an African-American professor's mid-life experiences when he decides to grow dreadlocks, with a cultural and political history of dreadlocks.

The co-founder of VerySmartBrothas.com presents a provocative and humorous memoir-in-essays that explores the direct impact of racism on his life, the shifting definition of black male identity, and the ongoing realities of white supremacy.

"Cops, politicians, and ordinary people are afraid of black men. The result is the Chokehold: laws and practices that treat every African American man like a thug. In this explosive new book, an African American former federal prosecutor shows that the system is working exactly the way it's supposed to. Black men are always under watch, and police violence is widespread--all with the support of judges and politicians. In his no-holds-barred style,...

Ray Charles was born in a poor predominantly black town in central Florida. He went blind at the age of 7. With the staunch support of his determined single mother, he developed a fierce resolve. He had wit and incredible talent which would eventually enable him to overcome not only Jim Crow racism and the cruel prejudices against the blind, but also discover his own sound which revolutionized American popular music. Nonetheless, as Ray's unprecedented...