I Hear My People Singing: Voices of African American Princeton

I Hear My People Singing is a groundbreaking history of the legacies of slavery in an elite Northern town, told by its Black residents. The book explores the intertwined roots of the African American community with Princeton, the university, and the history of the United States, the legacies of slavery, and current conversations on race. It features candid accounts from over fifty Black residents, covering Jim Crow segregation, school integration, World Wars I and II, and the struggles for equal opportunities and civil rights. Despite obstacles, African American residents have created a flourishing neighborhood, showcasing resilience and ingenuity. The book provides a personal account of the injustices faced by generations of Black Princetonians and highlights their remarkable achievements.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 24 August 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

I Hear My People Singing is a captivating and groundbreaking history of the legacies of slavery in an elite Northern town, as told by its Black residents. The book shines a light on a small but historic Black neighborhood at the heart of Princeton, New Jersey, one of the most elite and world-renowned Ivy-League towns. The vivid first-person accounts of more than fifty Black residents detail aspects of their lives throughout the twentieth century, showcasing the deep intertwining of the African American community with the town and university, as well as the history of the United States, the legacies of slavery, and the nation's current conversations on race.

Drawn from an oral history collaboration with residents of the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, Princeton undergraduates, and their professor, Kathryn Watterson, neighbors speak candidly about Jim Crow segregation, the consequences of school integration, World Wars I and II, and the struggles for equal opportunities and civil rights. Despite three centuries of legal and economic obstacles, African American residents have created a flourishing, ethical, and humane neighborhood in which to raise their children, care for the sick and elderly, worship, stand their ground, and celebrate life.

The book is abundantly filled with photographs, personalizing the injustices faced by generations of Black Princetonians, including the famed Paul Robeson. The introductions to each chapter provide historical context, as does the foreword by noted scholar, theologian, and activist Cornel West.

An intimate testament of the Black community's resilience and ingenuity, I Hear My People Singing adds a never-before-compiled account of poignant Black experiences to the historical record. The book serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality and the remarkable achievements of the African American community in the face of adversity.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 148 x 210 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691227290