About:
You Don’t Know Us Negroes by Zora Neale Hurston is a collection of essays that expand on topics such as African-American history and folklore, art, politics, race, and gender. The collection is spread out over five sections “On the Folk”, “On Art and Such”, “On Race and Gender”, “On Politics”, and “On the Trial of Ruby McCollum”. Each section is filled with Ms. Hurston’s beautiful prose and descriptive language.
Review:
Zora Neale Hurston’s imagery cannot be matched. I don’t know that I’ve ever read such passages that captured my senses. Ms. Hurston is so unapologetically Black in every essay and is clearly writing to an audience of her people. She is not at all concerned with the white gaze. These essays that were written so many generations ago are truly a breath of fresh air. Ms. Hurston’s words are for me and you that identify with the Black experience. We get a taste of Ms. Hurston’s vast talent as we are able to read various genres within this collection including fiction and nonfiction writing. There are times that I truly felt as though Ms. Hurston’s words could have been written today, she was a woman ahead of her time in terms of her vision as to what was happening to Black culture, specifically the way in which it was being watered down.
Ms. Hurston challenges us to embrace the real and imaginative creative work of Black people. Our rich history is nothing to be ashamed of – in spite of all of the tragedies befallen on Black people we have proven to be triumphant and excellent in every avenue that we are given the opportunity to pursue to the fullest extent.
Although, the collection is split into subjects, there is a chronological list of the essays so that you are able to read the essays in order – which could potentially give context to Ms. Hurston’s frame of mind as she wrote each essay.
This collection is truly powerful and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read more from Zora Neale Hurston or who is looking for authentic takes on Black culture and politics. Take a moment to open your mind to think and imagine
The Bootleg Book Club 