I maintain a fairly large library of hard copy books. I acquired most of them during my tenure at WAMO and the New Pittsburgh Courier. I love to read, and rarely will I throw away or give away a book. I was trying to purge a few books, and a friend was helping me. They told me to throw the books away, and I could find them or the information in the book on the internet. I am so glad that I did not throw my books away. Recently the current administration has removed historical information from the internet. I don’t understand how this can happen, but I am saving my books, and I encourage you to save yours as well. Here are a few books that I have saved, and if you have them, I recommend that you save yours as well. “A Great Moral and Social Force,” a history of Black Banks by Tim Todd. This is Todd’s eighth book examining banking history and follows the previously published “Let Us Put Our Money Together: The Founding of America’s First Black Banks,” which is also available from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. I am also holding on to “A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn. The book that I have covers history from 1492 to the Clinton presidency. Chapters two and nine cover drawing the color line and slavery without submission. One book that I am holding on to is actually a three-cassette set titled Pleading Our Own Cause: The Black Press in America. Oddly enough, the program was made possible by the Philip Morris Company, Inc. Another book that is near and dear to my heart is “I Was Right on Time” by Buck O’Neal. O’Neal was a guest on my talk show and has since passed away. He was a player in the Negro Leagues, a former all-star player and manager for the Kansas City Monarchs. He was the first African American to hold a coaching position in Major League Baseball. These books are treasures. If you have a personal library with historic books, hold on to them.
Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com
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