Black Genius: Inspirational Portraits of African-American Leaders
By (Author) Dick Russell
Skyhorse Publishing
Skyhorse Publishing
11th February 2026
1st January 2026
United States
General
Non Fiction
History of the Americas
973.0496073
Paperback
552
Width 152mm, Height 229mm, Spine 152mm
523g
Intimate, in-depth portraits, interviews, and essays of America's black leadersfrom the founding of the nation and Frederick Douglass to the 2008 presidential race and Barack Obama. Each figure is interconnected with the next, exploring themes of family and intergenerational community, spirituality, and diligence, activism, and struggle. These remarkable portraits reveal the true spirit of the American pioneers who forged much of the heart of this nation, but whose achievements have been largely overlooked.
New York Times bestselling author Dick Russell examines the lives of musicians, civil rights leaders, philosophers, writers, and actors including Duke Ellington, Will Marion Cook, Louis Armstrong, Wynton Marsalis, Albert Murray, Ralph Ellison, Toni Morrison, and Romare Bearden. Concluding with a list of sources and suggested reading, this fascinating and vibrant look at American history is a must for any collection.
Dick Russell is the author of thirteen books, including four New York Times best-sellers with former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura. A veteran investigative journalist, his Eye of the Whale was named a "Best Book of the Year" by three major newspapers. Splitting his time between Boston, Massachusetts, and Los Angeles, California, Russell's most recent published work is Climate In Crisis with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.