A compelling story of agency, survival, struggle and triumph over adversity

More than any other text, The African-American Odyssey illuminates the central place of African-Americans in U.S. history by telling the story of what it has meant to be black in America and how African-American history is inseparably woven into the greater context of American history.

From Africa to the 21^st century, this book follows the long and turbulent journey of African-Americans, the rich culture they have nurtured throughout their history and the quest for freedom through which African-Americans have sought to counter oppression and racism. This text also recognizes the diversity within the African-American sphere, providing coverage of class and gender and balancing the lives of ordinary men and women with accounts of black leaders and the impact each has had on the struggle for freedom.