Yes, it’s that time of year. You know, that time of year when you realize that having a lot of good friends and family has its benefits and its costs. :)
Gift-giving is an art form, in my opinion. I don’t like to give gift cards to my family members and closest friends. I think that’s just plain lazy. I prefer to give them gifts that signal I had something special about them in mind when I purchased their gifts. 50% of the time, I give books. 25% of the time, I give CDs or DVDs. 10% of the time, I give food. 10% of the time, I give gadgets, art, tools, clothes, games, toys, spirits, or professional accessories. And 5% of the time, often reluctantly and by request, I give away gift cards.
The gifts I give away to my Black friends are often different from the gifts I give away to my other friends. I try to promote Black authors, especially young Black scholars, Black-owned businesses, pro-Black ideas, and Black cultural traditions, such as pro-Black Hip Hop, when I give them gifts.
Below are a few of my recommendations for the 2007 gift-giving season that might help you decide what to give a few of your Black friends and family.
Please share some of your 2007 gift ideas in the comments thread. I’m always looking for interesting gift ideas.
Books for College-Educated Black Friends Who Read at Least a Dozen Books Per Year
Africana, Henry Louis Gates and Kwame Anthony Appiah
This is the pricey 2005 5-volume edition, but it is worth every penny and every Black family that can afford it should have it.
W.E.B. Du Bois Writings (Library of America Edition), W.E.B. Du Bois
James Baldwin Collected Essays (Library of America Edition), James Baldwin
If one of your college-educated Black friends doesn’t have copies of these two books, then be a good friend and give him or her copies.
In a Shade of Blue, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.
My vote for best Black-authored book published in 2007.
Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour, Peniel E. Joseph
I’ve read half of this one. It’s an outstanding history of the Black Power Institution.
Reparations, Alfred L. Brophy
This is the very best primer on the reparations debate.
CDs for Black Friends Who’d Like to Have Some New Pro-Black Hip Hop in Their CD Changers or MP3 Players
Hood Treason, NYOIL
This is like the Hip-Hop I grew up on.
The Talented Timothy Taylor, Wise Intelligent
If this album went platinum, the world would be a much, much better place for Black folks.
The Return from Mecca, X-Clan
Yes, they are back. Yes, the album is bangin’.
Hip Hop Lives, KRS-One and Marley Marl
KRS-One and Marley Marl.
DVDs for Black Friends Who Might Need a Friendly Reminder
500 Years Later, Owen ‘Alik Shahadah
Every Black family should see this.
Killer of Sheep, Charles Burnett
I met Burnett, watched a few of his films, and had a chance to ask him a few questions this week. “Killer of Sheep” is a work of genius.
Shockumentary Collection Vol. 2, Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi
These films pull no punches. Read the film descriptions closely before you buy this collection.
Special Gift
See “Support a Black Business.”
9 Comments
I just struck gold. Thanks E.C.
I’m going to buy people blog accounts for a year this christmas. That may be another great gift we can give to each other - the power of self-expression and contribution to the blogospher.
“Shockumentary Collection Vol. 2″
EC. come on now…a holiday gift?
“EC. come on now…a holiday gift?”
Yeah, you’re right. I probably should not have included it on the list. It’s not your average stocking stuffer. But many of us know at least one person who probably should watch it.
The Teaching Company
We’ve puchased at least two-dozen Teaching Company courses for our family, our friends, and local community organizations and libraries during the past four years. We often loan our home copies out to folks. These courses are outstanding high school- or undergraduate college-level introductions to a wide variety of subjects.
I highly recommend the following courses:
African Experience: From “Lucy” to Mandela, by Kenneth P. Vickery
I listened to this course over a few weeks while driving back and forth to class. It was a great recap for me. And, I learned more than a few new things.
Story of Human Language, by John McWhorter.
This is an outstanding introduction to linguistics. McWhorter, the linguist, is far superior to McWhorter, the cultural critic and quasi-political scientist, in my opinion.
Great Ideas of Psychology, by Daniel Robinson
After I had loaned this course to him for a few months, one of the young Black men I mentored decided to major in psychology.
Change and Motion: Calculus Made Clear, 2nd Edition, by Michael Starbird
This course helped my daughter with her calculus studies last year. Sometimes it helps to learn the same stuff from different teachers.
Argumentation: The Study of Effective Reasoning, 2nd Edition, by David Zarefsky
There are plenty of folks I’d like to give a copy of this course to. It’s an outstanding introduction to argumentation theory and practice.
I’m sending a blog comment with my phone for the first time. I’m here waiting on my coffee at Starbucks. I usually get my coffee elsewhere, but I really like Starbucks’ eggnog latte, and it’s seasonal. On sale here is a book by Marcus Samuelsson (Ethiopian chef from New York’s AQUAVIT), Discovery of a Continent Foods, Flavors, and Inspirations From Africa. A few Tucson friends of mine worked with Samuelson on his Starbucks deals, and I was reminded of that when I saw his book. Well, my latte is ready now.
The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa, by Marcus Samuelsson
I just checked with online booksellers, and learned of Marcus Samuelsson’s The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa. After taking a peek at the book’s website, I determined this hardcover book is better than the paperback I saw at Starbucks (see comment #6) about a half hour ago. So, this morning I’ll be buying a copy for my family and a few copies for Black friends who are students of food.
Flavorbank
If it will not cause you to go over budget for the particular family member’s or friend’s gift, you might to give him or her some spices Marc Samulesson uses in addition to one of the Sameulsson books I mentioned in comments #6 and #7. A collection of Samuelsson-indorsed spices are available through my friend’s Flavorbank here.
My wife and I started using a few of these spices, especially the Berbere Spice (I use this stuff on just about everything I cook these days, even my quick stir fry dishes) and the Ras Al-Hanout Spice, last year. And our home-dining experiences have improved markedly since then.
Africentric/Afrocentric Fine (Visual) Art
A fellow commentator over at Blackprof recommends the following websites to admirers of Afrocentric fine art (See Musings for Thanksgiving Dinner, Comment #6). If you want to buy prints and have them framed for your family or friends this holiday season, then you might want to check these websites out.
Kibuuka
Africancolours
Daniel Njoroge, at Insided African Art
Tobias Alern “Rix” Butama, at African Painters