Testimony: Young African-Americans on Self-Discovery and Black Identity

In this collection, young black writers, primarily recent college graduates like editor Tarpley (of Harvard), offer poetry and essays on subjects personal, political and cultural. Though several are self-indulgent or pretentious, most should speak to the authors' peers. As with many young writers, especially those bearing the brunt of racism, grievances-about prejudice, inequality and ghetto pain-dominate. The topics of love, family and friends generate more nuanced pieces, including Paitra Russell's criticism of sexist black men: ``I am you: black, strong, and determined, but infinitely tired.'' The section on education includes Toure's thoughtful account of his struggle for identity on campus: ``We share a history but react individually.'' Hip-hop tales and debates dominate the section on art and aesthetics, unfortunately hinting that black college students don't look beyond the beat. Better are reflections like Faith Adiele's first exposure to the Jackson Five and John Frazier's thoughts on being black and gay. A final section mixes some loopiness-Cecil Gray's Afrocentric paradigms-with wiser words from Jelani Cobb Jr., on the intersection of black pop culture and politics, and Samuel Frederick Reynolds on the anti-ideological legacy of Malcolm X. (Jan.)