If these young women represent the voice of the next generation, then there is hope! Carroll interviewed 50 young African American women; she selected 15 of her subjects to include in this volume. The book is a "nonfiction profile of young black girls in America between the ages of eleven and twenty years old." The participants spoke with honesty, wisdom, and promise, and articulated (some using more vernacular than others) their views on race, gender, and their future as black women in the U.S. So often the media profiles young women as an "underclass," particularly those from urban settings and underrepresented groups. Carroll proves definitively that these young woman are thinking (and wisely) about their realities both now and in the future. Carroll adds an epilogue that sums up some realities for young black women: "Black and white America have different codes of ethics. . . . We are not advocating segregation, nor are we black nationalist. We are loving folks and shouting out to one another because we need to." Lillian Lewis
From Kirkus Reviews
A vibrant collection of first-person narratives based on interviews with young African-American girls. Educator Carroll traveled the country, interviewing dozens of black girls between the ages of 11 and 20. The essence of 15 of these interviews makes up this brash and compelling oral history. While the book presents a wide range of voices from vastly different social and economic backgrounds, all of the subjects share a singular sense of independence, self-reliance, and pride. Fourteen-year-old Jo-Laine says, ``Being a part of black culture feels very good to me . . . and even though I know that no matter what I do or say, there will always be somebody who's going to try and put me down or make me feel like less of a person than they are, all I have to do is think about how far we've come.'' In their determination to succeed in a world buffeted by self-destruction and self-indulgence, sex is not something these girls take casually. Fourteen-year-old Latisha observes that the only thing many young men want is sex, ``and if we keep giving it to them, they gonna think they can get it anytime they want it. It's disrespectful.'' Religion seems to play a significant, positive role in the lives of these young women, providing strong support. Many of the interviewees have had considerable interaction with white people and express impressions ranging from distrust to genuine affection. Of particular interest is 20-year-old Sophie, who, like the author, was adopted into a white family. Having grown up among upper-middle-class whites, Sophie makes a conscious decision to marry a black man and immerse herself in his world. Carroll succeeds at both giving shape to these profiles and keeping the text convincingly real. Young black voices that move and enlighten. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Review
"An urgent dispatch from a group of girls who will not--and must not--be ignored. Carroll allows her subjects to tell their own, unfiltered stories, and they do: joyfully, painfully, and always powerfully."--Peggy Orenstein, author of School Girls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap
"A stunning achievement."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
From the Publisher
"An urgent dispatch from a group of girls who will not--and must not--be ignored. Carroll allows her subjects to tell their own, unfiltered stories, and they do: joyfully, painfully, and always powerfully."--Peggy Orenstein, author of School Girls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap
"A stunning achievement."--Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
From the Inside Flap
With raw candor, elicited by Rebecca Carroll's perceptive questioning, 15 black women between the ages of 11 and 18, from places as diverse as Brooklyn and Seattle, Alabama and Vermont, speak out about their inner and outer lives. What they say about identity, self-esteem, the role of race in their perceptions and treatment, personal values, and their hopes for the future is both enlightening and moving. 144 pp. National pubilcity. 15,000 print.
