Hokum An Anthology of African-American Humor

by Beatty, Paul

• ISBN13: 9781582344348
• ISBN10: 1582344345
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-01-10
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Summary

Selected and introduced by acclaimed novelist and poet Paul Beatty,Hokumis a liberating, eccentric, savagely comic collection of the funniest writing by black Americans. This book is less a comprehensive collection of African-American humor than a mix-tape narrative dubbed by a trusted frienda sampler of underground classics, rare grooves, and timeless summer jams, poetry and prose juxtaposed with the blues, hip-hop, political speeches, and the world's funniest radio sermon. The subtle musings of Toni Cade Bambara, Henry Dumas, and Harryette Mullen are bracketed by the profane and often loud ruminations of Langston Hughes, Darius James, Wanda Coleman, Tish Benson, Steve Cannon, and Hattie Gossett. Some of the funniest writers don't write, so included are selections from well-known yet unpublished wits Lightnin' Hopkins, Mike Tyson, and the Reverend Al Sharpton. Selections also come from public figures and authors whose humor, although incisive and profound, is often overlooked: Malcolm X, Suzan-Lori Parks, Zora Neale Hurston, Sojourner Truth, and W.E.B. Dubois. Groundbreaking, fierce, and hilarious, this is a necessary anthology for any fan or student of American writing, with a huge range and a smart, political grasp of the uses of humor.

Author Biography

Paul Beatty is the author of two novels, Tuff and The White Boy Shuffle, and two books of poetry, Big Bank Take Little Bank and Joker, Joker, Deuce. He lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Pissed off to the highest degree of pisstivity
"And a'n't I a Woman?" (1851)	p. 17
"On Being Crazy" (1923)	p. 19
"'Possum or Pig?" (1926)	p. 22
"Let Me at the Enemy-an' George Brown" (1944)	p. 24
"Message to the Grass Roots" (1963)	p. 37
"Pose-Outs" (1965)	p. 40
"Cadillac Blues" (performed 1968)	p. 43
from Die, Nigger, Die! (1969)	p. 47
from The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1969)	p. 60
"April 15th 1985" (c. 1985)	p. 71
"Identifying Marks" (c. 1985)	p. 72
"On that Stuff That Ain't Nevah Been Long Enuff for No Damn Body" (c. 1985)	p. 74
"yo daddy: an 80s version of the dozens" (1988)	p. 76
"Wise 1" (1995)	p. 82
"The Cab Driver Who Ripped Me Off" (1977)	p. 83
"Fifth-Ward E-Mail" (2003)	p. 86
Presidential campaign speech delivered to the San Francisco Commonwealth Club (2003)	p. 92
The Wit and Wisdom of Mike Tyson (1987-2004)	p. 98
(nothing serious) just buggin'
"When De Co'n Pone's Hot" (1895)	p. 107
"How Fried?" (1913)	p. 109
Assorted jokes compiled by Alex Rogers (1918)	p. 111
"The City of Refuge" (1925)	p. 115
"The Bone of Contention" (c. 1929)	p. 130
from Black No More (1931)	p. 140
"Brer Rabbit, You's de Cutes' of 'Em All" (1935)	p. 156
"Slim in Atlanta" (1932)	p. 158
"Slim Lands a Job?" (1932)	p. 160
"Crispus Attucks McKoy" (1965)	p. 162
"at the hairdresser's" (1945)	p. 166
"One reason cats..." (1968)	p. 167
"a song in the front yard" (1945)	p. 168
"Adventure" (c. 1962)	p. 169
"Clay Comes Out to Meet Liston" (1963)	p. 171
"Double Nigger" (1965)	p. 173
from Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down (1969)	p. 184
"The Lesson" (1972)	p. 191
"Dark Prophecy: I Sing of Shine" (1973)	p. 199
"Memo #9" (1973)	p. 201
"Rehabilitation & Treatment in the Prisons of America" (1973)	p. 202
"Sands of Blood," from The Cowboy Wally Show (1988)	p. 203
from Do the Right Thing (1989)	p. 224
"Boy Sneezes, Head Explodes" (1991)	p. 240
"Lil' Black Zambo," from Negrophobia (1992)	p. 242
"Return of the Funky Man" (1992)	p. 247
"The Only One" (1994)	p. 251
In the Park After School with the Girl & the Boy (1994)	p. 262
"Talk Radio, D.C." (1996)	p. 283
from Good Fences (1999)	p. 284
from Erasure (2001)	p. 287
from John Henry Days (2001)	p. 289
"Should Old Shit Be Forgot" (2003)	p. 295
Black absurdity
"Book of Harlem" (c. 1921)	p. 301
"Dirty Deceivers" (1948)	p. 306
from Invisible Man (1952)	p. 310
from The Wig (1966)	p. 315
"Abomunist Manifesto" (1965)	p. 321
"Heavy Water Blues" (1967)	p. 323
from The Life and Loves of Mr. Jiveass Nigger (1969)	p. 326
from Groove, Bang and Jive Around (1969)	p. 332
from Oreo (1974)	p. 360
"Be Black, Brother, Be Black"	p. 378
"Disneyland High" (1977)	p. 379
from Platitudes (1988)	p. 382
"Any Lit" (1991)	p. 395
"Jinglejangle" (1991)	p. 397
"Kamasutra Sutra" (1991)	p. 404
"Souvenir from Anywhere" (1991)	p. 405
Devotees in the Garden of Love (1991)	p. 406
"Nigger-Reecan Blues" (1996)	p. 427
"The Mulatto Millennium" (1998)	p. 429
"How to Be a Street Poet" (1999)	p. 440
from "Froggie Chocolates' Christmas Eve" (2003)	p. 443
"I Am What I Am" (date unknown)	p. 453
"Swollen Feets" (date unknown)	p. 455
Contributor Notes	p. 457
Acknowledgments	p. 463
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