In What is African American History? Dagbovie offers a brief but thorough overview of the field of African-American history, starting from its beginnings in the nineteenth century through its development into a thriving subfield within American history today. In five succinct chapters, Dagbovie traces the movement of African-American history from the margins to the mainstream of the historical profession, the evolution of theoretical approaches and sub-specialties within the field throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the vitality and theoretical innovations of African-American women’s history, and the importance of history in the interdisciplinary field of Black Studies. Designed as an introductory text for advanced undergraduates or graduate students, this book provides a helpful overview of the most important works and debates in African-American history, past and present.
Dagbovie traces the beginnings of the field to the work of three early pioneers—George Washington Williams, the author of History of the Negro Race...