Since 1926, Pelican Publishing Company has been committed to publishing books of quality and permanence that enrich the lives of those who read them.
Black History Month
Black History Month is celebrated every February
The son of former slaves, Mathew “Bones” Hooks left home at the age of twelve to pursue the rough-and-tumble life of a cowboy, during which he rubbed shoulders with other legends such as Col. Charles Goodnight. After his retirement, he devoted himself to civic and social improvements in Amarillo. Mr. Hooks’s achievements included being the first black man to serve on a grand jury in Texas, founding the first black church in the Texas Panhandle, and establishing North Heights, a black community where members were free to purchase property.
The African-American buffalo soldiers, nicknamed by the Cheyenne Indians because of their curly hair and bravery, joined the six black regiments commissioned by an act of Congress in 1866. These men, many of whom were former slaves, enlisted in the army to earn a steady income, acquire an education, and gain respect.
It has been estimated that approximately four hundred women disguised themselves as men to join the Buffalo soldiers; however, only one case has been documented. Cathy Williams enlisted as William Cathay and served for two years before anyone discovered she was a woman. To this day, the former slave is the first documented woman to serve in the United States Military.
The little boy Clarence Thomas grew up in segregated Pinpoint, Georgia. Though children at school teased him for his appearance, he soon learned that hard work, a good education, and faith would take him into a world where true fighters never raise a fist.
This volume includes some 90 color photographs of her work, a detailed biography, a summary of critical commentaries, and a list of exhibits and permanent collections that exhibit her work. Hardcover.
Once called the Place de Nègres, Congo Square fostered the growth of jazz and modern dance, while boosting the local economy. Nestled at the foot of the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium on Rampart Street, just outside the French Quarter, the Square is an iconic component of the city. This insightful examination details the history of the area from its roots in the French Colonial period to the present day.
Did you know that Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable founded what was to become Chicago? That Charles Richard Drew invented a method of preserving plasma for blood transfusions? Or that Phyllis Wheatley wrote a poem about George Washington, and as a result was invited to meet him? Hardcover.
Covering issues of civil rights, sports, education, and the arts, Famous Firsts of Black Women: 2nd Edition is a detailed account of courageous and daring black women who have changed the course of American history. Featuring twenty women, it describes the triumphs of these heroines, together with the obstacles they faced. This collection of biographies describes their lives from as far back as the 1700s right up to the present day.
Featuring forty-one vibrant black and white photographs and illustrations, this book includes details of Gordon Parks’ life and his work. Included are his photographs of the poor, stylish Parisian models, and the Civil Rights movement.
Beginning in 1812, this fictional biography follows the life of Henriette Delille, a free woman of color who founded the Sisters of the Holy Family. This examination recounts her spiritual journey and struggle to break free from French Quarter society, despite her family’s protests. Instead, she chose to focus on the needs of the less fortunate, teaching such principles as chastity and obedience, until her death in 1862.
The queen of gospel and a symbol of integrity, Mahalia Jackson was the embodiment of an era. Accurate, well-researched, and rich with the music, faith, people, and events that sparked the spirit of the time, Just Mahalia, Baby is a fast-paced and engaging biography. Paperback.
Born in 1923, Chase is a living legend known for popularizing Creole cuisine, an advocate for African American equality, and an outspoken voice in politics. While contributing to both the black and white communities of New Orleans, she raised four children, grieved the loss of a daughter, and survived a bombing during the Civil Rights era. Based on her own words, and reflections of others, this biography, which is narrated by her, reveals Leah Chase—a woman of integrity, talent, and ambition. Four Audio CDs, read by Leah Chase.
When people think of New Orleans, they envision the complex ironwork of balcony railings in the French Quarter or the delicate lacelike gates of the city’s cemeteries. It is the city’s florid ironwork that gives New Orleans its unmatched, memorable beauty. But few people realize that most of this ironwork was created in the antebellum South—the golden age of Southern culture—by black slaves. Paperback.
The ancient Greeks excluded women from the Olympics. When the modern games were reinstated in 1896, the ban was continued. But in the next Olympiad in 1900, women were included. It was not until 1932 that the first African-American women were selected to participate in the Olympics in Los Angeles, California. Since that eventful year, more and more black women have participated in the Olympics. Now they compete in all areas of track and field, tennis, basketball, rowing, volleyball, and figure skating. Hardcover.
Solomon Northup, a family man and hack driver in upstate New York, was kidnapped, whisked away from his home, and sold into slavery. His remarkable account of the epic journey from free man of color to slave to free man again is even more astonishing because it was written entirely from memory. Paperback.
Many black neighborhoods in New Orleans are perceived by outsiders as areas of decay. However, to photographer Michael P. Smith, these neighborhoods remain the preserves of a rich cultural heritage. Paperback.
On the first warm and sunny day of the year, Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School principal Sharon Riggs needs one more substitute teacher. Victor Kennedy, the father of the school’s secretary, agrees to teach the seventh-grade American-history class for the day and tells the students about the Tuskegee Airmen. During World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen were the first black men allowed into combat, flying over 1,500 missions over the course of the war and winning a significant battle against segregation at home. Hardcover.