Participants

Allen Ballard  

Steven Leibo   

Reid Mitchell  

William Rainbolt  


Essays

Essay by Allen Ballard   

Essay by Steven Leibo 

Essay by Reid Mitchell  

Essay by William Rainbolt  


Guest Essay

Essay by Thomas Mallon  


Discussion


Writing samples 

Moses Rose  
by William Rainbolt  

A Man Under Authority   
by Reid Mitchell  

Carried by Six
by Allen Ballard 
 

Tienkuo: The Heavenly Kingdom   
by Steven Leibo  


Comments 

Content  

Form 
 
  
a virtual conference session   

Allen B. Ballard aballard@csc.albany.edu  

Allen B. Ballard, Professor of History and Africana Studies at SUNY-Albany, holds an undergraduate degree from Kenyon College in Ohio and a Ph.D. in government from Harvard University. He taught political science at City College of New York for many years and served as University Dean of Faculty for CUNY for several of those years. 

Dr. Ballard has published two nonfiction books, The Education of Black People (Harper and Row, 1973) and One More Day’s Journey: The Story of a Family and a People (McGraw-Hill, 1984),. His articles have appeared in scholarly and popular journals, including the New York Times Magazine. A novel, Carried by Six (CGS Communications), is under review. 

From comments/reviews, One More Day’s Journey
"I recommend it highly. Dramatic and revealing of much that has been omitted from so-called official versions of our nation’s history." --Ralph Ellison, author, Invisible Man
"A vivid evocation of an important chapter in Afro-American history." --Nell Irvin Painter, Professor of History, Princeton University. 
"A good ear, clear eye, and sustained empathy during his sojourns in Philadelphia and South Carolina have enabled Mr. Ballard to interweave large social changes with the voices of ordinary people who participated in them. The effect is often startling." David Lewis, Pulitzer Prize Winner, Professor of History, Rutgers University, in The New York Times

Advance praise for Carried by Six
"A memorable novel that is a fast-paced, page-turning story of a black community determined to rid itself of the drug-driven plague of crime and violence. The book speaks to the tribulations of our times, but it is at heart a book of hope for African-Americans. Ballard writes with passion and conviction of the power of ordinary men and women to do extraordinary things when family, friends, and community decide enough is enough. It is a book that entertains, ennobles, and inspires!"--Darlene Clark Hine, John A. Hannah Professor of History, Michigan State University. 
"Allen Ballard is a lively and engaging writer whose vivid prose brings his characters to life with enthusiasm and humanity."--The Hon. David N. Dinkins, former Mayor of New York City. 
"An explosive tale and very well told. I can think of no other book like it in the history of African-American literature.... I heartily recommend this book to all. It will keep you up nights reading."--H. Patrick Swygert, President, Howard University. 

 

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