We return fighting World War I and the shaping of modern Black identity

Published by Smithsonian Books to complement an exhibit on WW I at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, this beautifully illustrated volume is organized in three main chapters interspersed with essays on specific topics. The three primary chapters provide a very broad overview of the causes of the war, trace the roots of the Civil Rights Movement to African Americans' wartime experiences, and describe life during and after the war. Seven shorter essays cover topics such as "Gold Star Mothers" and "The New Negro and Paris Noir." All content is presented in a highly readable style designed for the general public, with photographs and illustrations on almost every page. Especially commendable is the attention given to Black women, who are featured in many of the photographs and about half of the essays. The book includes a foldout timeline that spans several pages and a short bibliography to encourage further reading. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers and lower-division undergraduates. --DeeDee Baldwin, Mississippi State University Libraries