Overview

A powerful meditation on the trauma of race-based violence and the potential of the rising generation of young adults, from Pulitzer-prize finalist author and poet In the midst of civil unrest in the summer of 2020 and following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, one of the great literary voices of our time, Elizabeth Alexander, turned a mother's eye to her sons' and students' generation and wrote a celebrated and moving reflection on the psyche of young Black America. Originally published in the New Yorker, the essay brilliantly and lovingly observed the experiences, attitudes, and cultural expressions of the Trayvon Generation, who even as children could not be shielded from the brutality that has affected the lives of so many Black people. The Trayvon Generation expounds on the viral essay which spoke so resonantly to this historical moment, looking both to our past and our future with profound insight and heart, and interwoven with groundbreaking art by some of our most extraordinary Black artists. At this crucial time in American history when we reckon with who we are as a nation and how we move forward, Alexander's lyrical prose gives us perspective--informed by historical understanding, her lifelong devotion to education, and an intimate grasp of the visioning power of art. This book is essential reading, a breathtaking expression of both the tragedies and hopes of this era that is sure to be embraced by those who are leading the movement for change and anyone rising to meet the moment.

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9781668608548

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Reviews

This is a powerful treatise on the humanity of Black Americans and how it has been denied, how generations of people have persisted despite that fact, and how it continues to be one of the most pressing issues we face as a nation. A dynamic critique on the sprawling effects of racism and its effects on today's youth. -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The Trayvon Generation is definitely essential reading for every generation. -- Cosmopolitan Alexander deftly blends family history and cultural criticism in this bittersweet essay collection on race, memory, and memorialization...Alexander is a thoughtful and eloquent chronicler of racial anxiety and pain. -- Booklist (starred review) Capturing the rich spectrum of Black culture in America, Alexander offers hope and instruction for younger generations. The result is a thought-provoking must-read. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) This is a powerful treatise on the humanity of Black Americans and how it has been denied...one of the most pressing issues we face as a nation. A dynamic critique on the sprawling effects of racism and its effects on today's youth. -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Author Information

Elizabeth Alexander is an American poet, essayist, and playwright. She is the inaugural Frederick Iseman Professor of Poetry and a Thomas E. Donnelley Professor of African American Studies at Yale University. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in poetry in 2005, and in 2010 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in poetry by the AnisfieldWolf Book Awards. Elizabeth Alexander is an American poet, essayist, and playwright. She is the inaugural Frederick Iseman Professor of Poetry and a Thomas E. Donnelley Professor of African American Studies at Yale University. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in poetry in 2005, and in 2010 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in poetry by the AnisfieldWolf Book Awards.

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