In their long history, African Americans have created a rich, complex, and highly diverse culture. A History of the African American People makes available more than a generation of scholarship written by some of the most distinguished historians in America. Their work examines the social and communal institutions that have sustained African Americans and strengthened their spiritual and cultural life. Specially commissioned photographs of artifacts reveal the richness of cultural traditions, and hundreds of historic photographs and paintings enhance the work still further, creating a magnificent illustrated history.