Title

Our America : life and death on the south side of Chicago

Description

Every once in a while, voices emerge from a part of the world that we have forgotten or chosen to ignore. Sometimes their words ignite our conscience and rekindle our sense of justice. Our America, the work of two young men living in one of the most notorious public housing projects in America, does just that. LeAlan Jones and Lloyd Newman have made it their mission to be loud voices out of a dark place, through two nationally acclaimed radio documentaries and now through this book. Informed by stunning photographs taken by a talented young photographer from the projects, Our America opens up the world of these two amazing young men, and tells the tragic story of the death of another, Eric Morse, a five year old who was dropped to his death from the fourteenth floor of a building in their project by two other little boys.The book is sometimes funny, often painful, but always full of the promise of Our America - that one day, the talent, the gift, the vision, of our children who are being raised in circumstances that should make us all weep will he heard and praised and understood. Our America is a step toward that goal.

Identifier

619789

684836165

Creator

Jones, LeAlan

Contributor

Newman, Lloyd

Isay, David

Brooks, John Anthony

Source

Brian Lamb Booknotes Collection

Gift of Brian Lamb, 2011.

Catalog record

Language

eng

Date

1997

Program air date: August 3, 1997

Publisher

Scribner

George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

Text

Transcription of Annotations
Notes on front endpapers: P IX.-Lloyd's niece Rere p. 158. P 140-Shorties in the 'Hood. Eric p 87. LeAlan & Lloyd p. 86. Mr. Johnson p 74, Chill 70. Precious and Sophie p 68. Lloyd-Poetry chess Rap music chill p 65. Shorty. Lloyd p 187. Mrs. Tolson p 38. Newspapers-p 37-we're smart kids. LeAlan did most of the talking. Never felt American p 199. Lloyd-we're just doing what society wants us to do. p. 171. Thurs. June 26 2 PM. Who was Eric Morse p 87. Readies p 77; A nine 78. Notes on front fly sheet: "Kids around here have got to have more things to do," p 153 LeAlan. Underlinings/Notes: Underlinings: descriptions of boys, thoughts on neighborhood, future, comparison with suburban kids, life in ghetto, family, dangers, teachers, parents. "Notes: March 1993," "Oct 94 Eric Morse dropped," "Frank Morgan," "John Brooks," "Little Cecil, Baby Tony shot in one week," "Newspapers," "LeAlan's grandmother," "mother's mental illness," "Baby Lee killed," "mental illness," "no father," "telling someone you love them,""my father," "Rodney King," "Janell 17, 2 yr old baby," "friends killed," "25+ deaths," "Lloyd 2 brothers, 3 sisters, mother dead," "Sophia-my sister; Mama died, 35 yrs old," "hustle," "come from a good family," "Readies (drugs)," "a nine," "sued," "end of the line bus ride," "Jan 95 Story of Eric Morse," "live in filth," "kids nothing to do," "racism in public housing," "society wouldn't be surprised at what happened in public housing," "stole from Jewel," "society," "kind of violence," "Vietnam," "little boys," "Tyrone, Johnny," "felt hurt," "crises team," "can't read," "Galesburg/Hill," "Tyrone's father," "stole pizzas," "lied," "he's a bad seed," "Eric fell before," "Tyrone's brother," "Tyrone, Johnny are victims too," "Blame--25%-kids, 25%-parents, 25%-building, 25%-environment," "Eric's nephew," "nothing bad to say about them," "Eric's mother," "Eric's mother," "Trial of Johnny/Tyrone," "1st degree murder," "nation's youngest inmates," "Little Wayne," "just like a lyon," "the projects 'big maze'," "cutting off welfare," "got shot," "next Pres of U.S.," "11 of 40," "Lloyd says 'we're doing what society wants us to do'," "gang wars," "Orlando speech," "an award," "nose bleeds, not calm," "government check no fun," "school, never drop out," "get out of the projects," "it's going to be all right."

Subject

"Jones, LeAlan."

"Newman, Lloyd."

"African Americans--Illinois--Chicago--Social conditions--Case studies."

"African American boys--Illinois--Chicago--Biography."

"Inner cities--Illinois--Chicago."

Relation

Original Booknotes interview

Rights

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