Morgan - When chickenheads come home to roost a hip-hop feminist breaks it down

Praise for

When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost

Without doubt, Black Women had made meaningful interventions into Feminist Thought before the publication of When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost , but none can claim to have done so wearing three-inch pumps, while bumping Heavy D, and sprinkling enough #BlackGirlMagic to conjure a new generation of Black Feminists who give no f*cks to those who dare deny the value of a Black Girls life and her desires.

Mark Anthony Neal, author of Looking for Leroy

Joan Morgan stripped feminism of its basic Black and Whiteness redressed it in her own beautiful, badass, complicated, challenging, shades-of-gray couture criticism. Before it was popular to be out as an unapologetic, magic, hood-loving, imperfect, sexy-ass, Black feminist, Joan put it down in Chickenheads , validating a whole generation of fierce young women, just waiting for that brave bitch to fire the shot, so we all could just go.

Michaela Angela Davis, CNN and BET correspondent

The debt that a generation of writers, thinkers, and activists owe to Joan Morgan is incalculable. Joan gave us permission to fuck with the grays and provided the blueprint for an analysis of culture that yields more vibrant and nuanced takes on our humanity. For me, as a man who wants to be challenged to unpack the failures of black men to show up and fight for sisters, the beauty in Joans words is that she didnt stop at their trauma, but allowed us into the world of bountiful, beautiful blackness that black women have lived by. Chickenheads changed the game.

Mychal Denzel Smith, New York Times bestselling author of Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching

In When Chickheads Come to Roost , Joan Morgan began dismantling the one-dimensional strong Black women myth. The unapologetic realness in her essays, even today, are a beacon for young women on the journey of acceptingand celebratingthe beautiful complexities of womanhood.

Cori Murray, entertainment director at Essence

Definitely not your mothers guide to the Equal Rights Amendment.... Morgans reflections are as timely as they are cogent.

Kristal Brent Zook, Vibe

Morgan tussles with the perceived contradictions of being black, female, fly, and feministfrom the myth of the strongblackwoman to chickenhead envy... a fresh alternative to accepted notions about black womanhood.

Lori L. Tharps, Ms.

Its a bold, cheeky, self-affirming read, and for a black woman in this society, theres hardly enough affirmation.

Martine Bury, Jane

When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost ... is gaining nationwide acclaim for adding a fresh, idiosyncratic point of viewthe voice of a new generationto the oft-debated saga. Painstakingly straddling the line which separates street smarts from book intelligence, Morgan offers 240 pages worth of commentary on what it is like for a Black woman to come of age, Gen-X style.... While most Gen-Xers claim to be keepin it real, Morgans new book instead shows that shes making the conscious choice to keep it right. And not only by flipping and bouncing words and phrases that reflect todays popular culture, this new age feminist shows and proves that the day in which James Brown screams its a mans world might be finally coming to a dawn.

Michael J. Rochon, Philadelphia Tribune

A debut collection of impassioned essays, written in poetic, flowing prose.... Fresh and articulate. Steadily perceptive, shrewdly provocative.

Kirkus Reviews

[Morgan] brings a powerful voice to concerns of modern black women.

Vanessa Bush, Booklist

As is the case with a lot of Morgans work, Chickenheads remains unafraid to go there around a few touchy issues.... [The book] will definitely engender passionate discussions among readers.... Regardless of how interpreted, you gotta give it up to this yardie gyal from the Bronx whos brave enough to put her ideas out there so that the rest of us home-grrrls can all together start climbing toward wholeness.

Honey

Whether one agrees with Morgan or not, the sister definitely makes you think.

Ronda Racha Penrice, Rap Pages

A journalist by trade and outspoken black feminist by inclination, Joan Morgan has style to burn.... When Morgan brings it, shes funny, fierce, and yes feminist.... Morgan insists that the hip-hop generation can set its own goalsemotional, spiritual, social and political. Time to move on, and Morgans leading the way.

Cindy Fuchs, Philadelphia City Paper

Its refreshing to see Morgan add racial dynamics to the gender-politics debate.... This book is a postmodern Waiting to Exhale a romantic melodrama for all the black women who are beautiful, smart, accomplished and not apologizing for any man who cant get his act together.... Morgan is a credible independent spirit and autonomous woman.

Caille Millner, San Jose Mercury News

Joan Morgan has undertaken the necessary and painstaking task of navigating the world of Black Male/Female relationships. You go Joan! I saw myself in this book. Thank you for making me stop and think and reciprocate love.

Ananda Lewis, television personality

Everything you want to know about the sistersand then some.

Sean Puffy Combs

Joan Morgan writes with passion, pain, and a charming playfulness about the fun and games of African-American life in the nineties.

Nelson George, author of Hip Hop America

Strong, soft, wise, and right on the beat with much flava to savor.

Fab 5 Freddy

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For my mother, Maud Morgan.

The wind beneath my wings.

Thanks and praises to God for love unconditional and my ancestors whose shoulders I stand on. Grandma Emily, Grandma Rachel, Great-grandma Jane, Grandpa Frank, Aunt Amy, Uncle Leroy walked close by and reminded me what I was made of. Maferefun Eggun. Maferefun Yemoja for giving me a crown at the beginning of this journey and the courage to wear it by the end. Modupues Iya Mi. Okun Shina. Maferefun Gbogbo Orisa for not only the love and strength you gave but the angels you sent to assist me: My editor, Sarah Baker, whose belief in this project was admirably unwaveringespecially in the face of my self-doubt. I could not have done this without you. My agent, Sarah Lazin, who knew long before I did that there was a book inside mewaiting. The Morgan and Lawson families, who taught me how to fight and loved me through my battles. I love you immensely. My godmothers Judith Brabham and Stephanie Weaver for their continued support and examples of good character and dignity. My Ocha Family, for their prayers.

Special thanks to Social Text, Essence, and Vibe magazines; Ozzies Coffee Shop in Park Slope (for current and caffeine); Marc and Jenny Baptiste, Jeffrey Woodley, Terrie Williams, Kim Hendrickson, and April Barton.

Mad love to the host of kind folk who fed me creatively, emotionally, and literally: Zahara and Malik Abdur-Razzaq, Mrs. Genevieve Hall Duncan, Keith Clinkscales, Alan Ferguson, Sophia Chang, Orgyln Clarke, Rebecca Williams, Charles Stone, Lisa Leone, Jac Benson, Chris Lighty, Raquel Cepeda, Fab 5 Freddy, Beth Ann Hardison, Carolyn Jones, Akissi Britton, Ed Lovelace, Kevin Powell, Audrey Edwards, Yvette Russell, Nelson George, Nadine Sutherland, and Gingi.