In highlighting these seemingly ordinary activities, [Dyson] adroitly alludes to the dire consequences that sometimes accrue from fill-in-the-blank, doing and being 'while Black'.

... an excellent set of ruminations that examine the resulting pressures and scrutiny of Black entertainment, honor the endurance and beauty of Black artistry, and reach into political history and analysis.

... an ambitious effort.

... wide-ranging and artfully conceived.

Dyson writes with a broad, well-learned view of Black history, drawing on the brilliant career of Kobe Bryant here and the sad death of George Floyd there to discuss representations of Black life in American culture.