The Secret History of Black Punk, the first book in a planned series about overlooked or under-credited Black music heritage in the United States, is a joyful and passionate exploration of the under-recognized contributions of Black people in music history, particularly punk music and its legacy genres. The material is showcased through vibrantly colored graphic material--powerful, zine-like illustrations. Raeghan Buchanan (Strange Glances), a musician and artist, traces the roots of contemporary rock music and all the genres that followed it back to "Godmother" Sister Rosetta Tharpe to counter the fact that "many Black forebears have been dropped from the common story of music, making it difficult to gain a full understanding of the culture."
Buchanan describes the cultural conditions the musicians encountered, including the Hackney brothers in protopunk Detroit of the early 1970s and Big Joanie in 2013 ("like the Ronettes, filtered through 80s DIY and Riot Grrrl with a sprinkling of dashikis"). These musicians were often told to confine their music to genres where Black people were already established, like funk or rap.
The challenges that Black punks and post-punks of all kinds face today echo those of the past, even if today the trappings of the punk movement from the 1970s and 1980s--the fashion, hairstyles, and the like--are considerably more mainstream. The Secret History of Black Punk is a welcome effort, helping to de-center whiteness and give readers both a more balanced perspective and a listening list that is well worth investigating. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.