Hue-Man Experience at Tattered Cover

The goal of Hue-Man Experience at Tattered Cover is to help individuals, organizations and businesses that want to learn more about underrepresented titles and authors, have a trustworthy brand to source relevant material. Hue-Man Experience will source from all major and independent publishers, as well as conducting its own efforts to locate local talent.  Within Tattered Cover’s organization, Hue-Man Experience will focus on identifying, curating and recommending diverse authors, writers and artists, to ensure thoughtful representation from Black, Indigenous and People of Color throughout its stores.

 

The 2022 monthly curated book recommendations can be found here.  
2021 monthly book recommendations can be found here.

 


 

 

BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Books that honor the legacy, brilliance and beauty of the Black experience

As we enter February, a time of love, and a month of honoring the incredible, rich legacy of Black folks throughout history and into the present day. This month’s list highlights the rich range of experiences, struggles and achievements of our people! 

 

 

THE GREAT MRS. ELIAS
By Barbara Chase-Riboud

►  The author of the award-winning Sally Hemings now brings to life Hannah Elias, one of the richest black women in America in the early 1900s, in this mesmerizing novel swirling with atmosphere and steeped in history.

 

 

 
 

THE BLACK CHURCH: THIS IS OUR STORY, THIS IS OUR SONG
By Henry Louis Gates Jr.

►  Gates tells the story of the Black church, an institution that has never been only one thing. Its story lies at the vital center of the civil rights movement, and produced many of its leaders, from the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., on, but at the same time there have always been churches and sects that eschewed a more activist stance, even eschewed worldly political engagement altogether. That tension can be felt all the way to the Black Lives Matter movement and the work of today. Still and all, as a source of strength and a force for change, the Black church is at the center of the action at every stage of the American story, as this enthralling history makes vividly clear.

 

 
 

HALF AMERICAN: THE EPIC STORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS FIGHTING WORLD WAR II AT HOME AND ABROAD
By Matthew F. Delmont

► Over one million Black men and women served in World War II. Black troops were at Normandy, Iwo Jima, and the Battle of the Bulge, serving in segregated units and performing unheralded but vital support jobs, only to be denied housing and educational opportunities on their return home. Without their crucial contributions to the war effort, the United States could not have won the war. And yet the stories of these Black veterans have long been ignored, cast aside in favor of the myth of the “Good War” fought by the “Greatest Generation.

 

 
 

ILLUSTRATED BLACK HISTORY: HONORING THE ICONIC AND THE UNSEEN
By George McCalman

► Illustrated Black History is a breathtaking collection of original portraits depicting black heroes—both famous and unsung—who made their mark on activism, science, politics, business, medicine, technology, food, arts, entertainment, and more. Each entry includes a lush drawing or painting by artist George McCalman, along with an insightful essay summarizing the person’s life story.

 

 

 
 

BLACK PEOPLE INVENTED EVERYTHING: THE DEEP HISTORY OF INDIGENOUS CREATIVITY 
By Dr. Sujan K. Dass

► Who invented the traffic light? What about transportation itself? Farming? Art? Modern chemistry? Who made cats? What if I told you there was ONE answer to all of these questions? That one answer? BLACK PEOPLE! Seriously. And this book is like a mini-encyclopedia, full of more evidence than WikiLeaks and just as eye-opening!

 

 

 
 
 

TEXTURES: THE HISTORY AND ART OF BLACK HAIR
By Tameka Ellington, Joseph L. Underwood

► Textures synthesizes research in history, fashion, art, and visual culture to reassess the “hair story” of peoples of African descent. Long a fraught topic for African Americans and others in the diaspora, Black hair is here addressed by artists, barbers, and activists in both its historical perceptions and its ramifications for self and society today. Exploring topics such as the preferential treatment of straight hair, the social hierarchies of skin, and the power and politics of display, Textures is a landmark exploration of Black hair and its important, complicated place in the history of African American life and culture.

 

 
 

 

APHROCHIC: CELEBRATING THE LEGACY OF THE BLACK FAMILY HOME 
By Jeanine Hays, Bryan Mason

 Showcasing the amazing diversity of the Black experience through striking interiors, stories of family and community, and histories exploring the obstacles Black homeowners have faced for generations, this groundbreaking book honors the journey, recognizes the struggle, and celebrates the joy that is the Black family home.

 
 

BLACK WOMEN WRITERS AT WORK
By Claudia Tate

► Through candid interviews with Maya Angelou, Toni Cade Bambara, Gwendolyn Brooks, Alexis De Veaux, Nikki Giovanni, Kristin Hunter, Gayl Jones, Audre Lorde, Toni Morrison, Sonia Sanchez, Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker, Margret Walker, and Sherley Anne Williams, the book highlights the practices and critical linkages between the work and lived experiences of Black women writers whose work laid the foundation for many who have come after.

 

 
 

COMRADE SISTERS: WOMEN OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY  
By Ericka Huggins

► Many of us have heard these three words: Black Panther Party. Some know the Party's history as a movement for the social, political, economic and spiritual upliftment of Black and indigenous people of color – but to this day, few know the story of the backbone of the Party: the women. The book combines photos by Stephen Shames, who at the time was a 20-year-old college student at Berkeley. With the complete trust of the Black Panther Party, Shames took intimate, behind-the-scenes photographs that fully portrayed Party members' lives. Most importantly, the book includes contributions from over fifty former women members – some well-known, others not – who vividly recall their personal experiences from that time. 

View Recommendations from Past Months Here

 


 

Tattered Cover Book Store and Clara Villarosa Team Up to Reinvigorate the Hue-Man Experience

The Hue-Man Experience Bookstore, a beloved Denver establishment that focused on Black readers, has relaunched as a service division of Tattered Cover, to foster diversity in literature

 

Organizations that are interested in partnering with Hue-Man Experience at Tattered Cover may contact Villarosa’s team at hueman@tatteredcover.com.

2022 Monthly book recommendations can be found here.
2021 Monthly book recommendations can be found here.

Clara Villarosa, NAACP Image Award nominee and the founder of the successful Hue-Man Experience Bookstore in Denver, Colorado and Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe in New York City, is teaming up with Tattered Cover to reimagine the beloved Hue-Man brand. Under Villarosa’s guidance, Hue-Man Experience at Tattered Cover will serve as a curatorial expert for individuals as well as educational institutions, corporations and nonprofits, providing thoughtful guidance on book selections that encourage diversity, equity and inclusion.

 

“I’ve always had a real affinity for Tattered Cover, beginning with its previous owner, Joyce Meskis, graciously acting as my mentor when I opened my first bookstore,” said Clara Villarosa. “At this point in my life, reviving the Hue-Man brand wasn’t something I had previously imagined. However, in light of recent events, the need for this sort of inclusive curation and focus on diversity in literature is as evident as ever. My goal for this partnership with Tattered Cover is to build awareness around important issues, while giving a voice to Black authors.” 

 

Villarosa was born and raised in Chicago in 1930, where she began her career as a psychiatric social worker at Mount Sinai Hospital. In 1969, she relocated to Colorado with her family and became the chief psychiatric social worker at Denver's Children's Hospital. After attending the Graduate School of Social Work Doctoral Program at University of Denver, Villarosa served as Vice President of Human Resources and Strategic Planning for United Bank of Denver.

 

In 1984, she opened Denver’s first Black-owned bookstore, the Hue-Man Experience, targeting African American readers and specializing in books and non-book gift items for People of Color. After 16 years of success under her leadership, Villarosa sold Hue-Man’s Denver location in 2000 and moved to New York City. That same year, Maya Angelou read at the opening of Villarosa’s Harlem location, the Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe.

 

As an author in her own right, Villarosa’s book, “Down to Business: The First 10 Steps to Entrepreneurship for Women,” was nominated for the NAACP Image Award in 2009. She is the founder of the African American Booksellers Association, a specialized division of the American Booksellers Association, where she also served on the board for many years with Tattered Cover’s previous, long-time owner, Joyce Meskis. Additionally, Villarosa previously sat on the board of trustees for the University of Denver. 

 

“With more than 37 years of experience selling Black literature, Clara has the expertise to lead us forward in a way that will make Denver proud,” said Kwame Spearman, CEO of Tattered Cover. “I have countless fond memories of visiting her store as a child and it is an honor to give a new home to the Hue-Man Experience, which has meant so much to me and to many others.”

 

The goal of Hue-Man Experience at Tattered Cover is to help individuals, organizations and businesses that want to learn more about underrepresented titles and authors, have a trustworthy brand to source relevant material. Hue-Man Experience will source from all major and independent publishers, as well as conducting its own efforts to locate local talent. 

 

“When a school seeks to expand its curriculum to be reflective of a more diverse world, the Hue-Man Experience at Tattered Cover will help them select and acquire those titles,” said Spearman. “When a large organization needs resources for staff development and conversations around issues of race, we are their partners.” 

 

Within Tattered Cover’s organization, Hue-Man Experience will focus on identifying, curating and recommending diverse authors, writers and artists, to ensure thoughtful representation from Black, Indigenous and People of Color throughout its stores. Additionally, the program has a community outreach arm to help connect to diverse local artists and authors. 

 

 

 

 

Villarosa will curate a list of recommended books each month.  The 2022 monthly curated list can be found here.  
2021 Monthly book recommendations can be found here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slide Image: 
Clara Villarosa
Notes from TC: