Audible Presents: Black voices you should know
Explore a selection of fiction and nonfiction picks from classic and contemporary writers.Audible Presents: Rising up
Discover some of the most influential Black voices of the past, present, and future of politics and activism.Audible Presents: Black lives, Black stories
Learn from lived experiences, from all walks of life and every corner of the world.-
The Book of Baraka
- By: Ras Baraka, Jelani Cobb
- Narrated by: Ras Baraka, Jelani Cobb
- Length: 1 hr and 43 mins
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“When I become mayor, we become mayor.” Ras Baraka’s famous words speak to exactly who he is as a leader - a fiercely loyal member of his community. In this innovative and ground-breaking Audible Original, hear how Baraka - the mayor of Newark, New Jersey - grew from spoken-word artist to school principal to successful politician.
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We need more Barakas in our life....
- By Cecelia Rich on 02-25-22
So much more than a political memoir
So much more than a political memoir
Whether you know him as the 40th mayor of Newark, New Jersey, or as the son of one of the most influential and controversial poets and revolutionaries of the 1960s and ’70s, you probably have heard of Ras Baraka. Told in collaboration with renowned journalist Jelani Cobb,
The Book of Baraka combines poetry and prose with the history that helped to shape Baraka into the man he is today. It’s the story of a young Black boy’s coming of age in Newark, but also of how that boy would later shape his city—first as a poet, then an educator, and now as mayor. As a former resident of Newark myself, I have nothing but praise for Baraka’s accomplishments. But don’t just take it from me. His is a story you definitely don’t want to miss out on, and should be heard from the Mayor himself. Do yourself a favor and listen as soon as possible.