The U.S. government is an ever-more-complex system that few American citizens comprehend in any detail. Even some of its most basic operations, seemingly clear in concept, are in reality intricate and obscure. Although textbooks explain how the government is supposed to work in theory, they don't reveal how it actually works in practice. This book offers a concise and objective explanation of government operations, mapping the federal government's branches, departments, agencies, corporations, and quasi-official bodies--and the bureaucracies that support them. The authors effectively...

The oldest HBCU, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, was founded in 1837 by Quaker philanthropist Richard Humphreys as the Institute for Colored Youth. By 1902, at least 85 such schools had been established and, in subsequent years, the total grew to 105. Today approximately 16 percent of America's black college students are enrolled in HBCUs. "Historically Black Colleges and Universities: An Encyclopedia" brings the stories of these schools together in a comprehensive volume that explores the origin and history of each Historically Black College and University in the United States....

Thurgood Marshall was the first African American Supreme Court Justice. As a lawyer, he won the Supreme Court Case "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka" that integrated all public schools in the United States. But Marshall's contributions extend far beyond significantly advancing the civil rights movement in this nation.

"Thurgood Marshall: A Biography" discusses the life of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in a chronological fashion, and then discusses his legacy after death. Students at all grade levels--including undergraduate and graduate college students--as well as...

Mega-churches--churches with congregations that number in the thousands of worshippers--are growing in popularity in America and around the world. Shockingly, a growing number of megachurch leaders have committed acts of sexual misconduct. While these scandalous crimes have received much attention through the media, literature that examines the topic in detail has been lacking. This book examines the various aspects of sexual misconduct by megachurch leaders, providing a comprehensive review of the topic that discusses the direct and indirect reasons for these crimes.

The book provides...

Marked gaps in academic achievements continue to exist between white and black students on college campuses in America. This motivational book, with contributions from academic role models from within the African American community, provides tools to help ethnically diverse students choose the best college, improve their study skills, and cope with academic anxiety. From college selection to graduation, this practical resource provides firsthand accounts of successful college experiences and the strategies used by former students to obtain their degrees.

This work is divided into four...

African Americans comprise approximately 12 percent of the population of the United States--a sizable proportion. Yet African Americans are incarcerated at rates disproportionate to their overall population in the United States. By examining a wide range of socioeconomic topics and supplying necessary background and contextual information, this book offers a multidimensional view of African American life that covers such critical areas as education, health, immigration and migration, employment, and the economy.

This statistical guide presents extensive demographics on African...