The People Can Fly

Praise for Joshua Bennett:

"Joshua Bennett knows his life’s purpose is to teach—and that’s exactly what he does with The People Can Fly. This book will levitate your mind and enrich your soul. The text doesn’t follow rules or pacify the reader. Bennett’s poetic nature shines through on every page. Not only is it a joy to read, but it’s an honor to be taught by one of the most prolific professors on the planet. This book is a masterclass in literature and a necessary reminder to cherish the child in all of us."—Lena Waithe, Emmy Award-winning actor, producer, and screenwriter

"The People Can Fly is a celebration of Black brilliance and the truth that we rise highest when we rise together. By reminding us that our culture is not just survival, but genius, joy, and possibility, Bennett cements his legacy as a brilliant writer and a guiding light for our world.”—Anna Malaika Tubbs, New York Times bestselling author of The Three Mothers and Erased

“Don’t miss this superb laying bare of Black joy and genius!”—Dr. Cornel West, American philosopher and author of the national bestseller Race Matters

“At a moment in American culture punctuated to a heartbreaking degree by acts of hatred, violence and disregard… Joshua Bennett’s astounding, dolorous, rejoicing voice is indispensable.”—Tracy K. Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of To Free the Captives

“I am emboldened and sharpened by Bennett's genius and by his love made plain across each of these shimmering pages.”—Aracelis Girmay, author of The Black Maria

“With a singularly expansive and compassionate view of history, Bennett sweeps across generations of joy, suffering, and connection.”—Lit Hub

“A tender celebration of vulnerability and the strength that blooms quietly in its presence.”—The Atlantic

“Bennett renders this lush history in lively, captivating prose, smoothly transporting us back to the city blocks, bars, cafes and stages these artists traversed and inhabited. Perhaps most endearingly, and what makes this book shine with a refreshing dynamism, is that this history is also his own.”—Tas Tobey, New York Times