Constructing the Black Masculine

“Constructing the Black Masculine is a provocative excursion into the shifting character of black masculinity . . . . Maurice Wallace offers many revealing glimpses of black manhood as constructed against a persistent white, objectifying gaze, a gaze constructed largely through the camera’s eye. . . . [A] rewarding blend of theory, criticism and cultural history . . . .” - Nathan Grant , Washington Post Book World

"[A]n impressive interrogation into the problems of the Black masculine identity as developed over a 200-year span." - D. Kevin McNeir , BlackLines

"[An] intriguing and highly satisfying study. . . . Wallace is highly original in his interrogation of the complexities of the black masculine ideal as it has materialized in the West over the last two hundred years-and his study could not be more timely." - Carol E. Henderson , Modern Fiction Studies

"[I]mpressive. . . . [C]ompelling." - Cynthia Young , Signs

"Maurice Wallace is a rigorous and wide ranging scholar with an innovative intellectual agenda. . . . Constructing the Black Masculine . . . establishes Wallace among the vanguard of black masculinity studies, black queer studies, and new directions in African American studies more generally. . . . [It] is a fine example of what is possible when an agile intellect committed to cultural studies in a meaningful way commits to the genre of the scholarly monograph. . . . The book serves not only as a clarion call to deepen our understandings of African American culture, African American studies and American masculinity, but it also brings credit to the monograph as a genre. Constructing the Black Masculine is a welcome and refreshing contribution." - Dwight A. McBride, American Literature

"Wallace's work is an important and useful contribution to black men's studies, literary and cultural theory, and cultural history." - Zachery Williams, Journal of African American History

“A most impressive interrogation into the problematic of black masculine identity as it has manifested in the U.S. context from the late eighteenth century through the present day. Readers from across a range of disciplines will be uniformly impressed by the scope and dexterity of Wallace’s critical intelligence. This is an overwhelmingly admirable achievement and a very important book.” - Phillip Brian Harper, author of Are We Not Men? Masculine Anxiety and the Problem of African-American Identity

“Highly original and deeply probing in its analyses into the intricacies of its topic, Constructing the Black Masculine is a timely and rewarding addition to the study of African American literature, American studies, and race and sexuality. Maurice O. Wallace has a lot to teach.” - Nellie McKay, coeditor of The Norton Anthology of African American Literature