From Charles R. Smith Jr., with striking artwork by Adrian Brandon, comes an exuberant collection of poems honoring a dozen outstanding baseball stars from the Negro leagues.

Ladies and gentlemen,
the man you came to see,
strolling onto the field
cool
and confidently . . .

Baseball has been and always will be America's pastime. And with the creation of the Negro leagues, men who were denied the chance to play professionally were finally able to participate in the sport they loved. The Negro leagues were always a richness of talent; it provided a space for community and inspired a passion for baseball for all who came to watch. Nothing beat watching iconic players like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Willie Wells. They, along with the nine other players celebrated in this collection, changed the trajectory of baseball forever with their incredible versatility in both skill and athleticism. Charles R. Smith Jr.'s dramatic and energetic poems are written with undeniable care as he pays homage to twelve of the greatest Black baseball players to ever play the game and are accompanied by stunning illustrations by Adrian Brandon. Back matter presents player notes and more context about the Negro Leagues.

Bubbling brown sugarbubbles Baby's belly.Syrupy sweet sticky centershakes like a bowl of jelly.
Oooh, baby This board book is sweet enough to eat. Infants, toddlers, and their older siblings will drool as they rejoice in the beauty of brown babies. Here, carob cherubs show all their true colors--everything from peanut butter to honey to cinnamon spice. Expressive photos and a mouthwatering rhyme encourage babies to find splendor in the many hues of their own skin.

Each day features a different influential figure in African-American history, from Crispus Attucks, the first man shot in the Boston Massacre, sparking the Revolutionary War, to Madame C. J. Walker, who after years of adversity became the wealthiest black woman in the country, as well as one of the wealthiest black Americans, to Barack Obama, the country's first African-American president.

With powerful illustrations by Shane Evans, this is a completely unique look at the importance and influence of African Americans on the history of this country.

The compelling true story behind the building of the White House, a powerful part of history rarely taught. From Coretta Scott King Award winners Charles R. Smith Jr. and Floyd Cooper.

The home of the United States president was built by many hands, including those of slaves, who undertook this amazing achievement long before there were machines to do those same jobs.

Stirring and emotional, Floyd Cooper's stunning illustrations bring to life the faces of those who endured hard, brutal work when the profit of their labor was paid to the master, not the slave. The fact that many were able to purchase their freedom after earning money from learning a trade speaks to the strength of those individuals. They created this iconic emblem of America, brick by brick.

Includes an insightful author's note and a list of selected resources.

The compelling true story behind the building of the White House, a powerful part of history rarely taught. From Coretta Scott King Award winners Charles R. Smith Jr. and Floyd Cooper.

The home of the United States president was built by many hands, including those of slaves, who undertook this amazing achievement long before there were machines to do those same jobs.

Stirring and emotional, Floyd Cooper's stunning illustrations bring to life the faces of those who endured hard, brutal work when the profit of their labor was paid to the master, not the slave. The fact that many were able to purchase their freedom after earning money from learning a trade speaks to the strength of those individuals. They created this iconic emblem of America, brick by brick.

Includes an insightful author's note and a list of selected resources.

Jimi Hendrix's talent was epic, and so is this lyrical account of his life, with spectacular artwork by Edel Rodriguez-- including a poster underneath the jacket!

From his turbulent childhood through his epical appearance at the Monterey and Woodstock festivals, Charles R. Smith Jr. covers it all in this rich and rhythmic account of a singular life, accompanied by the psychedelic splendor of Edel Rodriguez's acid-tinged artwork.

Let me tell you a story,
a story 'bout a boy,
who became a man,
a git-tar man,
named Jimi.

Written as a series of verses beginning with intro and ending with outro, this unique mix of rhythm and rhyme captures the essence of rock icon Jimi Hendrix and his struggle to live life on his own terms.

Backmatter, including a select discography, timeline of Hendrix's life, and a personal essay from the author, is included.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year
A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
A CSMCL Best Multicultural Children's Book of the Year
An Evanston Public Library Great Books for Kids pick!

This is the sixth volume in a planned nine-volume operational and chronological series covering the Marine Corps' participation in the Vietnam War. A separate functional series will complement the operational histories. This volume details the change in U.S. policy for the Vietnam War.

At noon on 15 August 1945, people gathered near radios and hastily setup loudspeakers in homes, offices, factories, and on city streets throughout Japan. Even though many felt that defeat was not far off, the vast majority expected to hear new exhortations to fight to the death or the official announcement of a declaration of war on the Soviet Union. The muted strains of the national anthem immediately followed the noon time-signal. Listeners then heard State Minister Hiroshi Shimomura announce that the next voice they would hear would be that of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. In a solemn voice, Emperor Hirohito read the first fateful words of the Imperial Rescript: After pondering deeply the general trend of the world situation and the actual state of Our Empire, We have decided to effect a settlement of the present crisis by resort to an extraordinary measure. To Our good and loyal subjects, we hereby convey Our will. We have commanded Our Government to communicate to the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, China and the Soviet Union that Our Empire accepts the terms of their Joint Declaration. Although the word surrender was not mentioned and few knew of the Joint Declaration of the Allied Powers calling for unconditional surrender of Japan, they quickly understood that the Emperor was announcing the termination of hostilities on terms laid down by the enemy. After more than three and a half years of fighting and sacrifice, Japan was accepting defeat. These articles are about the Occupation of Japan by the United States Army and provide detail about the securing the surrender of Japan in World War Two.

A Brief History of the 12th Marines is a concise narrative of the regiment since its initial activation through its participation in the Vietnam conflict. Official records of the Marine Corps and appropriate historical works were utilized in compiling this short history.

The power, strength, and determination of the game of basketball are captured in striking photographs and sizzling stories, poems, and personal reflections. From frustration to humor, joy, and triumph, this streetwise look at a favorite American pastime conveys all the passion and excitement of the sport.

On 10 November 1775 the Second Continental Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of Marines. From this small beginning we have seen the United States Marine Corps grow into a powerful force for the nation's security. In this volume, through the actions and words of the participants, we read of a small Marine force which promptly challenged Great Britain's control on both land and sea. Our first amphibious raid landed in the Bahamas on 3 March 1776, capturing gravely needed munitions, and proving to the foe that the infant American Marine Corps was a threat to be reckoned with. Likewise we read of small bands of Marines who dared to stand in the way of British troops at Princeton, New Jersey, and Charleston, South Carolina. And we also learn of the little-known Marine expedition down the Mississippi River under naval Captain James Willing in 1778. Historians, past and present, all too often neglect completely the maritime history of the American Revolution or they pass over it with superficial attention. Mr. Charles R. Smith has corrected this omission with respect to Continental Marines. Based on extensive and careful research, the author has rescued from oblivion those actions from which our modern concepts of amphibious warfare have grown. Mr. Smith has been a member of the staff of the History and Museums Division since July 1971. He holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Political Science from the University of California, a Master of Arts degree in History from San Diego State University, and is working toward a Doctorate in History at The American University. He also served in the Republic of Vietnam as an Army artilleryman and field historian. Since joining the division, Mr. Smith has authored a historical pamphlet entitled, A Brief History of the 12th Marines, and articles for the division's newsletter, Fortitudine.

These articles are about the Occupation of Japan by the United States Army. It goes into details about the securing the surrender of Japan in World War Two.

This historical publication is the eighth in a series of regimental histories. This series covers in similar fashion each of the infantry and artillery regiments in the Fleet Marine Force, active and reserve. The present narrative not only highlights the significant actions of the 12th Marines, but also furnishes a general history of the developments in Marine Corps artillery. A Brief History of the 12th Marines is a concise narrative of the regiment from its initial activation close to half a century ago through its participation in the Vietnam conflict.

This nonfiction picture book from author Charles R. Smith Jr and illustrated by Shane W. Evans tells the story of the world's first black heavyweight champion, the charismatic Jack Black Jack Johnson.

Born as Arthur John Johnson in the southern state of Texas, Jack Johnson was one of the most renowned boxers of the twentieth century. Through hard work and persistence, he climbed the ranks, taking a swing and a jab and eventually busting the color barrier. As the first black man to win the Heavyweight Championship, there was more than a title on the line.

Published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this history-making bout (July 4, 1910). This is an extraordinary marriage of poetry, fabulous collage artwork, and a splendid achievement in its own right.

This is the sixth volume in a planned nine-volume operational and chronological seriescovering the Marine Corps ' participation in the Vietnam War . A separate functionalseries will complement the operational histories . This volume details the change in UnitedStates policy for the Vietnam War. After a thorough review, President Richard M . Nixonadopted a policy of seeking to end United States military involvement in Vietnam eithe rthrough negotiations or, failing that, turning the combat role over to the South Vietnamese. It was this decision that began the Vietnamization of the war in the summe rof 1969 and which would soon greatly reduce and then end the Marine Corps' comba trole in the war.The Marines of III Marine Amphibious Force continued the full range of military an dpacification activities within I Corps Tactical Zone during this period of transition . Unti lwithdrawn, the 3d Marine Division, employing highly mobile tactics, successfully bluntedNorth Vietnamese Army efforts to reintroduce troops and supplies into Quang Tr iProvince . The 1st Marine Division, concentrated in Quang Nam Province, continued bot hmobile offensive and pacification operations to protect the city of Da Nang and surroundingpopulation centers . The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing provided air support to both divisions, as well as other allied units in I Corps, while Force Logistic Command served al lmajor Marine commands .Although written from the perspective of III MAF and the Marine ground war in ICorps, an attempt has been made to place the Marine role in relation to the overall Ameri -can effort . The volume also treats the Marine Corps' participation in the advisory effort, the operations of the Seventh Fleet Special Landing Force, and, to a lesser extent, th eactivities of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), 23d Infantry (Americal) Division, and 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) . There are separate chapters on Marineair, artillery, surveillance, and logistics .The nature of the war facing III MAF during 1969 forced the author to concentrat eon major operations . This focus in no way slights those Marines whose combat servic einvolved innumerable patrols, wearying hours of perimeter defense, and long days o fproviding logistical and administrative support for those in the field . III MAF's combatsuccesses in 1969 came from the combined efforts of all Americans in I Corps .The author, Charles R . Smith, has been with the History and Museums Division sinc eJuly 1971. He has published several articles on military history, and is the author of Marinerin the Revolution: A History of the Continental Marines in the American Revolution,1775-1783 (Washington: Hist&MusDiv, HQMC, 1975) . He is a graduate of theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara, and received his master 's degree in history fromSan Diego State University. He served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division (Air -mobile) in 1968 and 1969, first as an artilleryman and then as a historian .*4Vft nE. H. SIMMONSBrigadier General, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret . )Director of Marine Corps History and Museums

The anthology of articles that follows was compiled by the History and Museums Division during the 50th Anniversary commemoration of the Korean Conflict, 1950-1953. The focus of the various authors who wrote these historically related works on Korea did so to remember those Marines who fought and died in what some historians sometimes characterized as the forgotten war. Forgotten or not, the Korean conflict was without parallel in Marine Corps history and no one who experienced it or lived through this era could ever forget the difficulties that they would encounter there. The Korean War also represented a milestone in the developmental history of the Marine Corps. For perhaps what could very well be the last time, the Marine Corps made an opposed World War II style amphibious landing against a dedicated enemy. Korea was also the opening salvo in what became known as the Cold War. In reality, Korea represented the beginning of a series of limited wars that would be fought by the United States with the express political purpose of keeping such conflicts from developing into full blown world wars. Frustratingly for the men and women in uniform during the Cold War, political considerations frequently overrode military exigencies and logic. Having just successfully concluded a total war against an enemy whose objectives were clearly identifiable, the Korean conflict proved fraught with political twists and turns that made the military's job immensely more difficult. This was especially evident during the stalemate phase of the war, 1952-1953. No less bloody or violent, this period of the conflict saw the Marine Corps incur a significant number of casualties. The Korean conflict was also important for operational reasons. It was clear that from 1950 on, limited wars fought by U.S. forces would be largely come as you are affairs. During the summer and early fall of 1950, the Marine Corps learned a valuable lesson when it had to scramble to assemble its landing force for the Inchon operation, getting the 1st Marine Division into theater in the nick of time. No longer would the United States have the luxury of time in getting forces ready for limited wars. Next, for the first time, the advent of the helicopter would play a significant role in the combat plans of Marine units in the field. Experimentation with the concept of vertical assault, using this new technology took place during the conflict. Korea would also be the first time Marines would be given personal body armor or flak jackets to wear in combat. Such body armor would come in handy as the war settled into a stalemate along the 38th Parallel. While Marine elements had deployed to extremely cold locations in the past such as the occupation of Iceland by the 1st Marine Brigade (Provisional) in 1941, Korea would be the first time in the modern era where the Marine Corps would have to fight in extremely cold conditions. During Korea, the Corps came away with a new appreciation for the necessity of having the proper environmental gear tested and available for use by its combat and combat support troops. In sum, Korea set the operational tone that the Marine Corps would follow for the rest of the Cold War.

The first half of the 19th century saw little dramatic change in military technology or in military and naval tactics. Marines, formally organized by an act of Congress in 1798, would perform the same functions they had assumed during America's fight for independence. In May 1798, in response to the depredations of French privateers, President John Adams instructed American frigate captains to make reprisals upon the commerce of France. Initially, Marine units were based upon the size of the ship and appointed directly, but on 11 July 1798, an act of Congress authorized establishing and organizing a Marine Corps. American ships with Marine detachments soon set sail, landed, and captured a shore battery at Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo, and participated in the capture of more than three-score French vessels before the Treaty of Peace brought an end to the undeclared war. The renewal of the Barbary Wars in 1801 resulted in orders to the Mediterranean Squadron for many Marines, where they fought alongside sailors at ships' great guns. In 1805, near the war's end, Marine Lieutenant Presley N. O'Bannon, with six privates, and a motley force of Arabs and Greeks, marched 500 miles across the desert from Egypt. Reaching Derna, the Marines led a charge through the town, captured its fort, and raised the flag for the first time over Old World territory. From 1806 to 1811, Marines served with small detachments scattered throughout the world on board ship, guarded naval yards, harassed the Spanish in East Florida, clashed with hostile Indians, and landed on distant shores to defend American diplomatic missions and endangered citizens. In the second war with England, first priority was given to providing Marine detachments for ships of the blue-water Navy. There were not enough Marines to do even this, let alone provide Marines for the equally critical Great Lakes squadrons. Company-sized Marine units fought heroically at Bladensburg, on the land approach to the nation's capital; at Craney Island, near Norfolk, Virginia; and at New Orleans, but apparently no thought was given to forming an amphibious force or even a permanent battalion structure. Nor, indeed, did the nature of the war offer any particularly inviting amphibious targets. During the next 20 years, the Corps, under the able leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Archibald Henderson, established its place within the American military system by showing the flag in punitive actions against pirates and hostile governments from the West Indies to Sumatra, in suppressing the illicit slave trade, on the ships and shore stations of the Navy, and in handling domestic disturbances. The small Corps repeatedly demonstrated its efficiency, discipline, and usefulness. The artist, Colonel Charles H. Waterhouse, United States Marine Corps Reserve, is a World War II veteran and noted illustrator. As a combat artist, he depicted scenes in Vietnam, Alaska, the Western Pacific, and the Atlantic which resulted in two published works. Returning to active duty in 1973, Colonel Waterhouse began work on a series of paintings of Marine Corps activities during the American Revolution, conquest of California, and the federal period, 1798 to 1835. The paintings highlighting Marine activities from 1798 to 1835 form a part of a larger project now underway which will result in the publication of a definitive history covering the period. The history is to be written by Charles R. Smith, author of Marines in the Revolution and a forthcoming volume dealing with Marine activities in Vietnam, with the research assistance of Richard A. Long, who also assisted in the preparation of Marines in the Revolution.

This book takes the reader on an insider's tour of the psychology of stock market investing. In more than 3,000 hours of interviews and observations, Smith granted some of the most famous insiders on Wall Street the protection of anonymity to procure their deepest and most frank views on the operation of the market. Their words are heard here in vivid and often surprising detail. What emerges is a startling portrait of how the prejudices of six different types of players--fundamentalists, insiders, cyclists, traders, efficient market believers, and transformational idea adherents--influence the ups and downs of the market. Smith explains how new trends, such as computer trading and mutual and retirement fund investing, interact with these psychologies--drawing a remarkable picture of how market behavior is inherently more human than technical.

The book includes inspirational stories intended to inspire you and your family and friends. It will put you in touch with healthy emotions that have been forgotten in today's world.

Angels From The Sea: Relief Operations in Bangladesh, 1991, relies on primary source documents and oral history interviews for its main sources. Originals or copies of these records are held at the Marine Corps Historical Center. The documents include command chronologies, official messages, journal files, after action and special action reports, operation orders, and command briefs