Art Tatum Book Club

Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed

A discussion group dedicated to readings from the Art Tatum African American Resource Center.

Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed

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Ishmael Reed's inspired fable of the ragtime era, in which a social movement threatens to suppress the spread of black culture hailed by Harold Bloom as one of the five hundred greatest books of the Western canon.  In 1920s America, a plague is spreading fast. From New Orleans to Chicago to New York, the Jes Grew" epidemic makes people desperate to dance, overturning social norms in the process. Anyone is vulnerable and when they catch it, they'll bump and grind into a frenzy. Working to combat the Jes Grew infection are the puritanical Atonists, a group bent on cultivating a Talking Android," an African American who will infiltrate the unruly black communities and help crush the outbreak. But PaPa LaBas, a houngan voodoo priest, is determined to keep his ancient culture including a key spiritual text alive. Spanning a dizzying host of genres, from cinema to academia to mythology, Mumbo Jumbo is a lively ride through a key decade of American history. In addition to ragtime, blues, and jazz, Reed's allegory draws on the Harlem Renaissance, the Back to Africa movement, and America's occupation of Haiti. His style throughout is as avant-garde and vibrant as the music at its center.   This ebook features an illustrated biography of Ishmael Reed including rare images of the author.

A part of the library since 1989, the Art Tatum African American Resource Center is a dedicated space to provide educational and historical information on African American cultural heritage and experiences.  Through books, other materials, public programs, and art exhibits, the Resource Center recognizes and celebrates the lived experiences of African Americans.

The Resource Center is named in honor of American jazz great Art Tatum (1909-1956) who grew up in Toledo's Roosevelt neighborhood.