Art Tatum Book Club

Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin

A discussion group highlighting Black literary works with the Art Tatum African American Resource Center.

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"An arrest for cocaine possession in the Hamptons on the last day of a sweltering New York summer leaves Smith, a young queer Black Stanford graduate, in a state of turmoil. Pulled into the court system and mandated treatment, he finds himself in an absurd but dangerous situation: his class protects him, but his race does not. It's just weeks after the death of his beloved roommate Elle, a glamorous member of the Black elite, and he's still reeling from the tabloid spectacle--as well as the lingering questions of how well he really knew his closest friend and what exactly happened to her that night. He flees to his hometown of Atlanta, but the weight of expectations from his family of doctors, lawyers, and college presidents only pushes him further into his downward spiral. When his close friend Carolyn goes off the rails, Smith decides to return to New York to find out what happened to her and Elle. But it's not long before he begins to lose himself to his old life, drawn back into the city's underworld where his search for answers may end up costing him his freedom and his future. Smith goes on a dizzying journey through the New York City nightlife circuit, anonymous recovery rooms, Atlanta's Black society set, police investigations and courtroom dramas, and a circle of friends coming of age in a new era. 'Great Black Hope' is a propulsive, glittering story about what it means to exist between worlds, to be upwardly mobile yet spiraling downward, and how to find a way back to hope."

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.