Nationwide — For two centuries, African Americans have lived, thrived, and helped build Hawaii, and now, finally, their story is being told by author Dr. Miles M. Jackson. Islands With Rainbows, Palm Trees and the Sun: Hawaii’s Experience with Blacks was conceived in 2018 to provide a comprehensive written treatment of the African American presence in Hawaii. This new volume adds topics to new studies on African Americans in Hawaii.
In his books, Dr. Jackson provides a discussion of Hawai’i’s African American contributions within the arts, politics, education, social organizations, and the legal community.
Dr. Jackson is Professor and Dean Emeritus at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, and has lived in Hawaii for 47 years. Prior to that was with the State University of New York, Atlanta University, and Hampton Institute. His research since 1980 has focused mostly on African Americans in Hawaii. Other books he has written include And They Came: A Brief History of Blacks in Hawaii and They Followed the Trade Winds: African Americans in Hawai’i.
Additionally, he has produced a documentary film entitled Holding Fast The Dream: Hawaii’s African American Experience that chronicles African American compelling stories of creating community, searching for identity, and the quest for acknowledgement and recognition in defiance of their small numbers while reflecting the universal desire for connection and respect. Jackson has also produced a documentary film on African Americans in Hawai’i.
He was also a contributor to the Honolulu Advertiser and wrote a monthly column for Mahogany Magazine. His academic background includes a Ph.D. degree from the Newhouse School of Communication, Syracuse University. He has traveled widely in the South Pacific and Asia and was a Fulbright Professor at the University of Tehran, Iran, in 1968-69.
Dr. Jackson’s books can be purchased from BlacksInHawaiiBooks.com
For press inquiries, contact M T Jackson Associates at 571-992-9368