Permission to Be Black - by A D Lumkile Thomason (Paperback)

About the Book

While many saw a confident, six-foot-five Black man, A. D. "Lumkile" Thomason lived most of his life deeply wounded by encounters with violence, abandonment, and family tragedy. Tracing how the art of Jay-Z gave voice to his own longings and how the gospel of Jesus brought him healing, A. D.'s powerful story gives you permission to be Black, to be Christian, and to be the person God has made you to be.

Book Synopsis

While many saw a confident, six-foot-five Black man, A. D. "Lumkile" Thomason lived most of his life deeply wounded by encounters with violence, abandonment, and family tragedy. Tracing how the art of Jay-Z gave voice to his own longings and how the gospel of Jesus brought him healing, A. D.'s powerful story gives you permission to be Black, to be Christian, and to be the person God has made you to be.

Review Quotes

"A. D. Thomason has been my friend for nearly twenty years. He is a learned creative who takes culture and scholarship seriously. Permission to Be Black is for the culture, and it's a bold message we've needed for a long time. Rooted in Christ's truth and in hip-hop's honesty, A. D. reveals why we, as Black people, must embrace our pain and vulnerability in order to find the healing and courage that we need--and that only God can supply. I highly recommend this book. But this is much more than a book recommendation; for me Permission to Be Black is a must-have life guide for all."

"A. D. Thomason has been my friend for nearly twenty years. He is a learned creative who takes culture and scholarship seriously. Permission to Be Black is for the culture, and it's a bold message we've needed for a long time. Rooted in Christ's truth and in hip-hop's honesty, A. D. reveals why we, as Black people, must embrace our pain and vulnerability in order to find the healing and courage that we need-and that only God can supply. I highly recommend this book. But this is much more than a book recommendation; for me Permission to Be Black is a must-have life guide for all."

"A. D.'s voice and leadership is the very thing we've been waiting for!"

"Whiteness has wreaked havoc on the lives of Black men with its violence and overall dehumanization. In Permission to Be Black, A. D. Thomason, with intimacy and vulnerability, pulls back the veil on this destruction and shows how Jesus makes a way to live in the fullness of life despite the trauma inflicted. I'm just a mediocre middle-class White guy, but I needed this message of Christ-centered transformation."

"Whiteness has wreaked havoc on the lives of Black men with its violence and overall dehumanization. In Permission to Be Black, A. D. Thomason, with intimacy and vulnerability, pulls back the veil on this destruction and shows how Jesus makes a way to live in the fullness of life despite the trauma inflicted. I'm just a mediocre middle-class White guy, but I needed this message of Christ-centered transformation."

About the Author

A. D. "Lumkile" Thomason is a speaker, poet, and award-winning filmmaker. He has spoken around the nation and in places such as Sudan, South Africa, China, and Palestine. As an adjunct professor at Kilns College, he teaches on human rights, de-colonizing your faith, and filmmaking. A native of Detroit, A. D. has more than seventeen years of experience preaching and teaching the peace of Jesus in ethnically divided countries, cultures, and communities. He and his wife, Dawntoya, live in the Atlanta area with their family.