N.Y. Times lists Covenant With Black America as the nation's No.1 nonfiction paperback

(April 19, 2006) When The New York Times best-seller list is published Sunday, April 23, COVENANT WITH BLACK AMERICA, edited by Tavis Smiley, will cap an already extraordinary sales record by taking the No. 1 spot there among paperback nonfiction books.

Smiley marshaled the project into being, edited it and teamed up with the respected black publisher, Haki Madhubuti of Third World Press to make it a reality. The book’s creators say it is the first time a nonfiction book by a black-owned publisher has “reached and topped” the New York Times list.

In its fifth week on the list, it beats out such contenders as the Oprah-sanctioned Night by Elie Wiesel, in No. 2 after 12 weeks on the list , and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, No. 3, after 60 weeks, and The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, No. 4, 87 weeks.

The book (Third World Press, ISBN: 0883782774) entered the list at No. 6 on March 26. The Times noted the phenomenon in its “Inside the List” column and quoted Smiley as telling a San Francisco audience:  “If we keep going the way we are, this book is going to hit the New York Times best-seller list. I hope you understand the statement this will make . . . when we put this book on the list and force everyone to talk about it."

On April 18, it also jumped in Amazon.com sales rankings from No. 46 to No. 19. It had also reached No. 1 on The Washington Post bestseller list earlier this month after four weeks on the list. “When a book becomes a collection of people, not just pages, we sit up and pay attention,” wrote Linton Weeks in the Post.

It is also No. 1 in paperback sales on the Black Issues Book Review’s Flying Off the Shelves listing for May/June.

Madhubuti, one of two writers honored with the NWBC Literary Legacy Award in early April at the Eighth National Black Writers Conference at Medgar Evers College, CUNY in Brooklyn, NY, told conference attendees that he was celebrating what was then The Covenant’s No. 2 spot on the list “not because it's in The New York Times, but because it's an important acknowledgement of a black-owned publishing company and black readers."

"The Covenant leads off with an Introduction by Smiley; and includes a Statement of Purpose by Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund; an Afterword by Haki Madhubuti, publisher of Third World Press; and A Call to Action by Cornel West, Princeton University professor. It presents an action plan for black America with essays by leading experts on issues ranging from health care to the digital divide, presented in 10 covenants. Each includes fact sheets on the subject and checklists of to-dos for communities and individuals with an emphasis on how to push leaders and elected officials to carry out an agenda for the future.

On Feb. 25, 2006, a mass reading and discussion of the book was presented as part of Smiley’s 7th annual State of the Black Union at a church in Houston, Texas. Since then, sales have been fueled by Smiley’s barnstorming with West and others at forums in key cities, discussions in the black media and word of mouth, especially through churches. In May and June, more forums are planned in Philadelphia, Indianapolis, New York City, Cleveland and Detroit.

In a statement this week, Smiley invited the public to join in hosting thousands of book parties nationwide from Friday, May 19 through Sunday, May 21 as part of a Covenant Conversation & Celebration Weekend.

Reacting to the news that it topped The Times list,  “I wish I could personally reach out and touch everyone who made this historic moment possible,” said Smiley. “I am humbled by the outpouring of well wishes this project has received yet proud to stand in this space knowing that Black Americans are not asleep at the wheel as some might suggest.”

“Black America has spoken and the message is, ‘We care about the state of our families, access to education, jobs and health care. This text provides the research and background on how to improve Black America,” Smiley added. “Now we look forward to the conversations from readers and the actions they will take to implement positive change.

”"As is often the case, the people lead, the polls confirm and the politicians take notice.  Victor Hugo was right, 'There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.' The time is now for the Covenant with Black America."


For more information about The Covenant project or the book, visit www.covenantwithblackamerica.com,
www.tavistalks.com and www.thirdworldpressinc.com.


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