Johnson, George M. Flamboyants: The Queer Harlem Renaissance I Wish I’d Known. Palmer, Carley. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2024. 978-0-374-39124-9. $18.99. 144 p. Grades 9-12

Written in twelve essays, George M. Johnson brings to light important Black, Queer figures from the Harlem Renaissance. Not only do readers begin to see the impact that these historical figures, that have often been left out of history, have had on the past, but also on the present. From more well known individuals such as Zora Neal Hurston and Langston Hughes to lesser known individuals like Countee Cullen, almost every reader can take something away from reading these stories.

THOUGHTS: There is so much about the Harlem Renaissance that I personally was not aware of, including many of the people included in this title. It is a quick read filled with essays that encourage readers to think about the past as well as the present. There is some explicit language throughout the book.

920 Biography
800 Literature and Rhetoric