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Bishop T.D. Jakes, Senior Pastor, The Potter’s House: “As ‘Woman Thou Art Loosed’ delved into the painful physical and mental abuse that women experience, many times too shamed or frightened to reach out for help, Terrie Williams’, ‘Black Pain’ takes a candid and in-depth look at depression in black America. It is a fascinating read that includes Terrie’s own personal struggle with the often debilitating disease and provides a ‘face’ to the disease that inflicts millions, from every walk of life. The book provides hope to those who battle with the disease and offers an understanding for the friends and loved ones who care for them. I highly recommend this book.”
Price M. Cobbs, M.D., Psychiatrist, Author, My American Life: From Rage to Entitlement, and Black Rage: “Black Pain is at once instructive, bold and daring. Terrie Williams has creatively plumbed the depths of personal despair and transformed it into hope. Her life’s journey exemplifies Dr. King’s message that unearned suffering is redemptive. Many readers will find this book a therapeutic experience.”
Bebe Moore Campbell, author of 72 Hour Hold: “Black Pain brings a new understanding to the widely-held misperceptions and stigmas about depression. People around the country are now talking about the issue; many have been moved to start speaking about it publicly. It took extraordinary courage for Terrie to bare her soul, her pain, and her anguish. We should all thank the good Lord that she had the strength to share her story. By doing so she has helped countless fellow sufferers realize that they are not alone. It's a powerful thing to admit the pain, to seek help, and to move on to a more productive, healthy, and fulfilling life."
Sean Combs: “As a young African American male, you have to have your war face on at all times. It’s all about maintaining your swagger. Some people like to run away from the uncut truth, but Black Pain is no slouch. It boldly confronts the reality of our pain head on, flowing like hot lyrics over the perfect beat.”
Dr. Cornel West, American Scholar/Princeton University professor: “Terrie Williams is the grand freedom fighter of her generation in the realm of public relations within mass media. She has inspired me for decades. This book reveals the depth of her courage and compassion. Don’t miss it!”
Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression: “Terrie Williams has gone public with her own depression, and has persuaded a legion of others to do the same. She chronicles the singular challenges that face African-Americans, who as a cultural group have been particularly resistant to recognizing this disease and seeking treatment. Her book is warm and engaging, and lays everything on the line; it will give comfort and insight to a population desperately in need of its vibrant courage.”
Alvin F. Poussaint, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School: “Black Pain is an immensely readable and down-to-earth book. It will motivate Black people who suffer with depression in silence to seek help. This book shines a bright light on the darkness of despair.”
Danny Glover, Actor/Activist: “Too many of us are in the dark about what depression is and how big a crisis it is in our community. “Black Pain” shines a spotlight on the issue, getting the message out that we must identify, understand, and seek the help we need to heal.”
Felicia “Snoop” Pearson, author Grace Before Midnight, actor, critically acclaimed HBO series “The Wire”: “I come from a part of Baltimore where death and despair are a way of life. Terrie Williams’ book Black Pain helps us to understand it all. This book will change lives; I wish that I could pass it out to every Black family in Baltimore.”
E. Lynn Harris, Five-time NY Times best-selling author: “Living a closeted life with part of you hidden behind a door of depression is a sad, fragmented existence. Black Pain not only unlocks this door of misery, it breaks it off its hinges and shows us a pathway toward whole, healthy living.”
Geoffrey Canada, CEO, Harlem Children’s Zone: “Terrie has tapped into one of the universal issues in our community—pain. People from my generation are at a stage where they can admit some of it, but most are in denial. They don’t know that they share a common story because they’ve never heard anyone else’s. Black Pain is going to open up the conversation in a way that will be quite revolutionary.”
Charles Ogletree, Professor of Law and Director, Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Harvard University: “African American leaders in particular face tremendous obstacles rising to the top and even greater challenges staying there. We are the face of the struggle and are expected to always show strength, grit, determination, and confidence, when the burden of depression is doing everything it can to pull us back down. Black Pain shows us that it is time that we all talk about our depression and fight with the same vigor that we fight to achieve racial justice. We must reveal the darker moments and show, despite the pain that tries to bring us down, we realize that seeking treatment, talking through our pain, and taking the mask off our helplessness, will not only make us stronger, but will allow others to appreciate the fact that depression is indiscriminate and that we can fight back and win. It is hard putting on the public face as the tireless warrior. It is harder even still to show our vulnerable side and our ability to work through the pain and depression, and come through with a sense of accomplishment, despite the odds.”
Sampson Davis, co-author of New York Times best-sellers The Pact and We Beat the Street: “I applaud Terrie Williams for standing up and addressing the issue of depression in Black Pain. It is a condition that is highly prevalent and misunderstood in the African-American communities. Statistics have proven that we all have a great chance of experiencing depression in our life time. It is time to welcome discussion in our circles. Do not turn a deaf ear, as a person experiencing depression needs friends and family. Stand up and talk!”
The Rev. Al Sharpton: “The issue of depression is more crippling than any of us want to admit. Many of us suffer from it ourselves and part of the problem is our denial. Terrie dares to bring out what so many have not had the courage to confront, having learned that you can never heal until you expose what hurts you. Black Pain is an opportunity to reach your breakthrough moment. A lot of us will feel freer to realize that we are not abnormal or suffering alone in our pain and depression.”
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges: Nobody wants to admit to themselves that they are vulnerable and hurting inside, let alone confess to someone else. Walking around pretending that nothing’s wrong won’t make your pain and depression go away. We have gotten real good at pretending that everything is okay — so good at wearing the mask that it’s suffocating us. Black Pain snatches the mask off, freeing us to take a deep breath of honesty and face our issues.
Farai Chidea, Host of NPR’s “News & Notes”: “I think that in times like these, when the world is carrying a lot of grief on both the community and international level, we need to talk about how we react to the challenges in our lives honestly. Black Pain starts the conversation so we can begin to heal ourselves and those around us”
Iyanla Vanzant, author and spiritual life coach: “As busy people, we’ve gotten used to juggling a million things at once—calendars, clients, bosses, home, and family—but when do we get to be our own client, giving ourselves the same level of care and attention? Black Pain is a wake up call, helping us see what happens when we drop the ball on ourselves by neglecting our mental and emotional health.”
Roland S. Martin, Syndicated columnist, CNN Contributor: “Terrie has spoken directly to our issues and provided substantive and quality examples of how to shed our baggage. Now we act. So the real question is, ‘What are your prepared to do now?’”
Jamie Hector, actor, critically acclaimed HBO series “The Wire”: “I know so many Black men who walk with a black cloud over their heads. It’s so real you can see it, but this is a darkness they cannot identify. So they refuse to acknowledge that it exists. In Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting, Terrie Williams sheds light on the dark clouds and illuminates the road to healing.”
Patti LaBelle: “We as a people have had to deal with so much pain just as a result of racism and prejudice. Add to that, tragedy and the problems we face in everyday life, and it’s no wonder depression affects so many. African-Americans haven’t ever really been taught how to deal with those emotions. Black Pain shows us how to recognize that depression that may be hidden away and deal with it. It pushes us to give a voice to the pain without passing it on to others. Pain turns into depression when we keep it bottled up inside. Terrie teaches us how to let that pain go and turn it into peace.”
Annelle B. Primm, MD, MPH, Director, American Psychiatric Association: “Using her piercing societal flashlight and courageous self-disclosure, Terrie Williams has blessed us with her wonderfully liberating book, Black Pain. Terrie confirms that because of racism and all of its attendant manifestations, life has not been a "crystal stair" for people of African descent in the U.S., no matter how famous or financially wealthy. The book lifts the veil on black trauma, loss and victimization, validating our daily strife and lifelong struggles. Terrie explains the source and impact of black psychological wounds and demoralization. She gently removes the armor, looks behind it and helps us realize that this is shared pain and we are not alone. The book reminds us that the strength and resources of the village must be brought to bear to open the door to break the silence, neutralize the pain, harness hope, and set free our collective spirit.”
Butch Lewis, Renowned boxing promoter: “Like a lot of Black men, depression is something that falls below my radar. The symptoms of depression are so ingrained into our daily lives that we accept these feelings as normal. The rage and anger we suppress is just another regular facet of our makeup. We have, in many ways, exchanged the shackles of slavery for the invisible shackles of depression. I think Terrie’s book Black Pain, will be a key to help unlock those invisible shackles that keep us enslaved in today’s society.”
Carl Bell, Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health, University of Illinois, Chicago: “Terrie Williams has an extraordinary blessing that allows her to give us gifts of understanding about common problems that affect us all…she is a treasure we should value and support.”
The Rev. Dr. Frank M. Reid, III, Senior Pastor, Bethel AME Church, Baltimore, MD: “Black Pain is a must-read book that shows each one of us how to stop hurting and start healing! Terrie Williams, like Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and other un-named African-American heroines who endured the pain of the American slave trade and led others to liberation, has shown us how Black Pain can be transformed into ‘Black Power.’”
Zane, NY Times Bestselling Author of Addicted and NAACP Image Award Winner for Breaking the Cycle: “The world is full of damaged people inflicting pain upon other damaged people. Oftentimes this leads to depression and once that sets in, it is as difficult to overcome as any other affliction. Black Pain is a breath of fresh air. The time for sweeping issues such as depression under the rug in the African-American community has long since passed. We need to face our demons head on and defeat them so that we can truly appreciate all that life has to offer, instead of living our lives in a state of debilitation. This book will serve as an eye-opener to many and an inspiration to all.”
Terry McMillan, NY Times Bestselling Author: “All of us have emotional burdens. Some of them can be solved and resolved. Some of them cannot. For the ones that can, you must arm yourself and fight. Black Pain offers us an arsenal of understanding, answers, and hope to win the battle.”
Dale T. Irvin, President, New York Theological Seminary: “Black Pain is a courageous book. By telling the story of her depression and pain, Terrie Williams has opened up a window of hope for the Black community and for the world. The story is more than compelling. It is redemptive.”
Tavis Smiley, Author, Television & Radio Host: “Black Pain is just the conversation starter that we need to begin tackling the taboo topic of depression. Out of the discussion comes the healing.”
Eddie Levert, Sr., Legendary R&B Singer of The O’Jays and Best Selling Author: “Black Pain so poignantly and honestly focuses on the pain of depression, while lifting the veil of shame on this illness so often considered a taboo subject. Terrie Williams offers us an unprecedented opportunity to recognize and understand the symptoms, effects and treatment of this disease.”
Shanene Pinder, Writer, Entrepreneur: Black Pain is too powerful for words. As I read, I’m noticing that I can’t take in but so much of it at a time without stopping to really reflect on what I’m reading—it rushes over me like a tidal wave, washing away previous misconceptions. Everything I thought I knew about people flies right out the window. The pain runs so deep and it blows my mind to see what others are experiencing and dealing with. Really makes you look at and think about people with a whole new perspective and sensitivity. And when I got to my part, seeing myself on the page hit so hard I just broke down in a fit of tears. Because it is the sad, sad truth for my life and I have to sit with and process all the feelings it triggers in me. It’s so hard, but necessary to face.
To schedule a book signing send an email to:
tmwms@terriewilliams.com
