From Zero to Eighty

Through the lens of age, racism, and suffering, From Zero to Eighty narrates a history of what has not been written about older African American men. In this memoir, author Helen K. Black tells the life stories of John T. Groce and Charles E. Harmon against the backdrop of deep-seated cultural beliefs that engender racism.

In this memoir, Black shares the thoughts and emotions of Groce and Harmon, two African American men who are rich with years, experience, and pain. Among many topics, From Zero to Eighty explores the following:

The definition, description, and stories of suffering both as individuals and as part of a community
The place of these men in a society that's filled with covert and overt racism
The concepts of survival for African American men in general
The men's childhood and young adult years and how they shaped their self- and world view
The significance of men's program's founded by Groce and Harmon
The link between old age and suffering
The future in concrete ways and where we go from here

A biography of two African American elders, From Zero to Eighty recounts a journey of their lives, captured in words of struggle and hope.