The Look That Spoke: Black Costume in American Musical and Visual History.

The Look That Spoke explores how Black entertainers, from minstrelsy to modern music, have used costume and personal style as acts of resistance, storytelling, and self-archiving. Spanning genres like gospel, Motown, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, the book reveals how Black style shaped American cultural identity from the margins. It reclaims costume design as a central force in legacy building, not just for the stage—but for history itself.