The cover art titled "Big Smoke"© (artist Charly Palmer) depicts - Jack Johnson, the first African American heavyweight boxing World Champion in his famous fighting pose. Before and since Johnson's victory in 1908, Black Masculinity has been socially constructed many times over. From villain to hero, from margin to center and back on ideas of manhood, fatherhood, sexuality, political leadership, violence, popular culture, sports, music, education, and psychology, this issue, "On Manliness: Black American Masculinities" Edited by Gilman W. Whiting and Thabiti Lewis, is a timely collection that brings together authors from numerous academic disciplines to investigate Black manhood in 2008, particularly in light of Election 2008. For more information on other works by the artist visit: