More Than A Shade takes readers beyond the surface of skin color to explore the complex relationship between race, identity, history, ancestry, and lived experience.

The book looks more deeply into Afro-Indigenous American history, bringing attention to stories, people, and experiences that have often been overlooked or misunderstood. It also examines the language used to describe race and identity, including terms such as “Black” and “Brown,” exploring how these words have been defined, used, understood, and experienced across different communities and historical contexts.

At its heart, More Than A Shade asks readers to consider what lies beneath the labels we use to describe one another. Skin color can be visible, but identity is shaped by far more than appearance. History, ancestry, culture, community, personal experience, and the stories passed down through generations all contribute to how individuals understand themselves and how others understand them.

The book also serves as a platform for uplifting melanated individuals and creating space for people to be heard. By bringing different perspectives into the conversation, More Than A Shade encourages readers to look beyond assumptions and recognize the humanity and individuality behind racial categories.

Ultimately, More Than A Shade is an exploration of the many layers of identity. It invites readers to question familiar definitions, revisit overlooked histories, listen to voices that have not always been given space, and recognize that a person’s story cannot be reduced to a shade, a label, or a racial category.

• This framing also gives your title a double meaning: “shade” can refer literally to skin tone, while also representing the labels, perceptions, and historical narratives that can obscure the fuller story of a person or community.