Try free for 30 days

A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook free.
1 credit/month after trial—to buy any title you like, yours to keep.
Listen all you want to a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
The Ups and Downs of Being Brown cover art

The Ups and Downs of Being Brown

By: Rex M. Ellis
Narrated by: Rex M. Ellis
Free with 30-day trial

$16.45/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $10.99

Buy Now for $10.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Editorial reviews

Rex M. Ellis, a teacher, historian, storyteller and director of the Office of Museum Programs at the Smithsonian Institution, gives a superb performance of African-American stories and songs. Some of the offerings are traditional African tales, some come from the time of slavery in America and others are based on contemporary African-American experiences. Ellis has a rich, expressive voice: joyous, sorrowful or mischievous as fits the story. The background music is well chosen; it helps sustain the mood of each story. This outstanding audiobook showcases both the breadth of Ellis's storytelling talents and the diversity of African-American folklore.

Publisher's Summary

Rex M. Ellis weaves the strands of African folklore, early American history, and contemporary interpretations into the rich quilt that is the African-American experience. His stories spin a thread from the Windward Coast of West Africa to the shores of Jamestown and beyond. He uses storytelling as both a historical teaching tool and a method for dealing with controversial subjects. Ellis' unique style of storytelling educates, informs, and entertains while building bridges of understanding and respect between different cultural groups.

For Ages Nine to Adult

©1992 Rex M. Ellis (P)1997 August House Publishers, Inc.
  • Abridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about The Ups and Downs of Being Brown

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.