To tell the flat-footed truth is a southern saying that means to tell the naked truth. This revealing and inspiring anthology brings together twenty-seven creative spirits who, through essays, interviews, poetry, and photographic images, tell about Black women's artistic lives.

In the opening section that discusses the risks involved in sharing your life with others, Sapphire tells us about the challenges she has faced in recording her experiences when she has never known any validation that her life was important. The next section is concerned with rekindling the lives of those who have been lost or neglected, with examples such as Alice Walker's search for the real story of Zora Neale Hurston.

The third section, which affirms lives of resistance, has, among other works, Audre Lorde's acclaimed essay "Poetry Is Not a Luxury." The final chapters, focusing on transformed lives, include an insightful interview with Sonia Sanchez.