I liked the subject matter of Strange Fruit, Volume I: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History, but I wish these uncelebrated narratives could have been fleshed out more, allowing us to get to know the characters a little better. I had already heard of Henry "Box" Brown, and was disappointed with how much the book simplified his story. From what I understand, Brown's story was much more complex than what was in the book: Many abolitionists were embarrassed he didn't do more to free his family once he gained his freedom, and Frederick Douglass criticized Brown for giving away his escape route in telling the story of his escape.
Another, more important problem, is the lack of female subjects. The Historical record is full of remarkable women whose stories aren't told in the History books, and this book does nothing to redress that. I guess we're on our own if we want to find black women's uncelebrated narratives!
That said, Strange Fruit, Volume I: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History provides a good jumping-off point for researching the people it does cover.