Learn Black American Sign Language: A History and Complete Beginner's Guide with Over 200 Words and Phrases

Discover the fascinating history and current use of Black American Sign Language, then bring it to life with your hands following photo-illustrated instruction.

Deaf history has been told primarily from a white-centered lens, pushing Black Deaf history into the background. However, today, Black signers are telling the hidden stories of Black Deaf people and celebrating their language, exposing their dialect to millions across the world. Learn Black American Sign Language shares the often overlooked details of its history. The book provides:

• An introduction to Black ASL and the importance of understanding BASL
• The history of BASL, from its origins in school segregation policies to its development among Black students, families, and communities
• BASL today, its continual existence, and the influence of African American Vernacular English (AAVE)
• Over 200 BASL signs, each accompanied with full-color photographs
• And more!

Within the phrases and words in this guide, the author includes state and regional variations and Home signs. Home signs consist of signs learned specifically among a family or region that is not a part of the greater BASL dialect. Because much was lost in the years when BASL was not taught in schools, Black Deaf families had to fill in the holes with Home signs. Franklin originates from a region in South Carolina, and that is where the Home signs in the book derive from. Other BASL variations are from states including Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Alabama.

In recent years, Black TikTok creators brought attention to BASL when they advocated for more accessibility on the app, where they face additional discrimination due to their skin color. The hashtag #deaftiktok attracted more than 840 million views. Since then, BASL social media influencers and TikTok stars have begun to educate the public about BASL and its importance within the Deaf community and to Black signers. With more and more people becoming interested in learning Black American Sign Language, now is the perfect time to pick it up.

Learn Black American Sign Language is an accessible and interactive introduction to the dialect and its rich history and culture.

Author: Franklin R. Jones Jr
Publisher: Wellfleet Press
Published: 01/06/2026
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.81lbs
Size: 10.10h x 8.20w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9781577154525

About the Author
Franklin R. Jones Jr. is a faculty member at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, where he teaches in the Deaf Studies Program. As a Black multigenerational Deaf man, Jones has a personal and professional interest in exploring the history and linguistic and cultural content of Black American Sign Language (BASL). He is also a sought-after speaker on topics related to educational, linguistic, and cultural equity in Deaf communities, with his talks covering a broad range of subjects such as Black Deaf experience, ASL, Deaf culture, linguistics, and pedagogy. His lived experience as a Black Deaf man informs his work and research, and he is dedicated to advancing the field of Deaf Studies through his teaching, community engagement, and scholarship.

Dr. Carolyn McCaskill is a graduate of the Alabama School for the Deaf and has a BA in Psychology with a minor in Social Work, and an MA in Counseling of the Deaf from Gallaudet University. She received her doctorate in Administration and Supervision and was the second black deaf female to do so from Gallaudet University. She is currently a professor in the ASL & Deaf Studies Department at Gallaudet University and has been teaching since 1996.

McCaskill is the co-author of the book and DVD The Hidden Treasures of Black ASL: Its History and Structure. Carolyn has hosted numerous workshops and seminars related to various aspects of Black ASL history, community, and culture on a local, national, and global level.