African Americans have long negotiated their experience within a hostile environment, and although this hostility has left a mark on African American literature, it does not totally define this genre. Through four centuries of literature, we can also trace common themes of community, identity and memory. This Black History Month, we celebrate the achievements of African American writers.
Content warning: This blog contains links to resources with outdated terms that reflect the language of the time that the sources were created. At the time, they were used as part of a proper noun and not used in a derogatory manner. They do not represent the Libraries’ nor the University’s position on African Americans and people of African descent.
The Colonial and Antebellum Period
Early in the nation’s history, African Americans grappled with the reality of slavery and discrimination. Literacy among the enslaved was banned. Those who could read and write still faced constant skepticism. Despite this, African Americans advocated for themselves and their peers through slave narratives and wrote on religious subjects. Phillis Wheatley, the country’s first published African American poet, impressed society with her poetry.
Reconstruction and the Early 20th Century
During Reconstruction, African Americans felt optimism, but it was dashed by enduring discrimination and violence. At the turn of the 20th century, African Americans benefited from increasing rates of literacy and education. Two camps emerged in African American literature: Booker T. Washington believed African Americans should seek to better themselves, while W.E.B. Du Bois recognized injustice’s impact on African Americans’ standing.
The Harlem Renaissance
After World War I, African Americans experienced a creative surge supported in part by the Great Migration and by the nation’s adoption of modernist primitivism. Many found a creative community in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. This period, known as the Harlem Renaissance, produced many classics, including Langston Hughes’ Not Without Laughter. Writers questioned prevailing white aesthetics and embraced their own identity and self-expression. The Harlem Renaissance closed with the Great Depression.
Urban Realism
After the market crash of 1929, the cultural center of African Americans shifted to Chicago, and urban realism, founded by Richard Wright, took hold. African American writers sought to be more politically engaged and socially realistic than their predecessors. They took advantage of New Deal initiatives to support their work but found themselves restricted. During the 1950s, James Baldwin expanded this genre with an exploration of intersectional identity.
The Black Arts Movement
During the Civil Rights Movement, the Black arts movement took hold. Founded by Amiri Baraka, it was an extension of the Black Power movement, and it considered how art could inspire social and political change. One of the most famous writers of this period was playwright Lorraine Hansberry, whose A Raisin in the Sun continues to be well-studied.
Black Women’s Literary Renaissance and Beyond
In the last decades of the 20th century, African American women took center stage. Writers like Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou considered themes of black womanhood, community and body-centered experiences. During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Afrofuturist writers imagined a new future. Today, writers like Jesmyn Ward continue to experiment while reflecting on their community, identity and life amidst struggle and discrimination.
As you reflect on the history of African American writers, we encourage you to check out one of the many resources available at UD Libraries, and have a great Black History Month!
Additional Resources
- African American History Library Guide
- African American Newspapers, Series 1 (available with a UD login)
- African-American Poetry 1760-1900 (available with a UD login)
- Black Life in America (available with a UD login)
- Black Thought and Culture (available with a UD login)