African American Literature

Having its origins in the slave narratives and the folktales transmitted orally during that period, the literature of the African American has been rich and varied. Beginning with the first published work of fiction (Clotel; Or, the President's Daug hter) in 1853, continuing under the influence of W.E.B. Du Bois during the first part of this century, and reaching a flowering during the Harlem Renaissance, major contributions have been made to American literature. Today African American writers , such as Toni Morrison, Alex Haley, and Maya Angelou are recognized as among the most significant and popular authors in this country.

The following topics are the major divisions in this section dealing with African American literature in general. If you are more interested in a specific genre, go to the bottom of this page. Go to speeches of African Americans if you want to find a recording of a speech.

Documenting the history of African American literature in books
Some very useful reference works
Sources for literary criticism
Locating magazine, journal and newspaper articles
Locating dissertations
Audio tapes on African American literature

You can also go to a specific genre of literature:

African American poets and poetry
African American drama and dramatists
African American novels and novelists
African American short fiction