African American Short Fiction


Although not as well recognized or appreciated as the novel or drama, the short stories of twentieth century African American writers have, nevertheless, occasionally been very well accepted. Among those either critically acclaimed or popularly well received were Jean Toomer (for his Cane, not a novel but a unified collection of short stories), Langston Hughes, Richard Wright (Uncle Tom's Children and Eight Men), and numerous contemporary authors.

Major Sources of Information

  • Books which document the development of African American short fiction
  • Biographical sources
  • Bibliographies
  • Critical studies of African American writers
  • Locating journal, magazine, and newspaper articles
  • Locating dissertations