African-American literature

The twentieth-century was an immensely controversial time in regards to African-American rights, resulting in a torrent of equally contentious books, with Their Eyes Were Watching God as no exception. Deemed as one of the most significant and influential works of African American literature, Their Eyes Were Watching God, a 1937 classic by Zora Neale Hurston, tells the story of a black woman, named Janie Crawford, raised in the South. A strong and fiercely independent female protagonist, Janie…

people - the beauty within themselves.” This mission delegated to all artists was no easy task; especially African-Americans who were consistently persecuted and ignored by white supremacists. For example, if you had a idea - an idea that would change the way that people think of you - but were persecuted and attacked for presenting it, would you make that idea a reality? The African-American artists of the 1920s and 1930s went against all oppression and published wonderful works under their…

Library which carries many historical writings and documents on the people of African descent. Arturo Schomburg was very active in liberation movements as well as inspired many African-Americans and Afro-Latinos to get involved in African Studies. Schomburg is known for revealing the truth of history the accomplishments of African Americans as well as Africans in their own continent throughout history. His research, literature and historical art materials were purchased by the New York Public…

Zora Neal Hurston was an African American novelist, and anthropologist. She mainly focused her work on the black culture and exploring her own self-identity and also helping others to do so. Surprisingly of an African American woman, she was against all of the “racial equality” and desegregation laws, because she did not believe in identifying herself with the black race (in which they explain why in further detail in the article I chose). The title of the article I chose is Zora says, Racs,…

strong statement came from a woman who overcame many trials and tribulations. Maya Angelou is one of the greatest figures in American literature. She is known for writing poetry which she used to spread the word of equality for many African American women and for others who were oppressed. Maya Angelou went through many hardships, but through hard work and her love for literature, she became one of America’s well-known poets. Maya Angelou was originally born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis,…

Throughout American history, the African-American has always been systemically oppressed. Although it is heard to imagine, this oppression has affected the African-American so severely that three centuries later, African-Americans are still mentally recovering from slavery. This can be viewed through African –American literature two centuries ago and African –American literature today. The oppression of black women is a consistent theme throughout generations of African American literature. In…

art life” (Langston Hughes). Langston Hughes is a famous African American author and poet, who lived from 1902 to 1967. He wrote in a modernist style during the time he was an author, which was from the 1920s to the 1960s. He is one of the many African American writers that helped advance the civil rights movement. Many things influenced his writing style. The Harlem Renaissance, the segregation of and discrimination against African Americans, and his personal experiences inspired him and…

The Jim Crow Era refers to the time period between the late 1800s and the mid 1900s when African Americans in America were socially, economically, and physically treated unfairly. The Jim Crow laws were made after the Reconstruction period, and those laws continued in with great force until 1965. The laws followed the Black Codes and the federal law provided civil rights protection in the South of the U.S. for freedmen and free blacks. “Jim Crow” was a slang term for a black man. Thus the name…

first began offering education courses to train African American teachers in January 1865 inside an African American Baptist church, so they'd graduate into the first colored teachers by 1866. The former first lady goes on by recollecting to when being an educated African American had consequences. She mentions this to remind the audience of how Bowie State has built its foundation, focusing on the empowerment through education for young African Americans and students from different racial…

time. He was the voice of many African American people at this time. Their voices were not being heard, so he spoke out for them; through songs, novels, poems, and other forms of literature. Hughes went through many tough things during his childhood, which made him a stronger person, strong enough to change the world with something as simple as writing. Langston endured many challenges in his early childhood…