African-American literature

created an authentic voice for African-Americans that showed their humanity and desire for equality in United States' society. Harlem was once described by Alain Locke as “ not merely the largest Negro community in the world, but the first concentration in history of so many diverse elements of Negro life.” Harlem (1920s) was richly populated with a growing number of growing African Americans who were genuine and had cultural uniqueness through their arts and literature. in fact, it was through…

inventions. With the help from new technology, the Harlem Renaissance period was able to accomplish much more than previous eras. The Harlem Renaissance also influenced many different areas. In particular, the Harlem Renaissance influenced the way that literature was comprehended and perceived. The Harlem Renaissance was a time for innovative ideas and creations. The Harlem Renaissance started after World War I in 1917 and lasted until the middle of the 1930s. It was a literary, cultural,…

media, history, and literature. The history of slaves and the violent treatment of African-Americans have been blanketed and hidden away under the mattress of white supremacy. Anything that remotely makes someone "uncomfortable" is dismissed or sugarcoated rather than openly talked about. Literature, however, has the power to introduce and shine like upon the delicate subject of racism without revealing it like an open wound. In John Sutherland's piece “Colourful Cultures: Literature and Race,”…

The voice that emerged from the Harlem Renaissance and the mid 20th century was that of unapologetic self-assurance. These two sections in The Norton Anthology of African American Literature Vol. 2 are distinct because of their diversity not just in medium but ideas which fascinated me. I appreciate the new attitude of these writers, their criticisms and their exploration of genres and form. Above all I love the growing voice of women writers and feel especially connected to them. It was…

internationally before he became in charge of Harvard’s African-American studies department. Additionally, Gates was an exceptional student who continued to excel academically, he graduated with a degree in history from Yale University in the year 1973. He continued to pursue high education at Clare College, which is a part of the University of Cambridge in England. He obtained his doctorate degree in 1979, making him the first African American to even receive a Ph.D. from this University…

African American people were expected to convey the overview of the injustices of other African Americans during the 1930’s. Zora Neale Hurston is often criticized in her work because of her novels such as, Their Eyes were Watching God, she disturbs the perpetual pattern of black literature being about the discrimination of blacks, and that was the norm of African American literature. Despite the norms of society, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Critics such as Richard Wright believe…

authors. There have been many famous authors throughout time, as well as many lesser known authors. Historical events as well as literary periods and authors all affect the world in numerous ways. Examining the “I Have a Dream” speech, postmodern literature, and Toni Morrison as an author are all key pieces in understanding the similar effects that all of these events, periods, and people have on the world. On August 28, 1963, Martin…

African American literature is the genre of literature that is produced by African Americans. Before African Americans works of art were showcased, it was against the law for blacks to read or write. Many whites and oppressors forbid blacks from reading and writing to keep them uneducated. When one is uneducated they are unable to advance in life. Black people have proved their strength from the test of times. African Americans always kept their hope on God and freedom. White individuals always…

“But Their Ugliness Was Unique”: An African American Literary Examination of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye Does being ugly refer to the physical aspects of a person, the way they think, the color of their skin, or the way in which one is raised? Toni Morrison, an African American novelist, originally named Chloe Anthony Wofford, interprets and examines the “black experience” throughout her many novels (http://www.britannica.com/Toni-Morrison). The Bluest Eye, being one of them, is a remarkable…

struggles African Americans encountered with segregation between blacks and whites during the Great Migration and Jim Crow era in the Twentieth Century. Henry Louis Gates Jr. talks about the Great Migration, which was the movement of 6 million Africans to the North, Midwest, and West. He also introduces us to leaders Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Marcus Garvey who wanted equality with the blacks. Booker T. Washington argues that the political rights for the African Americans could…