The Norton Anthology Of African American Literature

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature: A Deep Dive into a Literary Legacy

Are you ready to embark on a journey through centuries of powerful storytelling, breathtaking poetry, and groundbreaking essays? This post delves into The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, exploring its significance, content, and enduring impact on both literary scholarship and broader cultural understanding. We'll unpack its historical context, examine key themes and authors represented, and discuss its value for students, scholars, and anyone interested in experiencing the richness of African American literary expression.

A Monumental Collection: Scope and Significance

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature is not just a collection of works; it's a meticulously curated chronicle of a people's experiences, resilience, and artistic genius. This monumental anthology spans centuries, showcasing the evolution of African American literature from slave narratives to contemporary works. Its sheer breadth and depth make it an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of African American history and culture. The editors' careful selection ensures a representative sample across genres, styles, and perspectives, offering a nuanced and comprehensive view that challenges simplistic narratives.

Historical Context: From Enslavement to the Present Day

The anthology's arrangement cleverly reflects the historical timeline, offering insightful context for each piece. It begins with the earliest forms of African American writing, such as slave narratives which powerfully documented the horrors of slavery and the indomitable spirit of those who endured it. These narratives, often written in defiance of oppressive regimes, laid the foundation for future generations of writers. The anthology then progresses through Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, and into the contemporary period. This chronological approach illuminates how literary styles and themes evolved alongside the changing social and political landscape.

#### Key Periods and Their Literary Expressions:

Slave Narratives: These unflinching accounts offer vital firsthand perspectives on the brutal reality of slavery. Authors like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs used their writing to expose the injustices of the system and fight for emancipation.
The Harlem Renaissance: This pivotal period witnessed an explosion of creative energy, producing iconic figures like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay. Their work celebrated Black culture, explored themes of identity, and challenged racial stereotypes.
The Civil Rights Era and Beyond: The anthology includes powerful works that directly engage with the struggle for civil rights, from the poetic indictments of racial injustice to the unflinching prose of writers like James Baldwin and Toni Morrison. Contemporary works further explore the complexities of race, identity, and social justice in America.

Exploring Key Themes: Identity, Resistance, and Resilience

Running throughout The Norton Anthology of African American Literature are recurring themes that encapsulate the collective experience of African Americans.

#### Core Thematic Strands:

Identity and Self-Definition: The anthology showcases the ongoing process of defining Black identity in the face of historical oppression and societal pressures. Writers grapple with questions of belonging, authenticity, and the multifaceted nature of Black experience.
Resistance and Protest: Many works serve as powerful acts of resistance against systemic racism and injustice. From subtle acts of defiance to direct calls for social change, these texts highlight the enduring struggle for equality and freedom.
Resilience and Hope: Despite facing immense challenges, African American literature consistently demonstrates a remarkable capacity for resilience and hope. The enduring spirit of perseverance and the belief in a better future are palpable throughout the collection.

Notable Authors and Their Contributions

The anthology features a vast array of iconic and lesser-known authors, each contributing uniquely to the rich tapestry of African American literature. Studying these writers and their works offers a profound understanding of their individual styles, perspectives, and historical contexts. From the foundational works of Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. Du Bois to the groundbreaking contributions of contemporary writers like Toni Morrison and August Wilson, the anthology provides a truly comprehensive survey of this diverse literary landscape. The inclusion of both established and emerging voices ensures a dynamic and engaging reading experience.

Utilizing the Anthology: For Students, Scholars, and Beyond

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature is a crucial resource for students studying African American history, literature, and culture. Its comprehensive nature makes it suitable for various academic levels, from undergraduate courses to doctoral research. Beyond academia, it offers a powerful and enriching reading experience for anyone seeking to expand their understanding of American history and literature. The anthology's insightful introductions, critical essays, and biographical notes provide valuable context and enhance the reader's appreciation of the works within.

Conclusion

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature stands as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling and the richness of African American cultural expression. Its carefully curated collection offers a profound and insightful exploration of history, identity, resistance, and resilience. This anthology is not merely a collection of texts; it's a living testament to the ongoing conversation about race, identity, and the pursuit of justice in America and beyond. Its value lies not just in its academic rigor but in its capacity to foster empathy, understanding, and a deeper appreciation for the multifaceted contributions of African Americans to the literary landscape.

FAQs

1. Is there an online version of The Norton Anthology of African American Literature? While there isn't a fully digital version mirroring the print anthology, many individual works included can be found online through various digital libraries and online bookstores.

2. What are some key differences between the different editions of the anthology? Subsequent editions often include updated scholarship, expanded selections of contemporary works, and sometimes revised introductions to reflect ongoing critical conversations.

3. How can I use this anthology in a classroom setting? The anthology's structure and diverse content make it ideal for thematic units, chronological studies, or exploring individual authors and their works in detail.

4. Are there companion resources available for The Norton Anthology of African American Literature? Yes, instructors often utilize supplementary materials such as critical essays, biographies, and historical context materials to enrich classroom discussions.

5. Beyond academic study, how can I engage with the anthology meaningfully? Engage with book clubs, online forums, or literary discussions to share your insights and engage with diverse perspectives on the works. Consider focusing on specific themes or authors that resonate with your personal interests.


  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of African American Literature Henry Louis Gates (Jr.), Valerie Smith, 2014 An exciting revision of the best-selling anthology for African American literary survey courses.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of African American Literature Henry Louis Gates, Nellie Y. McKay, 2004 Welcomed on publication as brilliant, definitive, and a joy to teach from, The Norton Anthology of African American Literature was adopted at more than 1,275 colleges and universities worldwide. Now, the new Second Edition offers these highlights.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of African American Literature , 1997
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Bars Fight Lucy Terry Prince, 2020-10-01 Bars Fight, a ballad telling the tale of an ambush by Native Americans on two families in 1746 in a Massachusetts meadow, is the oldest known work by an African-American author. Passed on orally until it was recorded in Josiah Gilbert Holland’s History of Western Massachusetts in 1855, the ballad is a landmark in the history of literature that should be on every book lover’s shelves.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of African American Literature Henry Louis Gates (Jr.), Valerie Smith, 2014 An exciting revision of the best-selling anthology for African American literary survey courses.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Half in Shadow Shanna Greene Benjamin, 2021-04-01 Nellie Y. McKay (1930–2006) was a pivotal figure in contemporary American letters. The author of several books, McKay is best known for coediting the canon-making with Henry Louis Gates Jr., which helped secure a place for the scholarly study of Black writing that had been ignored by white academia. However, there is more to McKay's life and legacy than her literary scholarship. After her passing, new details about McKay's life emerged, surprising everyone who knew her. Why did McKay choose to hide so many details of her past? Shanna Greene Benjamin examines McKay's path through the professoriate to learn about the strategies, sacrifices, and successes of contemporary Black women in the American academy. Benjamin shows that McKay's secrecy was a necessary tactic that a Black, working-class woman had to employ to succeed in the white-dominated space of the American English department. Using extensive archives and personal correspondence, Benjamin brings together McKay’s private life and public work to expand how we think about Black literary history and the place of Black women in American culture.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: A Companion to African American Literature Gene Andrew Jarrett, 2013-02-25 Through a series of essays that explore the forms, themes, genres, historical contexts, major authors, and latest critical approaches, A Companion to African American Literature presents a comprehensive chronological overview of African American literature from the eighteenth century to the modern day Examines African American literature from its earliest origins, through the rise of antislavery literature in the decades leading into the Civil War, to the modern development of contemporary African American cultural media, literary aesthetics, and political ideologies Addresses the latest critical and scholarly approaches to African American literature Features essays by leading established literary scholars as well as newer voices
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of American Literature Nina Baym, 2003 Includes outstanding works of American poetry, prose, and fiction from the Colonial era to the present day.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Anthology of African American Literature Henry Louis Gates, Jr., 1997-10-10
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Sweetgum & Lightning Rodney Terich Leonard, 2021-02-15 An intersection of jazz and the written word: poems to be experienced and felt Sweetgum & Lightning lets us into an extraordinary poetic universe, shaped by a vernacular rooted in the language of self, one's origins, and music. In poems that are deeply sensual in nature, Rodney Terich Leonard considers gender and sexuality, art, poverty, and community. Imagery expands through unexpected lexical associations and rumination on the function of language; words take on new meaning and specificity, and the music of language becomes tantamount to the denotations of words themselves. Through extensive webs of connotation, Leonard's narratives achieve a sense of accuracy and intimacy. The nuanced lens of these poems is indicative of the honesty of expression at work in the collection-one that affirms the essentiality of perception to living and memory--
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Kindred Octavia E. Butler, 2004-02-01 From the New York Times bestselling author of Parable of the Sower and MacArthur “Genius” Grant, Nebula, and Hugo award winner The visionary time-travel classic whose Black female hero is pulled through time to face the horrors of American slavery and explores the impacts of racism, sexism, and white supremacy then and now. “I lost an arm on my last trip home. My left arm.” Dana’s torment begins when she suddenly vanishes on her 26th birthday from California, 1976, and is dragged through time to antebellum Maryland to rescue a boy named Rufus, heir to a slaveowner’s plantation. She soon realizes the purpose of her summons to the past: protect Rufus to ensure his assault of her Black ancestor so that she may one day be born. As she endures the traumas of slavery and the soul-crushing normalization of savagery, Dana fights to keep her autonomy and return to the present. Blazing the trail for neo-slavery narratives like Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad and Ta-Nehisi Coates’s The Water Dancer, Butler takes one of speculative fiction’s oldest tropes and infuses it with lasting depth and power. Dana not only experiences the cruelties of slavery on her skin but also grimly learns to accept it as a condition of her own existence in the present. “Where stories about American slavery are often gratuitous, reducing its horror to explicit violence and brutality, Kindred is controlled and precise” (New York Times). “Reading Octavia Butler taught me to dream big, and I think it’s absolutely necessary that everybody have that freedom and that willingness to dream.” —N. K. Jemisin Developed for television by writer/executive producer Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Watchmen), executive producers also include Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields (The Americans, The Patient), and Darren Aronofsky (The Whale). Janicza Bravo (Zola) is director and an executive producer of the pilot. Kindred stars Mallori Johnson, Micah Stock, Ryan Kwanten, and Gayle Rankin.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man Henry Louis Gates, Jr., 2011-06-08 This is a book of stories, writes Henry Louis Gates, and all might be described as 'narratives of ascent.' As some remarkable men talk about their lives, many perspectives on race and gender emerge. For the notion of the unitary black man, Gates argues, is as imaginary as the creature that the poet Wallace Stevens conjured in his poem Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird. James Baldwin, Colin Powell, Harry Belafonte, Bill T. Jones, Louis Farrakhan, Anatole Broyard, Albert Murray -- all these men came from modest circumstances and all achieved preeminence. They are people, Gates writes, who have shaped the world as much as they were shaped by it, who gave as good as they got. Three are writers -- James Baldwin, who was once regarded as the intellectual spokesman for the black community; Anatole Broyard, who chose to hide his black heritage so as to be seen as a writer on his own terms; and Albert Murray, who rose to the pinnacle of literary criticism. There is the general-turned-political-figure Colin Powell, who discusses his interactions with three United States presidents; there is Harry Belafonte, the entertainer whose career has been distinct from his fervent activism; there is Bill T. Jones, dancer and choreographer, whose fierce courage and creativity have continued in the shadow of AIDS; and there is Louis Farrakhan, the controversial religious leader. These men and others speak of their lives with candor and intimacy, and what emerges from this portfolio of influential men is a strikingly varied and profound set of ideas about what it means to be a black man in America today.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of American Literature Baym, Nina, Levine, Robert S, 2011-12-31 The Eighth Edition features a diverse and balanced variety of works and thorough but judicious editorial apparatus throughout. The new edition also includes more complete works, much-requested new authors, 170 in-text images, new and re-thought contextual clusters, and other tools that help instructors teach the course they want to teach.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Concise Oxford Companion to African American Literature William L. Andrews, Frances Smith Foster, Trudier Harris, 2001-02-15 A breathtaking achievement, this Concise Companion is a suitable crown to the astonishing production in African American literature and criticism that has swept over American literary studies in the last two decades. It offers an enormous range of writers-from Sojourner Truth to Frederick Douglass, from Zora Neale Hurston to Ralph Ellison, and from Toni Morrison to August Wilson. It contains entries on major works (including synopses of novels), such as Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Richard Wright's Native Son, and Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. It also incorporates information on literary characters such as Bigger Thomas, Coffin Ed Johnson, Kunta Kinte, Sula Peace, as well as on character types such as Aunt Jemima, Brer Rabbit, John Henry, Stackolee, and the trickster. Icons of black culture are addressed, including vivid details about the lives of Muhammad Ali, John Coltrane, Marcus Garvey, Jackie Robinson, John Brown, and Harriet Tubman. Here, too, are general articles on poetry, fiction, and drama; on autobiography, slave narratives, Sunday School literature, and oratory; as well as on a wide spectrum of related topics. Compact yet thorough, this handy volume gathers works from a vast array of sources--from the black periodical press to women's clubs--making it one of the most substantial guides available on the growing, exciting world of African American literature.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Black Arts Enterprise and the Production of African American Poetry Howard Rambsy, 2013-08-29 Devoted chiefly to the period from 1965-1976.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of American Literature Robert Steven Levine, 2017 This 9th edition of 'The Norton Anthology of American Literature' presents complete major works, balancing classic and newly emergent works
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Lottery Shirley Jackson, 2008 A seemingly ordinary village participates in a yearly lottery to determine a sacrificial victim.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Literature of the American South William L. Andrews, 1997-10-01 Complete with historical introductions, author headnotes, annotations, and bibliographies, a groundbreaking anthology encompasses all genres of literary writing and ranges from slave narratives to William Faulkner to the memoirs of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Original.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Cambridge History of African American Literature Maryemma Graham, Jerry Washington Ward, 2011-02-03 A major new history of the literary traditions, oral and print, of African-descended peoples in the United States.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: On the Bus with Rosa Parks: Poems Rita Dove, 2000-04-17 A dazzling new collection by the former Poet Laureate of the United States. In these brilliant poems, Rita Dove treats us to a panoply of human endeavor, shot through with the electrifying jazz of her lyric elegance. From the opening sequence, Cameos, to the civil rights struggle of the final sequence, she explores the intersection of individual fate and history.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: What Was African American Literature? Kenneth W. Warren, 2011-05-03 African American literature is over. With this provocative claim Kenneth Warren sets out to identify a distinctly African American literature—and to change the terms with which we discuss it. Rather than contest other definitions, Warren makes a clear and compelling case for understanding African American literature as creative and critical work written by black Americans within and against the strictures of Jim Crow America. Within these parameters, his book outlines protocols of reading that best make sense of the literary works produced by African American writers and critics over the first two-thirds of the twentieth century. In Warren’s view, African American literature begged the question: what would happen to this literature if and when Jim Crow was finally overthrown? Thus, imagining a world without African American literature was essential to that literature. In support of this point, Warren focuses on three moments in the history of Phylon, an important journal of African American culture. In the dialogues Phylon documents, the question of whether race would disappear as an organizing literary category emerges as shared ground for critical and literary practice. Warren also points out that while scholarship by black Americans has always been the province of a petit bourgeois elite, the strictures of Jim Crow enlisted these writers in a politics that served the race as a whole. Finally, Warren’s work sheds light on the current moment in which advocates of African American solidarity insist on a past that is more productively put behind us.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Geographies of African American Short Fiction Kenton Rambsy, 2022-03-25 Perhaps the brevity of short fiction accounts for the relatively scant attention devoted to it by scholars, who have historically concentrated on longer prose narratives. The Geographies of African American Short Fiction seeks to fill this gap by analyzing the ways African American short story writers plotted a diverse range of characters across multiple locations—small towns, a famous metropolis, city sidewalks, a rural wooded area, apartment buildings, a pond, a general store, a prison, and more. In the process, these writers highlighted the extents to which places and spaces shaped or situated racial representations. Presenting African American short story writers as cultural cartographers, author Kenton Rambsy documents the variety of geographical references within their short stories to show how these authors make cultural spaces integral to their artwork and inscribe their stories with layered and resonant social histories. The history of these short stories also documents the circulation of compositions across dozens of literary collections for nearly a century. Anthology editors solidified the significance of a core group of short story authors including James Baldwin, Toni Cade Bambara, Charles Chesnutt, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Wright. Using quantitative information and an extensive literary dataset, The Geographies of African American Short Fiction explores how editorial practices shaped the canon of African American short fiction.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Worlds Together, Worlds Apart Concise One-Volume, 2nd Edition + Reg Card Elizabeth Pollard, Clifford D. Rosenberg, Robert L. Tignor, Jeremy Adelman, Stephen Aron, Peter Brown, Benjamin Elman, Stephen Kotkin, Xinru Liu, Suzanne Marchand, Holly Pittman, Gyan Prakash, Brent Shaw, Michael Tsin, 2019 A truly global approach to world history, Worlds Together, Worlds Apart is organized around major world history stories and themes: the emergence of cities, the building of the Silk Road, the spread of major religions, the spread of the Black Death, the Age of Exploration, alternatives to nineteenth-century capitalism, the rise of modern nation-states and empires, and others ... The authors have refreshed throughout coverage of the environment in addition to cutting edge scholarship, designed to help students think critically, master content and make connections across time and place.--Provided by publisher.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: A History of African American Poetry Lauri Ramey, 2019-03-21 Offers a critical history of African American poetry from the transatlantic slave trade to present day hip-hop.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Earliest African American Literatures Zachary McLeod Hutchins, Cassander L. Smith, 2021-12-16 With the publication of the 1619 Project by The New York Times in 2019, a growing number of Americans have become aware that Africans arrived in North America before the Pilgrims. Yet the stories of these Africans and their first descendants remain ephemeral and inaccessible for both the general public and educators. This groundbreaking collection of thirty-eight biographical and autobiographical texts chronicles the lives of literary black Africans in British colonial America from 1643 to 1760 and offers new strategies for identifying and interpreting the presence of black Africans in this early period. Brief introductions preceding each text provide historical context and genre-specific interpretive prompts to foreground their significance. Included here are transcriptions from manuscript sources and colonial newspapers as well as forgotten texts. The Earliest African American Literatures will change the way that students and scholars conceive of early American literature and the role of black Africans in the formation of that literature.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Passing Nella Larsen, 2022 Harlem Renaissance author Nella Larsen (1891 –1964) published just two novels and three short stories in her lifetime, but achieved lasting literary acclaim. Her classic novel Passing first appeared in 1926.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Invisible Man Ralph Ellison, 2014 The invisible man is the unnamed narrator of this impassioned novel of black lives in 1940s America. Embittered by a country which treats him as a non-being he retreats to an underground cell.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Toni Morrison's Beloved William L. Andrews, Nellie Y. McKay, 1999-01-21 With the continued expansion of the literary canon, multicultural works of modern literary fiction and autobiography have assumed an increasing importance for students and scholars of American literature. This exciting new series assembles key documents and criticism concerning these works that have so recently become central components of the American literature curriculum. Each casebook will reprint documents relating to the work's historical context and reception, present the best in critical essays, and when possible, feature an interview of the author. The series will provide, for the first time, an accessible forum in which readers can come to a fuller understanding of these contemporary masterpieces and the unique aspects of American ethnic, racial, or cultural experience that they so ably portray. This casebook to Morrison's classic novel presents seven essays that represent the best in contemporary criticism of the book. In addition, the book includes a poem and an abolitionist's tra published after a slave named Margaret Garner killed her child to save her from slavery—the very incident Morrison fictionalizes in Beloved.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Performing Blackness Kimberley W. Benston, 2013-04-15 Performing Blackness offers a challenging interpretation of black cultural expression since the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s. Exploring drama, music, poetry, sermons, and criticism, Benston offers an exciting meditation on modern black performance's role in realising African-American aspirations for autonomy and authority. Artists covered include: * John Coltrane * Ntozake Shange * Ed Bullins * Amiri Baraka * Adrienne Kennedy * Michael Harper. Performing Blackness is an exciting contribution to the ongoing debate about the vitality and importance of black culture.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The African Americans Henry Louis Gates (Jr.), Donald Yacovone, 2013 Chronicles five hundred years of African-American history from the origins of slavery on the African continent through Barack Obama's second presidential term, examining contributing political and cultural events.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Prison Narratives from Boethius to Zana P. Phillips, 2014-07-24 Prison Narratives from Boethius to Zana critically examines selected works of writers, from the sixth century to the twenty-first century, who were imprisoned for their beliefs. Chapters explore figures' lives, provide close analyses of their works, and offer contextualization of their prison writings.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Sula Toni Morrison, 2002-04-05 From the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner: Two girls who grow up to become women. Two friends who become something worse than enemies. This brilliantly imagined novel brings us the story of Nel Wright and Sula Peace, who meet as children in the small town of Medallion, Ohio. Nel and Sula's devotion is fierce enough to withstand bullies and the burden of a dreadful secret. It endures even after Nel has grown up to be a pillar of the black community and Sula has become a pariah. But their friendship ends in an unforgivable betrayal—or does it end? Terrifying, comic, ribald and tragic, Sula is a work that overflows with life.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe, 1994-09-01 “A true classic of world literature . . . A masterpiece that has inspired generations of writers in Nigeria, across Africa, and around the world.” —Barack Obama “African literature is incomplete and unthinkable without the works of Chinua Achebe.” —Toni Morrison Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read Things Fall Apart is the first of three novels in Chinua Achebe's critically acclaimed African Trilogy. It is a classic narrative about Africa's cataclysmic encounter with Europe as it establishes a colonial presence on the continent. Told through the fictional experiences of Okonkwo, a wealthy and fearless Igbo warrior of Umuofia in the late 1800s, Things Fall Apart explores one man's futile resistance to the devaluing of his Igbo traditions by British political andreligious forces and his despair as his community capitulates to the powerful new order. With more than 20 million copies sold and translated into fifty-seven languages, Things Fall Apart provides one of the most illuminating and permanent monuments to African experience. Achebe does not only capture life in a pre-colonial African village, he conveys the tragedy of the loss of that world while broadening our understanding of our contemporary realities.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Comparative American Identities Hortense J. Spillers, 1991 Maps out the different cultural identities that have emerged in the New World and also deals with related questions and problems that have arisen.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: African American Literature Hans Ostrom, J. David Macey Jr., 2019-11-15 This essential volume provides an overview of and introduction to African American writers and literary periods from their beginnings through the 21st century. This compact encyclopedia, aimed at students, selects the most important authors, literary movements, and key topics for them to know. Entries cover the most influential and highly regarded African American writers, including novelists, playwrights, poets, and nonfiction writers. The book covers key periods of African American literature—such as the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement, and the Civil Rights Era—and touches on the influence of the vernacular, including blues and hip hop. The volume provides historical context for critical viewpoints including feminism, social class, and racial politics. Entries are organized A to Z and provide biographies that focus on the contributions of key literary figures as well as overviews, background information, and definitions for key subjects.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of African American Literature: Realism, nautralism, modernism to the present. The vernacular tradition, part 2. Gospel ; Songs of social change ; Jazz ; Rhythm and blues ; Hip-hop ; Sermons and prayers Henry Louis Gates (Jr.), Valerie Smith, 2014 Collaborating on The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, editors Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Nellie Y. McKay have compiled what may be the definitive collection of its kind. Organized chronologically, the massive work gathers writings from six periods of black history: slavery and freedom; Reconstruction; the Harlem Renaissance; Realism, Naturalism and Modernism; the Black Arts Movement and the period since the 1970s. The work begins with the vernacular tradition of spirituals, gospel and the blues; continues through work songs, jazz and rap; ranges through sermons and folktales; and embraces letters and journals, poetry, short fiction, novels, autobiography and drama.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Classic Slave Narratives Henry Louis Gates (Jr.), 2002 This collection of four first-hand accounts of slavery were chosen from the experiences of more than 6,000 ex-slaves, who by 1944 had written moving stories of their captivity. This volume includes portraits of the lives of Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass, Mary Prince, and Harriet Jacobs.
  the norton anthology of african american literature: Tao Te Ching Laozi, 1972
  the norton anthology of african american literature: The Norton Anthology of Poetry James Knapp, Margaret Ferguson, Mary Jo Salter, Jon Stallworthy, 1996
  the norton anthology of african american literature: A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry, 2016-11-01 A Raisin in the Sun reflects Lorraine Hansberry's childhood experiences in segregated Chicago. This electrifying masterpiece has enthralled audiences and has been heaped with critical accolades. The play that changed American theatre forever - The New York Times. Edition Description
The Norton Anthology of African American Literature (Third …
Mar 25, 2014 · It takes you through the entire history of African American Literature, beginning with the vernacular, or works such as folktales, blues, ballads and sermons that were intended for oral …

The Norton Anthology of African American literature
Oct 1, 2021 · Organized chronologically, the massive work gathers writings from six periods of black history: slavery and freedom; Reconstruction; the Harlem Renaissance; Realism, Naturalism and …

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
An exciting revision of the best-selling anthology for African American literary survey courses., The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Valerie Smith, William L …

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
Mar 28, 2014 · Fresh scholarship, new visuals and media, and new selections―with an emphasis on contemporary writers―combine to make The Norton Anthology of African American Literature an …

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
Oct 1, 1996 · A comprehensive collection of African-American literature features more than 120 writers with works covering more than two hundred years and encompassing the genres of …

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
The most teachable, trusted, and exciting collection of African American literature., The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Valerie Smith, William L …

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
The fourth edition of The Norton Anthology of African American Literature brings this book to present day with vibrant revisions to a collection that is further enlivened by a dynamic, …

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
Dec 19, 2003 · The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Paperback – December 19, 2003. by Henry Louis Gates Jr. (Editor), Nellie Y. McKay (Editor), William L. Andrews (Editor), 4.6 …

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
A dazzling and comprehensive overview of the African American literary tradition. This landmark anthology includes the work of 120 writers over two centuries, from the earliest known literary...

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature - Goodreads
Jan 1, 2001 · This landmark anthology includes the work of 120 writers over two centuries, from the earliest known work by an African American, Lucy Terry's poem "Bars Fight, " to the fiction of the …

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature (Third …
Mar 25, 2014 · It takes you through the entire history of African American Literature, beginning with the vernacular, or works such as folktales, blues, ballads and sermons that were intended for oral communication, and continuing into the modern era with authors like …

The Norton Anthology of African American literature
Oct 1, 2021 · Organized chronologically, the massive work gathers writings from six periods of black history: slavery and freedom; Reconstruction; the Harlem Renaissance; Realism, Naturalism and Modernism; the Black Arts Movement and the period since the 1970s.

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
An exciting revision of the best-selling anthology for African American literary survey courses., The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Valerie Smith, William L Andrews, Kimberly Benston, Brent Hayes Edwards, Frances Smith Foster, Deborah E McDowell, Robert G O'Meally, Hortense Spillers, Cheryl A Wall ...

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
Mar 28, 2014 · Fresh scholarship, new visuals and media, and new selections―with an emphasis on contemporary writers―combine to make The Norton Anthology of African American Literature an even better teaching tool for instructors and an unmatched value for students.

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
Oct 1, 1996 · A comprehensive collection of African-American literature features more than 120 writers with works covering more than two hundred years and encompassing the genres of fiction, poetry, short stories, drama, autobiography, journals, and letters.

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
The most teachable, trusted, and exciting collection of African American literature., The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Valerie Smith, William L Andrews, Frances Smith Foster, Brent Hayes Edwards, Deborah E McDowell, Hortense Spillers, Kimberly Benston, Jesse McCarthy, Farah Jasmine Griffin, 9781324084112.

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
The fourth edition of The Norton Anthology of African American Literature brings this book to present day with vibrant revisions to a collection that is further enlivened by a dynamic, multimodal ebook.

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
Dec 19, 2003 · The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Paperback – December 19, 2003. by Henry Louis Gates Jr. (Editor), Nellie Y. McKay (Editor), William L. Andrews (Editor), 4.6 233 ratings. See all formats and editions.

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature
A dazzling and comprehensive overview of the African American literary tradition. This landmark anthology includes the work of 120 writers over two centuries, from the earliest known literary...

The Norton Anthology of African American Literature - Goodreads
Jan 1, 2001 · This landmark anthology includes the work of 120 writers over two centuries, from the earliest known work by an African American, Lucy Terry's poem "Bars Fight, " to the fiction of the Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison and the poems of the U.S. Poet Laureate, Rita Dove.