Icons of African American Literature: The Black Literary World: The Black Literary World

Yolanda Williams Page

Oct 2011 · ABC-CLIO

About this eBook

The 24 entries in this book provide extensive coverage of some of the most notable figures in African American literature, such as Alice Walker, Richard Wright, and Zora Neale Hurston.

Icons of African American Literature: The Black Literary World examines 24 of the most popular and culturally significant topics within African American literature's long and immensely fascinating history. Each piece provide substantial, in-depth information—much more than a typical encyclopedia entry—while remaining accessible and appealing to general and younger readers.

Arranged alphabetically, the entries cover such writers as Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and August Wilson; major works, such as Invisible Man, Native Son, and Their Eyes Were Watching God; and a range of cultural topics, including the black arts movement, the Harlem Renaissance, and the jazz aesthetic. Written by expert contributors, the essays discuss the enduring significance of these topics in American history and popular culture. Each entry also provides sidebars that highlight interesting information and suggestions for further reading.

24 alphabetically arranged entries offer substantial yet accessible information

Entries cover authors and cultural topics

Sidebars provide snapshots of interesting and significant subject matter

About the author

Yolanda Williams Page is professor and chair of the Department of English, Theatre, and Mass Communication at the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff. Her published works include Greenwood's Encyclopedia of African American Women Writers.