African American Literature

People of African descent in America today are called African Americans. Over time and at
Different times in history, they had been called Negroes, colored, blacks and Afro-Americans.
Because of the negative connotations of the words in the American history, Negroes and
colored/colored have become rare in usage in recent times. Black and, especially, American, are
more favorable terms.
The politics and tension of even the proper name to call this race speak volumes on how they got
To America in the first place and what their life experiences have been. The slave trade and
Slavery of the 17th to 18th centuries is responsible for the presence of most African Americans in
The space called the United States of America today. They were mostly required to work in the
Plantations (rice, cotton, sugar and tobacco);thus slave labor took a very long time to be erased
And was done in stages with different parts of America emancipating their slaves at different
Times. Abolition faced stiff opposition in some states of America with the Southern states being
The last to let go because of the economic relevance of the slaves, especially as the crops like
Cotton have become export crops. With the abolition of slave trade by the 13 th Amendment to
The Constitution on December 18, 1865, slavery ended in the United States only in name
(Weider History Group, 2013; America‘s Historical Documents, 2013). The blacks were still
under the Same kind of demeaning treatment from their white counterparts; only this time it has
found Other names: racial discrimination, denial of human rights, and the black population were
still Employed to do mean jobs since industrialization was still rising.
Of course, human beings do not naturally keep quiet when maltreated. Therefore, it is only
Expected that slave trade, slavery and the accompanying ill treatment raised different reactions
From both the black and white quarters, but more from the black side of the divide. Abolitionists
Went to work with their protests, campaigns, writings, etc. and gradually erased slavery. Other
Movements would also rise among the African American to champion the cause of the
Marginalized blacks: Movements which fought against the Jim Crow laws that promoted racial
Discrimination –Niagara Movement and the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) in the early 1900s,theCivil Rights Movement (1955-1968) which
Brought about the Voting Rights Act of 1965,and the Black Power Movement which encouraged
African Americans to look to their African/Black roots for inspiration and emphasized black
Solidarity.
What is African American Literature

Generally speaking, African American literature refers to literature by and about African
Americans. It could be oral, performed, or written. Recently, the filmic mode (films) is also
Included in the discussion of not just African American literature but literature all over the world.
Historically, African American literature marks and records the growth and development of the
African race in America from the 18th century to present.
There might be contentions as to whether works by non-African Americans qualify to be called
African American literature. The answer is simple: if the experiences contained in such works
Are for and about African Americans and have the characteristics and themes for which African
American literature are known, then it is African American literature. It is for such reasons that
Works of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Marcus Garvey, for example, are studied under African
American literature, even though Garvey is Jamaican, and Stowe is white.
Dasylva and Jegede (2005: 191) give an insight into the nature of African American literature:
By its very naming, African American literature is a unique tradition that is Informed by a sense
of cultural dualism right from inception. Historically, the Sociocultural undercurrent responsible
for the emergence of this literature is the Experience of slavery and the attendant contact and
dialogue of the African Personality with a new culture. The Africans who were transported to the
United States of America (the New World, as it was known then) took with them the Intangible
but enduring properties of their cultural heritage; the customs, values, Traditions, and histories of
African were reprocessed to compose the peculiar Experience and vision of the (black) American
writer of African descent. Invariably the overriding thematic preoccupation of the black writer in
America Has been a passionate concern for race and identity, nationhood and dignity, self
Integration and self-assertion and a general quest for roots and freedom stemming from the
physical and psychological dislocation which slavery had caused.

THE THTEE STRANDS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE

SLAVE NARRATIVES:
Frederick Douglass: Douglass not only detailed the physical hardships of slavery but also
explored the psychological and intellectual struggles faced by enslaved individuals. His
narratives challenged prevailing notions of racial inferiority, advocating for abolition and equal
rights.

HARLEM RENAISSANCE:
Langston Hughes: Hughes captured the vibrancy and complexities of African-American life
during the Harlem Renaissance. His poetry, like “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,"
addressed cultural pride and the tension between assimilation and the celebration of African
heritage, fostering a renaissance in art, music, and literature.
CIVIL RIGHTS ERA LITERATURE:
James Baldwin: Baldwin’s works, such as “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and essays like “The Fire
Next Time,” provided profound insights into the struggles for civil rights. Baldwin explored the
intersections of race, sexuality, and religion, challenging societal norms and advocating for a
more inclusive and just America.
These strands collectively form a rich tapestry of African-American literature, reflecting not only
historical challenges but also the resilience, creativity, and diverse experiences within the
African-American community.