The Cambridge companion to African American women's literature

cover image

Where to find it

Davis Library (8th floor)

Call Number
PS153.B53 C343 2009
Status
Available

Summary

The Cambridge Companion to African American Women's Literature covers a period dating back to the eighteenth century. These specially commissioned essays highlight the artistry, complexity and diversity of a literary tradition that ranges from Lucy Terry to Toni Morrison. A wide range of topics are addressed, from the Harlem Renaissance to the Black Arts Movement, and from the performing arts to popular fiction. Together, the essays provide an invaluable guide to a rich, complex tradition of women writers in conversation with each other as they critique American society and influence American letters. Accessible and vibrant, with the needs of undergraduate students in mind, this Companion will be of great interest to anybody who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of this important and vital area of American literature.

Contents

  • List of contributors p. ix
  • Acknowledgements p. xii
  • Chronology of major works and events p. xiii
  • Introduction p. 1 Angelyn Mitchell and Danille K. Taylor
  • I History, Contexts, and Criticism p. 13
  • 1 Early African American women's literature p. 15 Frances Smith Foster and Larose Davis
  • 2 Women of the Harlem Renaissance p. 32 Cheryl A. Wall
  • 3 Women writers of the Black Arts movement p. 50 Eleanor W. Traylor
  • 4 Contemporary African American women writers p. 71 Dana A. Williams
  • 5 African American feminist theories and literary criticism p. 87 Robert J. Patterson
  • II Genre, Gender, and Race p. 107
  • 6 African American women and the United States slave narrative p. 109 Joycelyn Moody
  • 7 Autobiography and African American women's literature p. 128 Joanne M. Braxton
  • 8 "Even some fiction might be useful": African American women novelists p. 150 Madhu Dubey
  • 9 African American women poets and the power of the word p. 168 Keith D. Leonard
  • 10 African American women in the performing arts p. 187 Olga Barrios
  • 11 African American women writers of children's and young adult literature p. 210 Dianne Johnson
  • 12 African American women essayists p. 224 Marilyn Sanders Mobley
  • 13 African American women writers and the short story p. 245 Crystal J. Lucky
  • 14 African American women writers and popular fiction: theorizing black womanhood p. 262 Herman Beavers
  • Bibliography p. 278
  • Index p. 301

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