Exploring the evolution of African American literary expression, this overview highlights early works like Lucy Terry's 'Bars Fight' and Phillis Wheatley's poetry. It delves into the rise of African American writers, the significance of slave narratives by Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs, spiritual autobiographies, and post-emancipation literature's role in civil rights.
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Lucy Terry's ballad "Bars Fight" is one of the earliest recorded pieces of African American literature, recounting a Native American attack in colonial America
Wheatley's literary prowess
Phillis Wheatley's exceptional literary talent was recognized when she became the first African American to publish a book of poetry, leading to a preface that certified her as the writer
Jupiter Hammon's poem "An Evening Thought" was the first published by an African American in the United States and also included an ode to Phillis Wheatley and a treatise advocating for the abolition of slavery
Brown's "Clotel; or, The President's Daughter"
William Wells Brown's "Clotel; or, The President's Daughter" is recognized as the first novel published by an African American, exploring themes of racial passing and northern racism
Séjour's "Le Mulâtre" ("The Mulatto")
Victor Séjour's "Le Mulâtre" ("The Mulatto") was a work of fiction published in French that had limited influence on American literature
Frank J. Webb's "The Garies and Their Friends" is a significant contribution to African American literature, exploring themes of racial passing and northern racism
Harriet Wilson's "Our Nig" is considered one of the first novels published by an African American woman, depicting the life of free Blacks in the North
Frederick Douglass's "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" became a bestseller and played a crucial role in the abolitionist movement, despite initial doubts about its authenticity
Harriet Jacobs's "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" was a groundbreaking narrative that highlighted the sexual abuse and fight for freedom faced by enslaved women
African American women such as Zilpha Elaw, Maria W. Stewart, Jarena Lee, and Nancy Prince authored spiritual narratives that not only documented their faith but also confronted societal norms
Sojourner Truth's "Narrative of Sojourner Truth," co-authored with Olive Gilbert, stands as a significant contribution to both the slave narrative and spiritual autobiography genres, offering a powerful account of her life as an African American woman and abolitionist
Newspapers served as a crucial outlet for essays, poetry, and fiction, with authors like Jennie Carter emerging as influential voices
W. E. B. Du Bois's "The Souls of Black Folk" is a seminal collection of essays that examined race relations and the African American experience, emphasizing the need for solidarity in the struggle against racial prejudice and inequality
00
The origins of ______ ______ literature can be traced back to the times of the ______ ______ in America.
African American
African diaspora
01
Lucy Terry authored 'Bars Fight' in 1746, which is a ______ about a ______ ______ in Deerfield, Massachusetts.
ballad
Native American
attack
02
To verify her work, Wheatley had to demonstrate her authorship to a panel of ______ ______, which led to a preface confirming her as the ______.
Boston notables
writer
