20th+Century+African+American+Literature+Overview

An Interpretation ** The Twenties— ** The Twenties was the start of the Harlem Renaissance, a period of creativity among Black artists, writers, musicians, and entertainers. It was a time when Harlem became the capital of Black America. It was an exciting time with the end of World War I, the economy had improved, and the Black middle class prospered. More books were written by Black authors during the 1920s than any previous decade in American history. The Harlem Renaissance produced racially and socially conscious artists who reached back to Africa and the African American community for inspiration. The artists who participated in the Harlem Renaissance were brought together by their common culture experiences. They addressed such themes as African heritage and racial pride, political push for respect, and Black culture and consciousness. On the other hand, some authors wrote about issues such as "passing" for white and the effects of denying one's race. As the Great Depression of the late 1920s deepened and extended into the next decade, the Harlem Renaissance slowed due to little financial support available to the artists. e.g. Hughes, McKay ** The Thirties— ** With the slowing of African American writing during the Great Depression, African Americans confronted many new challenges and obstacles. During the 1930s, the United States voted for a new president and the government made promises to the African American community that they could not keep. Blacks were fighting for equal pay, educational facilities and equal protection under the law. Black authors voiced their rage and frustrations in their work. They still possessed the same intensities as they did during the Harlem Renaissance but the motivation and themes addressed changed. African American authors tackled themes such as racism, poverty, self-assertion, and race relations. e.g. Bontemps, Hurston, Hughes, Johnson, McKay ** The Forties— ** The Forties was a very transitional period for the United States and for African Americans. The Forties was marked by more African American enlisting in all branches of the military and the start of World War II. During this time period, African Americans were fighting for the right to enlist in combat roles in the armed forces. At this time, Blacks were primarily segregated and assigned only in noncombat roles. Whites responded to Black demands with lynchings, town burnings, and other forms of violence. The authors during this period continued the tradition of race and socially conscious writing. Literature with black themes of struggle, oppression, and daily life were often found in the works of the African American authors. e.g. Hurston, Wright ** The Fifties— ** The 1950s was a very politically unstable time for African Americans. Their rights were constantly under attack. All the efforts made during the Forties to integrate the Armed Forces were abolished during the Korean War. A new era of racist assassinations began to occur and African Americans started to take a stand against blatant racism. The NAACP argued cases in Southern states against the discriminatory practices in public schools. In May of 1954, the Brown vs. Board of Education occurred. This case ruled racial segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. The African American non-violent movement began taking the form of boycotts, sit-ins, and peaceful protests. The African American authors during this decade were writing about love, discrimination, the prison system, protest, black sexuality, and black life in Harlem. e.g. Brooks ** The Sixties—T ** he Sixties is considered by many to be the Second Black Renaissance. It was African- American's most significant decade in terms of self-consciousness, goals, and achievements. In contrast, the Harlem Renaissance was in part fostered by white patrons and declined when white's financial support declined after the Crash of 1929. But the 1960s was self-generating, self- determining, and self-sustaining. Many significant events occurred during the 1960s such as the March on Washington, countless civil right demonstrations. The Sixties also saw the assassination of two Black America's greatest leaders: Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. New cries of black nationalism, black separatism, and violent resistance were often heard in African-American communities. The authors during this time addressed such themes as black pride, self- actualization, black sexuality, justice, and race relations. e.g. Malcolm X, MLK ** The Seventies— ** The Seventies was a time when African culture was adopted by African-Americans. The U.S government began to monitor Black organizations. Vietnam War ended and many African Americans soldiers faced many disappointments. Many Black Soldiers found that their lives were not improved by fighting in a war that was not theirs. Shirley Chisolm became the first black woman to run for the U.S. presidency. The Seventies saw the emergence of an open and ongoing discussion among Black men and women on the quality, forms and future of their relationships. African American authors still voiced their frustrations and desires in their writings, but many authors wrote about the same literary themes as in the Sixties. e.g. Giovanni, Morrison ** The Eighties— ** The Eighties was a time in history when Reganomics had expanded the gap in the economy to the point that poverty among blacks was at an all time high. Crack had hit the African American community harder than any other drug in the past. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday was established as a national holiday and Jesse Jackson ran for president. The Eighties was a time when female authors burst onto the scene. Publishing companies witnessed the enhancement of established talent among African American female writers. These writers became apart of America's pop culture and started to float in society's mainstream. African American authors discussed themes such as black female-male relationships, self-identity, and more authors had female main characters depicted in their works. e.g. Walker, Morrison http://www.geocities.com/afam_literature/index.html
 * Tracing the Development/Context of African American Literature **