african american poets

Langston Hughes is a literary giant who was a leader for change. Social activist, poet, novelist, playwright, and pioneer, he was the Renaissance man of the Harlem Renaissance. Learn about his life and influences, and how his work affected the world we live in.

Countee Cullen is known for his beautiful poems that epitomize the Harlem Renaissance. Learn about his life, influences, and contributions.

"Kwame Alexander once hated to read. Required by his father to read encyclopedias and pore over history books, he shunned books and turned to sports. But a discovery about his father's past gave Alexander a new appreciation for his family's love of history and storytelling. He committed himself to poetry and went on to become a Newbury Medal-winning author."--Back cover.

Author Nikki Grimes shares her life experiences, discusses how they influenced her work, and describes her writing process.

"An exploration of the life and work of 20th-century American writer Langston Hughes, whose poetry is known for its accounts of the African American experience and its call to racial equality"--Provided by publisher.

Relates the story of North Carolina slave George Moses Horton, who taught himself to read, learned to write, and became a well-known, published poet in spite of his slave status.

Documents the life of African-American poet Langston Hughes, discussing his contributions to society, the events and beliefs that shaped his life and work, and his literary accomplishments.

"You never heard of the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar? Child, where've you been? So begins this biography of a great nineteenth-century American poet. From his childhood in poverty through his struggles to find acceptance as a writer to his immense fame and untimely death, Dunbar's story is one of triumph and tragedy. But his much-beloved poetry, written in both Standard English and in dialect, remains a legacy that continues to delight readers today.".