african american authors

Julie K. Rubini brings us the biography of one of the most honored authors of children's literature in the twentieth century. The most expansive biography of Hamilton published for young readers, it was vetted for accuracy by Hamilton's husband, poet Arnold Adoff. It is the fourth installment in the Biographies for Young Readers series, which is quickly building a reputation for substantive and engaging treatments of its diverse subjects.

Despite inequality of access to education, relentless discrimination, and a starkly segregated society, African American artists and writers have made landmark contributions to American art and literature. Works like A Raisin in the Son, Beloved, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Invisible Man, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings powerfully express the African American experience, expose the injustices of American society, and reveal the hopes, dreams, sorrows, suffering, and enduring achievements of Black America. With profiles of figures like Phillis Wheatley, Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, Rita Dove, Maya Angelou, and Toni Morrison, this collection puts the rich tapestry woven by African American authors and artists on full and breathtaking display.

Growing up poor in a small town in Georgia, Alice Walker became aware of the effects of prejudice and segregation at a young age. She would later call on these early experiences when writing her most famous novel, The Color Purple. But the themes of Walker's prose and poetry extend far beyond race, including women's issues, religion, relationships, and culture. This text explores the many themes of her work, as well as her use of characterization, literary devices, and plot. Through biographical information, quotes from the author, excerpts from texts, and critical analysis, readers will obtain a strong appreciation for the life and works of this controversial and esteemed author.

Explores the life and career of Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King-awarded author and illustrator Kadir Nelson.

A biography of Richard Wright, author of the acclaimed 1940 novel "Native Son," tracing his journey from his birth in a sharecropper's shack in Mississippi to international fame as a writer and activist against racism.

Presents a history of African American writers and journalists and discusses the contributions that have been made.

Essayist Teju Cole provides more than 150 color photos from his near-constant travel, and the stories behind each memory, fantasy, and introspection.

Looks at the life of African-American writer, performer, and teacher, Maya Angelou.

The author relates his life as an African American growing up in the South during the Jim Crow years.

Author and activist Kevin Powell vividly recounts the horrific poverty of his youth and his struggles to overcome a legacy of anger.