Early Black American WritersBenjamin Brawley Everyone is familiar with the rhetoric of reform and humanism, written by whites, which did much to inflame the nation to the point of civil war. Who spoke for the black man during this crucial period of his history? How did he see the issues which bore so directly on himself and his race — present and future? How did he feel about them? In this anthology, the black man speaks for himself. Beginning with the earliest published work of a black American, selections in this volume cover the period from 1761 through the Civil War years. Varying greatly in education and technical skill, from self-taught slave to college-trained scholar, the writers in this collection did much to shape the developing culture of black America. Professor Brawley prefaces each selection with a biographical account of its author, and with sympathetic but objective critical analysis of the work presented. His introduction gives a valuable overview of black literature in this early period, telling the reader who black writers were and describing the issues — political, social, and moral — that concerned them. Included are selections from the work of Jupiter Hammon, Gustavus Vassa, Phillis Wheatley, W. W. Brown, F. E. W. Harper, and many others as yet less known. Whether writing about religion, slavery, military service, voting rights, or the colonization of Liberia, these writers merit attention on both artistic and historical grounds. Brawley's historical and literary insights guide readers to a full appreciation of these works. A lamentable gap in knowledge of the black experience is filled by this anthology; it should be read by all students of history and literature. |
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abolitionists Absalom Jones African American anti-slavery Baltimore Banneker Bedford Benjamin Banneker blessings blood bondage Boston brethren CATALOGUE OF DOVER Christian colonization colored dark dear death Delany died divine DOVER BOOKS E. F. Bleiler earth edition Episcopal Church eyes father feel Frederick Douglass freedom friends fugitive George GEORGE MOSES HORTON give hand hath heard heart Heaven Henry Highland Garnet holy hope human ignorant illustrations James Forten Jesus Josiah Henson Jupiter Hammon labor land laws Liberia liberty light live Lord master ment Methodist mind mother nation Negro never night o'er Ogé oppression Paperbound Paul Cuffe Payne peace Philadelphia Phillis Wheatley poems race Richard Allen sacred Salvation Servant slave slaveholders slavery Society soon soul spirit story thee thou thought tion tyrants United volume set Washington William William Wells Brown wretched wretchedness York young