By Anjali Nayak
African American literature has begun since the late eighteenth century, speaking the truth and legacies of Americans from African descent. This rich form of literature has tended to incorporate many oral forms, such as spirituals, sermons, gospel music, blues or rap. Such art tends to have more of a concern for identity, freedom, and independence, as well as more of a connection with dominant society. Here are some amazing examples of African American literature:
Plum Bun by Jessie Redmon Faus is a masterpiece from an often neglected Harlem Renaissance great. Subtitled “A Novel Without a Moral,” the book is about a young, African-American woman growing up in Philadelphia. Realizing that she can pass as white, she decides to seek a life free from prejudice. Soon enough, she’s moved to New York and is masquerading a white woman among the city’s avant-garde. But Angela’s new freedom comes at a certain cost as she’s had to leave her dark-skinned sister, Virginia behind.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison asks the reader what it means to be invisible. In a breathtakingly experimental novel, Ellison explores the concept through an unnamed narrator, following the protagonist from his high school years through his time as the spokesman for “the Brotherhood.” Finally, the protagonist puts his retreat from all society. A thoughtful and brutally honest novel, it makes the reader look at society with fresh-eyes, hopefully it will get the reader to look at the things that go unnoticed.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (go check out the article about her!) is a breath of fresh air, seeing a woman able to talk about what it feels to lie in such a male dominant society. An autobiography describing the life of being a woman of color, Angelou takes the reader through a series of disappointments and victories. This is an especially good book to read, as Maya Angelou is now the first black woman on the quarter (seriously, go read Kendyl’s article). A coming of age novel surrounding the sense of limitation, separation and marginalization, all through the metaphor of the bird in a cage. More importantly, her story suggests that the desire to be free will always be expressed, despite circumstances that might quell the spirit.