National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Teacher Serve: The Trickster in African American Literature
Trudier Harris, Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, explains the role of tricksters in African American literature.
Smithsonian Institution
Anacostia Community Museum: All the Stories Are True: African American Writers Speak
An online companion site for an exhibit showing at the Anacostia Community Museum. Read biographical information on many African American writers while viewing video clips and photos.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Teacher Serve: Jazz and the African American Literary Tradition
Article explores the influence of jazz on African American literature from the early history of jazz, noted jazz artists, the black-white tensions within jazz, to its literary influence after World War II.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Constitutional Rights Foundation: Literature by and About African Americans
A bibliography collection of literature by and about African Americans. Includes a selection of memoirs, fiction and non-fiction work.
PBS
Pbs: Literature & Life Givens Collection (Afr. Am. Lit)
This PBS site explores African-American literature from its beginnings to the present. Includes an on-line study guide.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature and Composition: The Harlem Renaissance
This lesson is an introduction to a unit on The Harlem Renaissance, the period between the end of WW I through mid 1930s when African Americans were recognized for their literature, music, and art. It discusses their themes and lists...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature and Composition: Realism: Spirituals
This lesson focuses on the spirituals sung by the African American slaves as a way to express feeling and relay information in coded messages. as well as, to pass the time. It includes a PDF of the lyrics to two spirituals, "Go Down,...
African American Literature Book Club
African American Literature Book Club: Chinua Achebe
This site includes a brief biography of Achebe, the video [9:13] "Nigerian Writer Chinua Achebe on CNN's 'African Voices'" and links to 17 of his books.
National Women’s History Museum
National Women's History Museum: The Legacy of Zora Neale Hurston
Examine Zora Neale Hurston's lifelong commitment to African American literature and cultural preservation.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Teacher Serve: The Image of Africa in the Literature of the Harlem Renaissance
Overview of African Americans and their relationship to Africa. a myth which was embraced by the Harlem Renaissance.
PBS
Pbs: Literature & Life: Voices of the People
Actor and singer Paul Robeson and playwright August Wilson are two African Americans featured in this discussion. Throughout their careers, they fought for justice for African Americans. This page has readings of their works and expert...
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Gwendolyn Brooks, Biography
Detailed account of the writer's life. Contains references to contemporaries, influences and motivations in her career.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Anne Spencer
In-depth site on Anne Spencer including an extensive biography of this famous Harlem Renaissance poet. Detailed information on her works, education, and contemporaries. Numerous photographs. Some of her poems are also included.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Harlem Renaissance
Extensive information about the Harlem Renaissance, a period of time considered to be the cultural awakening of African Americans. Included are sections on poetry, fiction, and drama, as well as the legacy of this movement.
African American Literature Book Club
African American Literature Book Club: The Pyramids of Egypt
Considered to be the "largest single building ever constructed by man," The Great Pyramid of Khufu is regarded as the greatest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This article gives a detailed description of this pyramid,...
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: Langston Hughes
This resource focuses on the works of famous African-American author, Langston Hughes.
University of Virginia
Explorations in Black Leadership: Amiri Baraka
A short biography of African American writer Amiri Baraka and an interview with him conducted by Julian Bond available in video download or script format. With insight into influential people in his life, career development, influence of...
McGraw Hill
Glencoe Literature: "Sounder" Study Guide [Pdf]
Teachers can share the award-winning young adult novel "Sounder" with their students through the use of this 40 page study guide. "Sounder", by African American author William H. Armstrong, is about a young boy in the American South who...
University at Buffalo
Phat African American Poetry Book: Arna Bontemps
Three of Arna Bontemps' more famous poems are printed here.
Other
Iola Leroy, Or, Shadows Uplifted
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper's novel is offered by the Schomburg African American Women Writers project in machine-readable form.
PBS
Literature & Life: Renaissance
Some of the African-American writers and poets who were prominent in the early part of the twentieth century are featured on this page. They were important voices during what became known as the 'black Renaissance'. Here, you can listen...
Georgetown University
Georgetown University: Langston Hughes (1902 1967)
Excellent research site on Langston Hughes. Includes theme, perspective, form, style, audience, comparison and contrast of the famous Harlem Renaissance author's work.
Howard University
Howard University: Sterling A. Brown, a Literary Tribute
This tribute article discusses the author as a professor, critic and Poet Laureate.
University of Washington
Best Site on Colleen Mc Elroy
This site is from the University of Washington, where McElroy is a professor. It has biographical information, a list of her works, and other details about the writer.