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Black Writers

This guide is intended to help you find information about Black novelists, dramatists, poets, and short story writers. The list of materials is selective, rather than comprehensive, but should serve as a good starting point for research.  Other guides on Caribbean Writers, Drama, Novel, Short Story and Poetry are available in the reference area and also list sources that will lead you to information on Black writers.  If you have difficulty finding information about an author or work, please ask a reference librarian for help.

Table of Contents:

Encyclopedias 
Biographical Information 
Criticism 
Indexes to Poems 
Book Review Sources

ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND HANDBOOKS
Encyclopedias can be useful for background reading on a topic and for finding biographical information.

African American Culture ed. by Sandra Adell.  Detroit, MI : Gale Research , 1996. (Ref E185 .A2525 1996) 
This dictionary provides brief articles on events and places as well as short biographical commentaries on artists, authors, poets, actors, musicians, and others.  Includes many photographs.

Africana : the encyclopedia of the African and African American experience ed. by Kwame Anthony Appiah and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.  New York : Basic Civitas Books, c1999.
(Ref DT14 .A37435 1999)
This scholarly encyclopedia includes biographical information on major literary figures as well as historical information on countries, languages, music, and art. 

Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History ed. by Jack Salzman, David Lionel Smith, Cornel West. New York:  Macmillan, 1996. 
(Ref E185 E54 1996 v.1-5) 
This set contains excellent articles summarizing various aspects of African-American culture and history, including a good overview article on literature and many bibliographical essays on prominent writers. 

The Oxford companion to African American Literature ed. by William L. Andrews. New York: Oxford Press, 1997. 
(Ref PS153 N5 O96 1997) 
Provides brief signed essays on many authors, themes, works, related arts, movements, and much more. Includes commentary on symbols in African-American writing and on relationships between writers. 

Reference Library of Black America ed. by Kenneth Estell. Detroit, MI : Gale, c1994. 
(Ref E185 R435 1994 V.1-5) 
Volume 4 of this resource has a 39 page article on literature which includes references and provides a brief summary of the Black American influence on literature. Look to other volumes in the set for background on all aspects of cultural, social, and political impact. 

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Use these indexes to find biographical essays in reference books and journal articles:

Biography and Genealogy Master Index.  Detroit : Gale Research, Inc., 1995- 
Online
This database is an excellent place to begin a search for biographical information. Indexes over 500 biographical sources, making it easy to know which sources to consult.  Check LEO for local holdings.  

Black Biography 1790-1950: a cumulative index ed. by Randall K. Burkett, Nancy Hall Burkett, Henry Louis Gates, Jr.  Alexandria : Chadwyck-Healey, 1991.
(Ref E185.96 .B528 1991 v1-3.)
This source indexes reference books of black biography.  Consult Vol. 3 for citation, then check LEO for local holdings.

Contemporary Authors.  Detroit, MI : Gale Research.  1967-
(In print form at Ref PN451 .C6, online in Literature Resource Center
International in scope, this tool gives biographical information about contemporary authors and lists their works. In the print version, consult the separate index volume to locate entries on specific writers.  

Index to Black American Writers in Collective Biographies by Dorothy W. Campbell. Littleton, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 1983. 
(Ref PS153 . N5 C34 1983) 
A convenient index to biographical information on over 1900 Black American writers. 

Additional sources for biographical information:

African American Writers ed. by Valerie Smith, Lea Baechler, A. Walton Litz. New York:  Scribner's, c1991. 
(Ref PS153 N5 A344 1991) 
This dictionary includes biographical information as well as summaries of influences affecting authors' works. 

Black American Writers Past and Present: A Biographical and Bibliographical Dictionary by Theressa Rush, et al. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1975. 
(Ref PS138 N5 R8) 

Contemporary Black Biography: Profiles from the International Black Community.  Detroit:  Gale, 1992- 
(Ref E185.96 C66)
A multi volume set providing lengthy biographical essays on contemporary figures.

Contemporary Black American Playwrights and Their Plays: A Biographical Directory and Dramatic Index by Bernard L. Peterson, Jr. New York: Greenwood Press, 1988. 
(Ref PS153 N5 P43 1988) 
A comprehensive list of late 20th Century Black American playwrights.  Provides a brief biography for each and a checklist of works.

Dictionary of Literary Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1978- 
(Ref PN4511 D28) 
This excellent source of biographical and critical material contains the following six volumes that deal with black writers. 
Afro-American Fiction Writers After 1955 (Vol. 33) 
Afro-American Writers After 1955. Dramatists and Prose Writers (Vol. 38 & 39) 
Afro-American Writers Before The Harlem Renaissance (Vol. 50) 
Afro-American Writers from the Harlem Renaissance to 1940 (Vol. 51) 
Afro-American Poets since 1955 (Vol. 41) 
Afro-American Writers, 1940-1955 (Vol. 76) 
Twentieth-century Caribbean and Black African writers. (Vol. 117, 125, 157) 
Consult the last volume of the entire set for entries on specific authors.

Early Black American Playwrights and Dramatic Writers by Bernard L. Peterson, Jr. New York: Greenwood, 1990. 
(Ref PS153 N5 P44 1990) 

Harlem Renaissance and Beyond: Literary Biographies of 100 Black Women Writers, 1900-1945 by Lorraine Roses and Ruth Randolph. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1990. (Ref PS153 N5 R65 1990) 
Literary biographies of 100 black women writers from 1900-1945.
 
Selected Black American Authors: An Illustrated Bio-Bibliography comp. by James A. Page. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1977. 
(Ref PS153 N5 P3) 
Gives biographical information on 453 black authors and lists their works. 

Twentieth-century African-American writers and artists by Chester M. Hedgepeth, Jr. Chicago: ALA, 1991
(NX512.3.A35 H43 1991) 
A source of essential biographical and critical information about contemporary black writers and artists.

LEO  The JMU Library Catalog
To find biographical and critical information about a particular author, do a subject search in LEO using the author's name as a subject. For example: 

Subject=Wright, Richard 

CRITICISM

A. Reference Books
The following books will either give brief criticism of black writers or cite critical books, essays, and articles about black authors and their works.

Afro-American Literature and Culture Since World War II by Charles D. Peavy. Detroit: Gale, 1979.  (Ref PS153 N5 P4) 
This bibliography covers Afro-American literature and culture in general as well as specific authors. 

Black American Fiction: A Bibliography by Carol Fairbanks and Eugene Engeldinger. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1978. 
(Ref PA153 N5 F34) 
An index to reviews and criticism, although only up to the mid-1970's.

Black American Playwrights, 1800 to the Present a Bibliography by Ester Arata and Nicholas Rotoli. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1976. 
(Ref PS153 N5 A7) 
Lists plays by black playwrights, including plays in anthologies and periodicals. Also cites criticism by and about the playwrights and includes play reviews. Has a useful general bibliography about black drama. 

Black American Women in Literature: A Bibliography, 1976 through 1987 by Ronda Glikin. Jefferson, N.C. and London: McFarland, 1989. 
(Ref PS153 N5 G65 1989) 

Black American Women Novelists: An Annotated Bibliography by Craig Werner. Pasadena, Ca.: Salem, 1989. 
(Ref PS153 N5 W42 1989) 
Indexes criticism in books and journals of individual novelists.

Black Literature Criticism: Excerpts from Criticism of the Most Significant Works of Black Authors over the Past 200 Years.  Detroit: Gale, 1992. 
(Ref PS153 N5 B556 1992) 
Criticism of major black writers of the past 200 years. 

Poetry Criticism: Excerpts from Criticism of the Works of the Most Significant and Widely Studies Poets of World Literature.  Detroit: Gale, 1991. 
(Ref PN1031 P54 1991) 
Critical excerpts and biographical information. 

Guide to American Poetry Explication Boston G.K. Hall, 1989. 
(Ref PS221 L46 1989) 
Comprehensive index to poetry explication between 1925 and 1988.  

A Library of Literary Criticism: Modern Black Writers ed. by Michael Popkin. New York: Ungar, 1970. (Ref PN841 M58) 
Criticism of 30 black American authors and over 50 black authors from foreign countries. 

Literary Criticism Index by Alan Weiner and Spencer Means.  London:  Scarecrow Press, 1994. (Ref PN523.W455 1994)
An excellent sources for locating criticism on a specific piece of literature.  Consult the annotated pages in the front for the call numbers of cited works.

Masterpieces of African-American Literature edited by Frank N. Magill.  New York, NY : HarperCollins, c1992 (Ref PS153.N5 M264 1992)
Signed entries summarize and discuss major fiction and non-fiction works by African American authors.

Masterplots II. African American literature series ed. by Frank N. Magill.  Pasadena, Calif. : Salem Press, c1994
(Ref PS153.N5 M2645 1994)
Signed entries summarize and analyze major works of fiction.  Entries include bibliographies for further reading.

Modern African American Writers ed. by Matthew J. Bruccoli.  New York : Facts on File, c1994.  (Ref PS374.N4 M63 1994) 
Contains excellent source lists of works, interviews, and critical studies--including books, journal articles, and essays--on a selected list of authors. 

More Black American Playwrights: A Bibliography by Ester Arata. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, 1978.  (Ref PS153 N5 A73) 
Covers 300 black writers not covered in Black American Playwrights. Includes a general bibliography at the end. 

B. Indexes to Criticism

The indexes below can be used to find background information, biographical information, and criticism in articles and books of a particular author or work.

America: History and Life 
Available online at /databases
This database is useful for researching African American writers, race relations, and American history.   Indexes dissertations, book reviews, and journal articles covering political, social and economic history of the United States and Canada from ca. 1450 A.D. 

Black Studies on Disc 
Available in Carrier Library on CD ROM
An author and subject index to Black American periodicals of general and scholarly interest. A good place to locate criticism of contemporary black authors.  (This is a cd-rom database--you must be in the library to access it.)

Humanities Abstracts.  Online 1984 to present, updated quarterly. (preceded by Social Sciences and Humanities Index 1974-1982).
Available online as part of the WilsonWeb Omnifile database.
Indexes a number of literary journals.  Check LEO for local holdings of cited journals. 

INDEXES TO POEMS

The following indexes do not cite criticism, but help you locate poems, plays, and short stories in anthologies and periodicals.

Grangers Index to Poetry New York: Columbia University. 
(Ref PN1021 G7) 
Indexes poems in anthologies by subject, author, first line, etc. 

Index to Black Poetry by Dorothy Chapman. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1974. 
(Ref PS153 N5 C45) 
Subject, title and first-line index to poems by and about blacks. 

Index to Black American Literary Anthologies comp. by Jessamine Kallenbach. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1979. 
(Ref PS153 N5 K34) 
A useful aid to locating Black American poems, plays, short stories, essays, etc. that have been published in collections. 

Index of American Periodical Verse Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow, annual. 
(Reference Table 5)
Indexes poems that appeared in magazines and journals. 

African-American Poetry, 1760-1900  
Available online at /databases 
This is a searchable electronic collection of over 2500 full-text poems by African American poets 1760-1900. 

BOOK REVIEWS

Most novels are reviewed shortly after they are published. The following sources will lead you to reviews in popular magazines as well as scholarly journals and newspapers. 

Book Review Index. 1965- .
(Index Table 3) Cites reviews in periodicals. 

An Index to Book Reviews in the Humanities . Williamston, MI: Phillip Thompson, 1960- (Index Table 3) 
Covers around 700 journals in the humanities. Very good coverage of literature. 

This bibliography was originally created by Lynn Cameron and Rebecca Feind.  Last Updated Spring 2004.

Questions? Email the Reference Desk at library-reference@jmu.edu