Does African-American Literature Exist?
African-American literature can be described in many different ways. According to Gibson, African-American literature should: empower the black community, convey the writer’s thoughts and meaning, and may or may not contain a political message (Gibson). However, in Warren’s piece, “Does African-American Literature Exist?” Warren questions whether there can be any new pieces of African-American Literature. Warren describes African-American literature as writings that depict a time in history. Warren explains that African-American literature is a style of writing that covers the time period where segregation was sanctioned, such as the Jim Crow Era, and compares the style to another time period style of writing such as Elizabethan literature which described a period in England’s history (Warren). Two pieces we have read this semester that can be described as African-American literature by both authors’ standards are the works by Meeropol and Wright. In the poem, “We Shall Overcome,” by Abel Meeropol, written during the 1930’s, the author expresses her hope for social change. Wright also wrote during the Jim Crow Era of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Many of his pieces contained a political outlook on the Jim Crow laws and the affect they had on the African-American community (Gates, Jr. and Smith). While each author’s motivation for writing and style of writing are different both literary pieces have had the power to encourage the African-American community. In the poem, “We Shall Overcome,” written by Meeropol, we experience the author’s desire for social change. The reader understands that while the community does not feel empowered or free, the following lines convey the author’s hope and belief that change can happen: We shall all be free We shall all be free We shall all be free some day Oh deep in my heart I do believe We shall all be free some day (Gates, Jr. and Smith) These verses not only empowered the black community at the time but still ring true for many cultures today. The author continues to describe the community as not afraid, not alone, and encourages the community to overcome. The author is most likely speaking of the harsh reality of the Jim Crow Era; however, the uplifting message can empower anyone today who feels oppressed. Author, Richard …show more content…
One author draws on emotion in the lyrical poem, “We Shall Overcome,” to convey the need for social change, while the other author writes an autobiographical sketch, “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow,” to convey a political message that the laws of that era were unjust. However, despite using different techniques and writing styles each author empowered a community to not only dream for change but to demand it in a time that was historically unfair. According to both Gibson and Warren both of these pieces are considered to be African-American literature. Warren insists that African-American literature be written during the time of wide spread African-American oppression, such as the Jim Crow Era that both pieces reference (Warren). Each piece also meets Gibson’s standards that African-American literature must: empower and touch the black community, it must portray the author’s own emotions, or may or may not convey a political message (Gibson). Regardless of how the message is delivered, the important piece to take away from all African-American literature is that change can and will
African-American literature can be described in many different ways. According to Gibson, African-American literature should: empower the black community, convey the writer’s thoughts and meaning, and may or may not contain a political message (Gibson). However, in Warren’s piece, “Does African-American Literature Exist?” Warren questions whether there can be any new pieces of African-American Literature. Warren describes African-American literature as writings that depict a time in history. Warren explains that African-American literature is a style of writing that covers the time period where segregation was sanctioned, such as the Jim Crow Era, and compares the style to another time period style of writing such as Elizabethan literature which described a period in England’s history (Warren). Two pieces we have read this semester that can be described as African-American literature by both authors’ standards are the works by Meeropol and Wright. In the poem, “We Shall Overcome,” by Abel Meeropol, written during the 1930’s, the author expresses her hope for social change. Wright also wrote during the Jim Crow Era of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Many of his pieces contained a political outlook on the Jim Crow laws and the affect they had on the African-American community (Gates, Jr. and Smith). While each author’s motivation for writing and style of writing are different both literary pieces have had the power to encourage the African-American community. In the poem, “We Shall Overcome,” written by Meeropol, we experience the author’s desire for social change. The reader understands that while the community does not feel empowered or free, the following lines convey the author’s hope and belief that change can happen: We shall all be free We shall all be free We shall all be free some day Oh deep in my heart I do believe We shall all be free some day (Gates, Jr. and Smith) These verses not only empowered the black community at the time but still ring true for many cultures today. The author continues to describe the community as not afraid, not alone, and encourages the community to overcome. The author is most likely speaking of the harsh reality of the Jim Crow Era; however, the uplifting message can empower anyone today who feels oppressed. Author, Richard …show more content…
One author draws on emotion in the lyrical poem, “We Shall Overcome,” to convey the need for social change, while the other author writes an autobiographical sketch, “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow,” to convey a political message that the laws of that era were unjust. However, despite using different techniques and writing styles each author empowered a community to not only dream for change but to demand it in a time that was historically unfair. According to both Gibson and Warren both of these pieces are considered to be African-American literature. Warren insists that African-American literature be written during the time of wide spread African-American oppression, such as the Jim Crow Era that both pieces reference (Warren). Each piece also meets Gibson’s standards that African-American literature must: empower and touch the black community, it must portray the author’s own emotions, or may or may not convey a political message (Gibson). Regardless of how the message is delivered, the important piece to take away from all African-American literature is that change can and will