"Despite inequality of access to education, relentless discrimination, and a starkly segregated society, African American artists and writers have made landmark contributions to American art and literature. Works like A Raisin in the Son, Beloved, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Invisible Man, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings powerfully express the African American experience, expose the injustices of American society, and reveal the hopes, dreams,...

Describes the life and writing career of the author of "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, " as well as her victory over such obstacles as prejudice, poverty, and rape.

Profiles notable African Americans in the field of literature, including Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and Mildred Taylor.

A biography of Maya Angelou, poet, performer and activist.

"August Wilson (1945-2005) was a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who had a particular talent for capturing the authentic, everyday voice of Black Americans. As a child, he read off soup cans and cereal boxes, and when his mother brought him to the library, his whole world opened up. After facing intense prejudice at school from both students and some teachers, August dropped out. However, he continued reading and educating himself independently....

Examines the life and accomplishments of the African American writer, performer, and teacher, as well as her impact on literature and black culture.

"A biography of African American writer, performer, and activist Maya Angelou, who turned a childhood of trauma and emotional pain to become one of the most inspiring voices of our lifetime. Includes afterword, author's note, and sources"--

When she died in poverty and obscurity in 1960, all of Zora Neale Hurston's books were out of print. Today her groundbreaking works, suffused with the culture and traditions of African-Americans and the poetry of black speech, have won her recognition as one of the most significant African-American writers. This volume, with its companion, Novels & Stories, brings together for the first time all of Hurston's best writings in one authoritative set....

"Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. At the age of six, she poured her pain onto a piece of paper late one night - and discovered the magic and impact of writing. For many years, Nikki's notebooks were her most enduing companions. In this accessible and inspiring...