Black Authors

While he was enslaved, Frederick Douglass taught himself to read and write.

This famous poem is about the tendency of oppressed black Americans to conceal their pain and suffering in post-Civil War America.

A Harlem Renaissance poet discusses facing death and other obstacles with courage and dignity.

In this sonnet, McKay, a Harlem Renaissance poet, reveals his mixed feelings about living in "the land of the free."

In this poem, a speaker longingly describes a city scene from which he feels isolated.

The famous ex-slave and abolitionist points out the hypocrisy of "the home of the free" on Independence Day.

In this poem, Rita Dove reinvents a common symbol - the heart - and in doing so, shows us what it means to be human.

Inspired by an old photo, a child revisits early memories.

This Harlem Renaissance poem uses metaphor to depict a mother's struggles in life.

In chapter 11, Douglass describes his escape from slavery, and the challenges he faced upon becoming a free man.

An ode to the future first president, commending his achievements as general in the American Revolutionary War.

In this excerpt from his autobiography, Douglass describes the horrifying abuse of Aunt Hester by the slave master.

A woman describes being brought to America from Africa as a slave and the impact of the experience on her religious beliefs.

A poor mother refuses to give up on her ailing daughter, and turns to a spiritual healer when a doctor tells her there is nothing left to do.

Frederick Douglass writes a letter to Harriet Tubman praising her work in the abolitionist movement.

The speaker of the poem uses symbolism to explain the connection they feel between their ancestry and identity.

A group of young men at a pool hall don't care about responsibilities.

Two sisters live very different lives because of the choices they have made.

In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, King discusses the status of African Americans and what he hopes to see in the future.

In this poem the speaker empathizes with the experiences of a caged bird, using vivid imagery to illustrate its oppression.