Analyzes "Roots" as an examination of the institution of slavery seen through the eyes of the victim, an exploration of the connection between slavery and consciousness, among both masters and slaves, and a portrayal of a social institution and its effects. (JMF)

Discusses whether Black History Month effectively introduces the world to the achievements of American blacks or is primarily a marketing device for selling books and making African Americans feel good. Responses are provided from several African-American history professors. (GR)

Discusses the nature of rhetorical personae by examining Marcus Garvey as a Moses for Harlem Blacks awaiting a deliverer. Treats the Black Moses persona as the transcendent form and the factors of deliverance in Garvey's speeches--election, captivity, liberation--as the particulars that allow Garvey to participate in the form. (PD)

Compares three children's books retelling the legend of John Henry: "John Henry: An American Legend" by Ezra Jack Keats (1965), "John Henry" by Julius Lester (1994), and "The Legend of John Henry" by Terry Small (1994). Differences in imagery, language, symbolism, and themes are discussed. (MAK)

Literature seeks to recover the "facts" and fill in the gaps of knowledge as it enunciates the truth of existence. Nowhere is this more apparent than in African-American literature, where history and art are inextricably linked, where the personal truly is political. Throughout the history of the United States, the institution of slavery…

The differences between early African American narratives written by women and those written by men can be seen in a comparison of Harriet A. Jacobs's "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself" and Frederick Douglass's "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave." A comparison of these works…

Examines the parallels between Ellison's "Invisible Man" and Hamilton's works. States that Hamilton is strong in elucidating the experience of growing up simultaneously black and American and that it is a continuing condemnation of our times when she must reiterate Ellison's words concerning the duality of nonwhite literature. (CRH)

Seemingly contradictory positions of J. Conrad as both a racist and an opponent of race-based imperial practices are discussed with reference to "The Heart of Darkness." It is argued that Conrad made a conscious effort to shake off the racial theories of the time and to deplore imperial racism. (SLD)

Based upon research conducted during the past decade that identifies speech features of form, topic, content, and use of language as male- or female-associated, this paper examines the rhetoric of Sojourner Truth in reference to these features. It classifies her directness, originality, and action as male-associated and her modesty, emotionalism,…

This critique of Gerald Horne's book, "Black and Red," points out the confusion, disorganization, errors, and omissions which make itdifficult to read and understand. However, the importance of the book is its contribution of raw material to the knowledge about Du Bois during his last fifteen years. (VM)

Toni Cade Bambara's novel "The Salt Eaters" is art colored by social responsibility as the author attempts to give her African-American audience a sense of their history and their identity so they can value and accept collective work and responsibility. The novel's strengths and thematic weaknesses are discussed. (SLD)

Includes annotated bibliographies of young adult books written in the 1980s by Black authors. Selections intended to interest Black teenagers represent both historical and contemporary realistic fiction. (NKA)

Discusses the coercive controls imposed upon Blacks during slavery, including regimenting their lives, restricting their learning experiences, limiting their opportunities to communicate, and prescribing demeaning role behavior. Rhetorical strategies employed by Blacks included a defensive posture of accommodation and a more aggressive behavior of…

Political conditions have influenced the screen images of U.S. cinema, and the images of African Americans have reflected prevailing social stereotypes. The history of African-American representation in films is traced, and it is noted that the tendency to portray African Americans stereotypically has not changed. (SLD)

The field of interpretation needs to be more aware of and sensitive to the contributions of black culture and consciousness. The interpreter wishing to perform black poetry, for example, needs to recognize that the black aesthetic has its roots in African culture and traditions and does not always share the assumptions of the European or…