Great African American Authors

Every February, America recognizes the myriad contributions of African Americans to its history. The event, created by the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson, began as "Negro History Week" in 1915, and grew into the entire month of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It is a month dedicated to excellence and a time for the United States to honor the indispensable contributions of Black Americans to its culture.

While the month is an important way to highlight the achievements of Black Americans, the impact these Americans have had on the formation of the United States is much more than can be adequately explored in one month. Black history is American history, and is also much more than Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King.

That's why this website is devoted to seven of America's Black authors who have shaped the literary landscape of the United States. My students and I have enjoyed learning more about these esteemed Americans and their contributions to its culture; we hope you will too!