African American Poetry

http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/langston_hughes/photo

What are some examples of African American Literature?

The Black Unicornby Audre Lorde

The black unicorn is greedy.The black unicorn is impatient.'The black unicorn was

mistakenfor a shadow or symboland takenthrough a cold countrywhere mist painted mockeriesof my fury.It is not on her lap where the

horn restsbut deep in her moonpitgrowing.The black unicorn is restlessthe black unicorn is

unrelentingthe black unicorn is notFree.

Dreams Hold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

Langston Hughes

Those Winter Sundays Sundays too my father got up earlyAnd put his clothes on in the blueback cold,then with cracked hands that achedfrom labor in the weekday weather madebanked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.When the rooms were warm, he'd call,and slowly I would rise and dress,fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,who had driven out the coldand polished my good shoes as well.What did I know, what did I knowof love's austere and lonely offices?

Robert Hayden

Movements

Harlem Renaissance or New Negro MovementThe importance of this movement is that writers tried to include their African American heritage and unique culture in their literary expression.Ex: Langston Hughes- Wrote about African American but kept the dialect because it was already at the level of art.

Black Arts MovementTriggered by the assassination of Malcolm X. Forced literature to embrace diversity.