Although many different kinds of artistic expression flourished during the Harlem Renaissance, the period is probably most famous for its literature. For many people, the first names that come to mind when considering the Harlem Renaissance are those of writers like Langston Hughes (1902–1967; see biographical entry) and Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960; see biographical entry). Indeed, the novels, short stories, and poems that these and other writers produced are among the most interesting and valuable products of a fascinating cultural period. But African American literary history as a whole extends far back into the eighteenth century.

Early African American Writing

Even when most of America's black population was held fast within the brutal bonds of slavery, the storytellers and writers among them were carrying on their craft. In 1771 Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753–1784) became the first African American to have her poems published. Other...