The 1973 anthology The Poetry of Black America: Anthology of the 20th Century, edited by Adoff Arnold and introduced by Gwendolyn Brooks, contains poems by Clifton and many other prominent African-American poets, including Amiri Baraka, Sam Cornish, Countee Cullen, and Sterling Allen Brown.

Clifton is also a writer of children's books. Her book, Everett Anderson's 1-2-3 (1992), illustrated by Ann Grifalconi, tells the story of Everett Anderson, a young African-American boy living in the city, who comes to terms with his mother's new friend and grows up in the process.

Terry McMillan's 1992 blockbuster novel, Waiting to Exhale, chronicles the lives of four thirty-something black women, their romantic adventures, and their deep emotional bonds with one another. Adapted into a popular movie, this novel, in part, examines how these women respond to ageing.

Another popular McMillan novel, How Stella Got Her Groove...