Encyclopedia of African-American writing : five centuries of contribution : trials & triumphs of writers, poets, publications and organizations / Bryan Conn Ph.D. & Tara Bynum Ph.D., editors.

"First edition published 2000."

Includes bibliographical references.

Preface to the second edition, 2009 -- Introduction to the third edition -- Entries A-Z -- Primary documents: About the primary documents; The forme of a binding servant, 1635; An indentured servant's letter home, 1623; Colonial laws; A minute against slavery, 1688; Phyllis Wheatley: letter to Rev. Samson Occum, 1774; African slave trade / by Alexander Falconbridge, 1788; Inventory of estate of Mark Cosby, 1752; Bars fight / by Lucy Terry; To the Right Honourable William, Earl of Dartmouth / by Phillis Wheatley; A narrative of the most remarkable particulars in the life of James Albert / Ukawsaw Gronniosaw; Proclamation of Earl of Dunmore; Vermont's 1777 Constitution; Free at last / by J.W.Work; Steal away to Jesus / by J.W.Johnson, J.R.Johnson; Swing low sweet chariot; Preamble of the Free African Society / by Absolom Jones, Richard Allen, 1787; Excerpt from Olaudah Equiano's slave narrative, 1789; Letter from Benjamin Banneker to Thomas Jefferson; Response to Benjamin Banneker; Letter to William Basset; Excerpt from the poetical works of George M. Horton; Our paper and its prospects / by Frederick Douglass; Sojourner Truth (1797-1883): Ain't I a woman?, 1851; What to the slave is the Fourth of July?, 1852 / by Frederick Douglass; Excerpt from the Dred Scott v. Sanford Decision, 1857; Interview with Walter Calloway; The Emancipation Proclamation; The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; Our raison d’être / by Anna Julia Cooper --

The Honorable Frederick Douglass's letter to Ida Wells; How it feels to be colored me / by Zora Neale Hurston.; Excerpt from Cold Keener, a revue / by Zora Neale Hurston; Testimony of Fannie Lou Hamer; The ballot or the bullet / by Malcolm X; Excerpt from Black power speech / by Stokely Carmichael; The Black Panther Platform, 1966; The Combahee River Collective statement / Combahee River Collective; Inauguration poem / by Maya Angelou; Praise song for the day / by Elizabeth Alexander; Nobel lecture, 1993 / by Toni Morrison; A more perfect union “the race speech”, 2008 / by Barack Obama; A herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement / by Alicia Garza -- Appendix A: Chronology of writers -- Appendix B: Chronology of firsts -- Appendix C: Timeline -- Appendix D: Writers by genre -- Appendix E: Writers by occupation -- Appendix F: References -- Appendix G: Key to references.

A timely survey of an important sector of American letters, African American Writers examines a multitude of black cultural leaders from the 18th century to the present. Updated through the present time, this new second edition covers the role and influence of African American cultural leaders from all walks of life Carefully written articles, with illustrations, cover the important events in a writer's life, education, major works, honors and awards, and family and important associates. A comprehensive, easy to use source that will complement the reference collection of any public, high school or university library, and will prove useful to all university humanities and African American studies reference collections.