African-American Poetry: An Anthology, 1773-1927 by Joan R. Sherman Rich selection of 74 poems ranging from religious and moral verse of Phillis Wheatley Peters (ca. 1753–1784) to 20th-century work of Countee Cullen, James Weldon Johnson, and Langston Hughes. Introduction.
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|  | Selected Poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar Comprehensive collection of one of the beloved African-American poet's works includes "Ode to Ethiopia," "Not They Who Soar," "When Malindy Sings," "We Wear the Mask, "Dinah Kneading Dough," "The Haunted Oak,"more.
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The Sport of the Gods by Paul Laurence Dunbar A landmark in African-American literature, this powerful novel was among the first realistic depictions of ghetto life. Its portrayal of the black community's social and political issues continues to resonate today.
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|  | The House Behind the Cedars by Charles W. Chesnutt Originally published in 1900, this groundbreaking novel by a distinguished African-American author recounts the drama of a brother and sister who "pass for white" during the dangerous days of Reconstruction.
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Clotel or The President's Daughter by William Wells Brown The first novel by an African-American, this dramatic tale tells the fate of a child fathered by Thomas Jefferson with one of his slaves. The author, a former slave, powerfully depicts racial injustice.
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|  | The Blacker the Berry by Wallace Thurman The first novel to openly address color prejudice among black Americans, this moving tale unfolds amid the Harlem Renaissance in an enduringly relevant examination of racial, sexual, and cultural identity.
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Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes Poet Langston Hughes' only novel, a coming-of-age tale that unfolds amid an African-American family in rural Kansas, explores the dilemmas of life in a racially divided society.
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|  | Passing by Nella Larsen Married to a successful physician and prominently ensconced in society, Irene Redfield leads a charmed existence — until a chance encounter with a childhood friend who has been "passing for white."
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The Marrow of Tradition by Charles W. Chesnutt A landmark in the history of African-American fiction, this gripping 1901 novel unfolds against the backdrop of the post-Reconstruction South, climaxing in a race riot based on an actual 1898 incident.
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|  | The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson African-American writer's pioneering novel parallels his own life, probes the psychological aspects of "passing for white," and examines the American caste and class system. Major contribution to American literature.
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