Black Poets

10 Poems by African-American Poets

Poems by African-American poets, including Gwendolyn Brooks, Kwame Dawes, Rita Dove, Langston Hughes, Tyehimba Jess, Kevin Young, and more.
charlottesville syllabus: history of hate in america

Charlottesville Syllabus: Readings on the History of Hate in America

The history of racism and ethnic hate in America is long and deep. What are the cultural, economic, and political currents that led us here?
Giovanni's Room, Philadelphia

Book Club Made Me Gay

Book clubs and reading groups have long been important to marginalized communities.
JSTOR Daily Friday Reads

Pulitzer Prize Winning Poet Tyehimba Jess

Tyehimba Jess has won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. We found 4 of his early poems in their original publications and made them open access here.
Gloria Naylor's Women of Brewster Place

Gloria Naylor

The critically acclaimed novelist Gloria Naylor has died at age 66.
Octavia Butler the Golden Chain

When Science Fiction Becomes Real: Octavia E. Butler’s Legacy

Ten years after her death, the writing of Octavia E. Butler has a persistent influence—one that spans well outside of the science fiction genre.
Shirley Chisholm and Rosa Parks

The Significance of Shirley Chisholm’s Presidential Campaign

Shirley Chisholm: the first black female U.S. Representative, first black major-party candidate for President, and the first Democratic Party woman to run.
Pocket Magazine, 1895

Put This Poem in Your Pocket

The Academy of American Poets has declared it Poem in Your Pocket Day. We’re not complaining; we’re suggesting you ...
Ellen Gallagher

Ellen Gallagher: Questioning Race

Artist Ellen Gallagher interweaves text and images to force viewers to confront and question race in American society. 
Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The Internet Didn’t Doom the Daily New Orleans Times-Picayune; Katrina Did

The Times-Picayune had no choice after Katrina but to publish primarily online.