The Book of American Negro Poetry

The Book of American Negro Poetry (1922) is an anthology by James Weldon Johnson that includes the work of legendary artists such as Paul Laurence Dunbar, W. E. B. Du Bois, Jessie Fauset, and Georgia Douglas Johnson. It serves to provide information about American Negro poets and to reconcile the long tradition of black culture with the erasure of contemporary artists. The poems in the anthology reflect a range of voices, styles, and subjects, harnessing the spirit of song and sermon. This edition of the book is a classic of African American literature reimagined for modern readers with a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript.

Format: Hardback
Length: 294 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: West Margin Press

The Book of American Negro Poetry, published in 1922, is a remarkable anthology compiled by James Weldon Johnson. In addition to his own poetic contributions, Johnson showcases the work of renowned artists such as Paul Laurence Dunbar, W. E. B. Du Bois, Jessie Fauset, and Georgia Douglas Johnson. The selection of these poems is meticulous, accompanied by a masterful preface by Johnson that elucidates the significance of this collection. Johnson's preface serves as a justification for his endeavor, emphasizing the need to dispel the misconception that there are no American Negro poets. He asserts that it is a worthy endeavor to rectify this lack of knowledge. Johnson's poem "O Black and Unknown Bards" specifically addresses the question of how these unknown bards of the past were able to attain the sacred fire of poetry. Recognizing the gap between the long tradition of black culture and the marginalization of his contemporary artists, Johnson highlights the efforts of those poets who, within their dark-kept souls, found the courage to burst into song. Many of the poets included in The Book of American Negro Poetry adopt a diverse range of voices, skillfully transitioning from dialect to the traditional lyric in poems that capture the essence of both song and sermon. Joseph S. Cotter Jr., one of the featured poets, aptly describes these poems as elemental in their ability to rejuvenate a distinct national culture, triumphantly rising and falling over all things. This edition of James Weldon Johnson's The Book of American Negro Poetry is a testament to the enduring legacy of African American literature, reimagined for contemporary readers. The book boasts a beautifully designed cover and a professionally typeset manuscript, making it a classic of African American literature that has stood the test of time.

Dimension: 203 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781513134192