📕African American Literature – Before 1900 Unit 10 – Harper and Reconstruction Literature

Key Figures and Authors

• Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, a prominent African American poet, novelist, and activist during the Reconstruction era
  • Known for her poetry collections such as "Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects" (1854) and "Moses: A Story of the Nile" (1869)
  • Wrote the novel "Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted" (1892), one of the first novels published by an African American woman
• Charles Chesnutt, an African American author, essayist, and political activist
  • Wrote short stories and novels that explored issues of race, identity, and social injustice (The Conjure Woman, The House Behind the Cedars)
• Paul Laurence Dunbar, a renowned African American poet, novelist, and playwright
  • Known for his poetry collections such as "Oak and Ivy" (1893) and "Majors and Minors" (1895)
  • Wrote in both standard English and African American dialect, showcasing the diversity of African American experiences
• Booker T. Washington, an influential African American educator, author, and leader
  • Wrote the autobiographical work "Up from Slavery" (1901), which chronicled his journey from slavery to becoming a prominent educator and leader
• W.E.B. Du Bois, a prominent African American sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist
  • Wrote "The Souls of Black Folk" (1903), a groundbreaking work that explored the double consciousness experienced by African Americans in a racially divided society

Historical Context

• The Reconstruction era (1865-1877) followed the end of the American Civil War and aimed to rebuild the Southern states and grant civil rights to newly freed African Americans
• Emancipation Proclamation (1863) and the 13th Amendment (1865) abolished slavery in the United States
• 14th Amendment (1868) granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to African Americans
• 15th Amendment (1870) prohibited racial discrimination in voting rights
• Freedmen's Bureau established to provide aid, education, and legal protection to newly freed African Americans
• Rise of Jim Crow laws and segregation in the late 19th century, which institutionalized racial discrimination and oppression
• Emergence of African American churches, schools, and communities as spaces for self-determination and resistance against oppression

Themes and Literary Techniques

• Identity and self-definition in the face of racism and oppression
  • Exploration of the complexities of African American identity and the struggle for self-determination
• Resistance and resilience in the face of adversity
  • Portrayal of African American characters who persevere and resist oppression despite the challenges they face
• The importance of education and literacy as tools for empowerment and social change
• Use of dialect and vernacular language to represent the diversity of African American experiences and voices
• Incorporation of folklore, spirituals, and oral traditions into literary works
• Realism and naturalism in depicting the harsh realities of African American life during the Reconstruction era
• Use of irony, satire, and humor to critique and subvert racist stereotypes and assumptions

Major Works and Their Impact

• "Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted" (1892) by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
  • One of the first novels published by an African American woman, addressing issues of race, gender, and identity in the post-Civil War era
  • Challenged stereotypes and assumptions about African American women and advocated for their education and empowerment
• "The Conjure Woman" (1899) by Charles Chesnutt
  • A collection of short stories that blended African American folklore with realism to explore issues of race, identity, and social injustice
  • Subverted racist stereotypes and challenged white readers' assumptions about African American culture and experiences
• "Up from Slavery" (1901) by Booker T. Washington
  • An autobiographical work that chronicled Washington's journey from slavery to becoming a prominent educator and leader
  • Advocated for industrial education and economic self-sufficiency as a means of racial uplift and progress
• "The Souls of Black Folk" (1903) by W.E.B. Du Bois
  • A groundbreaking work that explored the double consciousness experienced by African Americans in a racially divided society
  • Critiqued Booker T. Washington's accommodationist approach and advocated for a more assertive struggle for civil rights and social justice

Reconstruction Era Perspectives

• Optimism and hope for racial progress and equality in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War
  • Belief in the potential for African Americans to achieve full citizenship and participate in American society as equals
• Disillusionment and frustration with the limitations and setbacks of Reconstruction
  • Disappointment with the failure to fully realize the promises of emancipation and the persistence of racial discrimination and violence
• Debates over the best strategies for racial uplift and progress
  • Booker T. Washington's accommodationist approach, emphasizing industrial education and economic self-sufficiency
  • W.E.B. Du Bois's more assertive approach, advocating for higher education, political activism, and the struggle for civil rights
• The impact of Jim Crow laws and segregation on African American communities and identities
  • The psychological and social toll of institutionalized racism and the struggle to maintain dignity and self-determination in the face of oppression
• The role of African American women in shaping Reconstruction era perspectives and activism
  • The contributions of writers like Frances Ellen Watkins Harper in challenging gender and racial stereotypes and advocating for women's rights and education

Literary Movements and Influences

• The influence of abolitionist literature and rhetoric on Reconstruction era writers
  • The legacy of writers like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs in shaping the literary and political discourse of the era
• The emergence of African American realism and naturalism
  • The use of realistic and naturalistic techniques to depict the harsh realities of African American life and to challenge romanticized or stereotypical representations
• The incorporation of African American folklore, spirituals, and oral traditions into literary works
  • The use of these cultural forms to assert African American identity, resilience, and creativity in the face of oppression
• The influence of European literary movements such as Romanticism and Realism
  • The adaptation and subversion of these literary forms to express African American experiences and perspectives
• The role of African American newspapers and periodicals in publishing and disseminating Reconstruction era literature
  • The importance of publications like the Christian Recorder and the Crisis in providing a platform for African American writers and intellectuals

Critical Analysis and Interpretation

• The significance of Reconstruction era literature in shaping African American identity and culture
  • The role of literature in asserting African American humanity, dignity, and creativity in the face of racism and oppression
• The ways in which Reconstruction era writers challenged and subverted racist stereotypes and assumptions
  • The use of irony, satire, and humor to critique and undermine racist ideologies and practices
• The tensions and debates within the African American literary community over the best strategies for racial uplift and progress
  • The differences between Booker T. Washington's accommodationist approach and W.E.B. Du Bois's more assertive stance, as reflected in their literary works and political activism
• The intersections of race, gender, and class in Reconstruction era literature
  • The ways in which writers like Frances Ellen Watkins Harper addressed the specific experiences and challenges faced by African American women
• The influence of Reconstruction era literature on later African American literary movements and traditions
  • The legacy of Reconstruction era writers in shaping the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement, and contemporary African American literature

Legacy and Modern Relevance

• The ongoing significance of Reconstruction era literature in understanding African American history and culture
  • The insights that these works provide into the struggles, aspirations, and resilience of African Americans in the face of systemic racism and oppression
• The relevance of Reconstruction era themes and issues to contemporary debates over racial justice and equality
  • The persistence of racial discrimination, violence, and inequity in American society and the continued need for African American activism and resistance
• The influence of Reconstruction era literature on contemporary African American writers and artists
  • The ways in which modern writers and artists draw on the literary and cultural traditions established by Reconstruction era figures
• The importance of studying and teaching Reconstruction era literature in educational settings
  • The role of this literature in promoting a more inclusive and accurate understanding of American history and culture
• The potential for Reconstruction era literature to inspire and inform ongoing struggles for social justice and racial equality
  • The enduring power of these works to challenge and transform dominant narratives and to imagine alternative possibilities for African American life and identity