📚American Literature – Before 1800 Unit 7 – African American Voices in Early America

Historical Context

• African American literature emerged in the context of slavery and oppression in the United States during the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries
• Enslaved Africans were forcibly brought to the American colonies through the transatlantic slave trade (Middle Passage)
• Slavery was a legal institution in all 13 colonies by the early 18th century and played a significant role in the economic development of the United States
• African Americans faced severe restrictions on their freedom, education, and ability to express themselves
  • Laws prohibited teaching enslaved people to read and write
  • Enslaved individuals risked severe punishment for learning or practicing literacy
• Despite these obstacles, African Americans developed rich oral traditions, including storytelling, music, and folktales
• The Great Awakening and the rise of abolitionism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries influenced early African American literature
  • Some enslaved individuals, such as Phillis Wheatley, gained recognition for their literary talents
  • Abolitionists encouraged formerly enslaved people to share their narratives to support the cause of ending slavery

Key Authors and Works

• Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784): The first published African American poet, known for her collection "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" (1773)
• Olaudah Equiano (c. 1745-1797): A former slave who wrote the influential autobiography "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano" (1789)
• Jupiter Hammon (1711-1806): The first published African American writer, known for his poems and essays, including "An Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ, with Penitential Cries" (1760)
• Lucy Terry (c. 1730-1821): An enslaved woman who composed the poem "Bars Fight" (1746), the oldest known work of literature by an African American
• Briton Hammon (fl. 1760): Author of the first published slave narrative, "A Narrative of the Uncommon Sufferings and Surprising Deliverance of Briton Hammon, a Negro Man" (1760)
• Venture Smith (1729-1805): A former slave who dictated his autobiography, "A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa: But Resident Above Sixty Years in the United States of America" (1798)
• Prince Hall (1735-1807): An abolitionist and founder of the African Lodge, the first Black Masonic lodge in the United States, known for his petitions for the rights of African Americans

Themes and Motifs

• The horrors of slavery and the struggle for freedom
  • Graphic descriptions of the brutality and inhumanity of slavery
  • The psychological and emotional impact of enslavement on individuals and families
• The quest for literacy and education as a means of empowerment and liberation
• The importance of religion and spirituality in the lives of enslaved and free African Americans
  • The role of Christianity in providing hope, solace, and a sense of community
  • The incorporation of African religious traditions and beliefs
• The assertion of humanity, dignity, and equality in the face of oppression
• The power of personal testimony and the use of the autobiographical form to bear witness to the experiences of African Americans
• The celebration of African heritage and the formation of a distinct African American identity
• The critique of racism, prejudice, and the institution of slavery
• The call for social justice, equality, and the abolition of slavery

Literary Techniques and Styles

• Use of the autobiographical and narrative form to convey personal experiences and bear witness to the realities of slavery
• Incorporation of African oral traditions, including storytelling techniques, repetition, and call-and-response patterns
• Use of biblical allusions and religious imagery to appeal to Christian readers and underscore the spiritual dimensions of the African American experience
• Employment of rhetorical devices, such as ethos, pathos, and logos, to persuade readers and elicit emotional responses
• Adaptation of European literary forms, such as poetry and essays, to express African American perspectives and experiences
• Use of vernacular language and dialects to capture the authentic voices of African American communities
• Incorporation of elements of the jeremiad, a type of sermon that laments social ills and calls for repentance and reform
• Subversion of dominant literary conventions and expectations to challenge stereotypes and assert the intelligence and creativity of African Americans

Cultural Impact and Significance

• Early African American literature provided a platform for enslaved and free Black individuals to share their experiences, assert their humanity, and advocate for their rights
• These works challenged dominant narratives about the intellectual capacities of African Americans and contributed to the growing abolitionist movement
• The literature of this period laid the foundation for the development of a distinct African American literary tradition
• The themes, techniques, and concerns explored in early African American literature continue to resonate in the works of later Black writers and artists
• The courage and resilience of early African American authors in the face of oppression and adversity serve as an enduring source of inspiration
• The works of this period provide invaluable insights into the lived experiences of African Americans during slavery and the early years of the United States
• Early African American literature played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and contributing to the eventual abolition of slavery

Challenges and Controversies

• The authenticity of some early African American works has been questioned, particularly in cases where the texts were dictated to or heavily edited by white abolitionists
  • Concerns about the extent to which these works reflect the true voices and experiences of African American authors
  • Debates about the role of white editors and publishers in shaping the content and reception of these texts
• The scarcity of surviving manuscripts and the difficulties in attributing authorship to some early African American works
• The marginalization and suppression of early African American literature within the broader canon of American literature
• The ongoing impact of racism and discrimination on the recognition and study of early African American writers
• Controversies surrounding the representation of slavery and the experiences of enslaved individuals in these works
  • Criticisms of some texts for allegedly perpetuating stereotypes or failing to fully capture the horrors of slavery
  • Debates about the use of graphic violence and the portrayal of sexual abuse in slave narratives
• The complex relationships between African American authors and white abolitionists who supported their work
  • Questions about power dynamics, patronage, and the influence of white allies on the production and dissemination of early African American literature

Legacy and Influence

• Early African American literature laid the groundwork for the development of Black literary traditions in the United States
• The themes, techniques, and concerns explored in these works continue to shape African American literature and culture
• The autobiographical form, particularly the slave narrative, became a powerful tool for exposing the realities of slavery and advocating for abolition
  • Later works, such as Frederick Douglass's "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave" (1845), built upon the foundations established by earlier slave narratives
• The assertive voice and the emphasis on the humanity and dignity of African Americans in these works influenced later civil rights and social justice movements
• Early African American authors, such as Phillis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano, served as role models and inspirations for subsequent generations of Black writers and intellectuals
• The works of this period continue to be studied and celebrated as essential components of the American literary canon and as vital records of African American history and experience
• Contemporary African American authors, scholars, and artists draw upon the legacy of early Black literature in their own works, engaging with its themes, techniques, and concerns

Further Reading and Resources

• "The Norton Anthology of African American Literature" edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Valerie Smith: A comprehensive collection of African American literature from the 18th century to the present
• "The Slave's Narrative" edited by Charles T. Davis and Henry Louis Gates Jr.: A collection of essays exploring the slave narrative genre and its significance in African American literature
• "The Cambridge Companion to the African American Slave Narrative" edited by Audrey Fisch: A scholarly overview of the slave narrative tradition, its historical context, and its literary and cultural impact
• "The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of African-American Literary Criticism" by Henry Louis Gates Jr.: A groundbreaking work of literary criticism that explores the African American literary tradition and its unique rhetorical strategies
• "Africans in America: America's Journey Through Slavery" by Charles Johnson and Patricia Smith: A companion book to the PBS television series, providing a comprehensive history of slavery in the United States
• "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano" by Olaudah Equiano: A classic slave narrative that offers a firsthand account of the experiences of an enslaved African in the 18th century
• "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" by Phillis Wheatley: The first published collection of poetry by an African American author, demonstrating Wheatley's literary talent and her engagement with religious and moral themes
• "The Poetry of Slavery: An Anglo-American Anthology, 1764-1865" edited by Marcus Wood: A collection of poems by both Black and white authors that address the subject of slavery and its impact on American society