African American Authors

African American Female Authors

Most of these books are poetry, which was one of the popular forms of literature during the Harlem Renaissance. A couple of books in the illustrator group fit in this category. However, the goal there was to highlight artwork, regardless of who the author is.

All these women made great strides in African American literature. Some are famous poets, some wrote stories with different genres, some had famous spouses or were generally famous themselves.

African American male authors

Many men and women were active or started their literary careers during the Harlem Renaissance. The books in this group are created by famous men, along with lesser known men.

Prolific poets Bontemps and Hughes were friends; they collaborated on projects geared towards young adults and children. Despite his declining marriage and health, Dunbar also had a successful career. Not only were Jackson’s novels a reflection of his life, they reflected the lives of others who faced adversity. Today, the works of these writers are read, referenced, and renowned.