LibGuides: African American Poets & Poetry: Websites

Online Reference Sources

Reference sources can be useful for getting a brief overview of a topic. These sources may also refer you to related books, articles, and other helpful materials. They are therefore often ideal for beginning your research.

Encyclopedia of African-American writing [electronic resource] : five centuries of contribution : trials & triumphs of writers, poets, publications and organizations by Shari Dorantes Hatch, editor. Covers the role and influence of African-American cultural leaders, from all walks of life, from the 17th century to the present.
Publication Date: 2011
Encyclopedia of American poetry. The twentieth century [electronic resource] by Eric L. Haralson (Editor)
Publication Date: 2012
The Princeton encyclopedia of poetry and poetics [electronic resource] by Roland Greene, editor in chief ; Stephen Cushman, general editor ; Clare Cavanagh, Jahan Ramazani, Paul Rouzer, associate editors ; Harris Feinsod, David Marno, Alexandra Slessarev, assistant editors.
Publication Date: 2012

Recommended Websites

The following websites have been evaluated and recommended by a Reference Librarian.

Academy of American Poets To celebrate Black History Month in February—and the rich tradition of African American poetry all year long—browse essays on literary milestones and movements, find important books on black history and poetics, look for lesson plans for Black History Month, read archival letters from classic African American poets, and search poems about the African American experience by both classic and contemporary poets.
Amiri Baraka The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience.
Maya Angelou The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience.
Gwendolyn Brooks This guide compiles links to resources on Gwendolyn Brooks throughout the Library of Congress Web site, as well as links to external Web sites that include features on her life or selections of her work. To suggest additions to this guide, please contact the Digital Reference Section.
Countee Cullen The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience.
Rita Dove This guide compiles links to resources on Rita Dove throughout the Library of Congress Web site, as well as links to external Web sites that include features on her life or selections of her work.
Paul Laurence Dunbar The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of material associated with Paul Laurence Dunbar, including manuscripts, photographs, and books. This guide compiles links to digital materials related to Dunbar that are available throughout the Library of Congress Web site. In addition, it provides links to external Web sites focusing on Dunbar and a bibliography containing selections for both general and younger readers.
Yusef Komunyakaa Yusef Komunyakaa, original name in full James William Brown, Jr., (born April 29, 1947, Bogalusa, Louisiana, U.S.), American Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and professor known for his autobiographical poems about race, the Vietnam War, and jazz and blues.
Lift Every Voice and Sing Poems Celebrating African-American History from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Poetry Foundation Poems, articles, and podcasts that explore African American history and culture.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture located in Harlem, New York, is a research unit of The New York Public Library system. The Center consists of three connected buildings: The Schomburg Building, the Langston Hughes Building, and the Landmark Building. It is recognized as one of the leading institutions focusing exclusively on African-American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.
Tracey K. Smith This guide provides access to selected online resources related to Tracy K. Smith's life and work.
Sekou Sundiata Sekou is to contemporary African American Poetry, what Marvin Gaye was to modern soul. He is gifted with a rich, undulating voice which heightens the bittersweet wordscapes heard through this collection. Listen carefully and he'll take you there!
Phillis Wheatley Phillis Wheatley: Her Life, Poetry, and Legacy Stephanie Sheridan. National Portrait Gallery March 27, 2014

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