This mingling is reflected in the racial pride in
such poems as “Africa” (CLAUDE MCKAY) and
“Dream Variation” (LANGSTON HUGHES). Turner
includes a sampling of his own poetry from his
collection, Katharsis (1964), and poems by Don
Lee (HAKI MADHUBUTI) and LeRoi Jones (AMIRI
BARAKA).
Turner’s inclusion of more short stories from
early writers than later ones in volume 3 stems
from his concern that students of black literary
history might have less access to early stories like
PAU L LAURENCE DUNBAR’s “The Mortification of
the Flesh” (1901), WALLACE THURMAN’s “Cordelia
the Crude” (1926) or FRANK YERBY’s “My Brother
Went to College” (1946). Turner’s other selections
are stories that may not be included in other an-
thologies: RALPH ELLISON’s “Mister Toussan” (1941)
and WILLIAM MELVIN KELLEY’s “The Only Man on
Liberty Street” (1963).
The final section of this anthology is devoted to
drama, the genre in which black writers have had
the least “opportunity for recognition,” accord-
ing to Turner. In response to this dearth, Turner, a
scholar in American theater, offers an extensive in-
troduction to such plays as Randolph Edmonds’s
Nat Turner (1943) and Kingsley B. Bass Jr.’s We
Righteous Bombers (1969).
This anthology includes thorough introduc-
tions to each genre, informative explanatory sec-
tions to each author, and extensive bibliographies.
It reflects Turner’s dedication and legacy as an
exemplary scholar of African-American litera-
ture and criticism, his devotion to students, and
his consistent support of the craft of teaching.
Turner, whose memory is honored with a num-
ber of scholarships, was 18 when he completed
an M.A. at the University of Cincinnati in 1949.
When he was awarded the Ph.D. from the Univer-
sity of Chicago, Turner had taught at Clark Col-
lege (now Clark Atlanta University) and Morgan
State College (now Morgan State University). His
academic career, which included numerous ad-
ministrative positions, extended over 40 years, the
last 20 of which were spent as chair of the African
American World Studies Program at the Univer-
sity of Iowa.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Turner, Darwin T. Black American Literature: Essays,
Poetry, Fiction, Drama. Columbus, Ohio: Charles
E. Merrill, 1970.
———. Black Drama in America: An Anthology.
Washington, D.C.: Howard University Press,
1994.
———. Katharsis. Wellesley, Mass.: Wellesley Press,
1964.
Australia TarverBlack Arts Movement (1965–1974)
The Black Arts Movement continued the tradition
of revolutionary writing by African Americans.
According to LARRY NEAL, African-American “tra-
ditions, the politics, art, culture... have always
been democratic and because of this—in the con-
text of chattel slavery, reaction, white supremacy,
racism, national oppression—our traditions are
revolutionary” (Neal, xiv). The literature of the
Black Arts Movement spoke specifically to African
Americans. Black Arts Movement artists called
for African-American self-determination, self-
respect, and self-defense. Participants sought to
create a revolutionary art that exposed the white
power structure that condoned violence directed
against blacks and perpetuated institutional and
social racism.
The architects of this movement sought to
transform American culture in general and spe-
cifically African-American culture. LeRoi Jones
(AMIRI BARAKA), Larry Neal, SONIA SANCHEZ, NIKKI
GIOVANNI, Don Lee (HAKI MADHUBUTI), ADDISON
GAYLE, HOYT FULLER, and many others used their
poetry, plays, essays, and work in other genres to
define the African-American aesthetic, identity,
and black art. They also were interested in creating
an art that would “educate and unify black peo-
ple in our attack on an anti-black racist America”
(Neal, x). Black Arts Movement artists used their
art as a blueprint for the revolution they hoped
would aid the liberation of black people in the
United States and across the diaspora. In addition
to paying homage overtly to African-American48 Black Arts Movement