Afro Caribbean womens writing and early American literature Afro Caribbean Womens Writing and Early American Literature is both pedagogical and critical. The text begins by re evaluating the poetry of Wheatley for its political commentary demonstrates how Hurston bridges several literary genres and geographies and introduces Black women writers of the Caribbean to some American audiences Preface: The work of Black women writing communities Introduction: The continued relevance of nineteenth century Black women writers LaToya Jefferson James Doing the work of nobler womanhood: Ida B. Wells Barnett N.F. Mossell and Victoria Earle Matthews LaToya Jefferson James Yours for humanity: an examination of the life and work of Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins (1856 1930) Verner Mitchell Plagiarizing Blackness: racial performances and passing in Frances E. W. Harpers Iola Leroy or Shadows uplifted Tajanae Barnes New nation new migration and new negro: a reading of Aftermath Rachel and Environment Shubhanku Kochar When madness makes sense in early Black womens drama Regis Fox Zora Neale Hurstons Dust tracks on a road as literacy narrative LaToya Jefferson James Karen Lord: situating the Caribbean female space Jacinth Howard A retrospective on the literary influence of Merle Hodges Crick crack monkey Alison D. Ligon A laying on of hands: healing the diasporic body in colonized spaces in Jamaica Kincaids Annie John Joyce White Authorizing discourse: Black feminist theorizing in Michelle Cliffs Claiming an identity they taught me to despise Alexandria Smith So eager to bloom: reframing images of adolescent protagonists in Edwidge Danticats Behind the mountains and Untwine Alison D. Ligon Conclusion: Beginning at the beginning: teaching Morrison through Stewart and Hurston through Marson and Conde.