African-American literature

African American literature encompasses the body of works created in the United States by authors of African descent. Olaudah Equiano (circa 1745–1797) was an African individual who authored "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano," an autobiography released in 1789 that emerged as one of the earliest significant texts addressing the transatlantic slave trade and the lived experiences of enslaved Africans. This publication occurred sixteen years after the works of Phillis Wheatley (circa 1753–1784), an enslaved African woman recognized as the first African American to publish a volume of poetry, which was released in 1773. Her collection was entitled "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral." Their writings helped shape early African American literature and influenced many later authors.

Category:African-American culture