Collection consists of drafts and transcriptions of essays by African American authors on the history and culture of African Americans in the United States and on African American contributions to the arts. Essays documenting historical experiences of African Americans cover religion in the Colonial era, the anti-slavery movement, and the underground railroad. Essays documenting African American cultural forms cover dance, literature, and theater, and feature several pieces on music, including songs of protest, spirituals, and folk music. Many essays in the collection also document contributions of individual African Americans, including James Weldon Johnson, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Paul Robeson, and William Christopher Handy. Contributing authors include Wesley Curtwright, Ralph Ellison, Lawrence Gellert, Abram Hill, Claude McKay, Henry Lee Moon, Ted Poston, and others.
Description:
Purchased from William Reese Co. on the Edwin J. Beinecke Book Fund, 2008. and The Federal Writers' Project (FWP) was established in 1935 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).
Subject (Name):
United States.--Works Progress Administration (N.Y.)
Subject (Topic):
African American artists, African American authors--20th century, African Americans--Social life and customs, Antislavery movements--United States, Authors, American--20th century, Harlem Renaissance, and Underground Railroad
African American authors--20th century, African American entertainers, African American musicians, African American theater, and Theater--New York (State)--New York--History
African American authors--20th century, African American theater, African Americans in the performing arts, and Theater--New York (State)--New York--History
