This book considers the key literary, political, historical and intellectual contexts of African American literature from its origins to the present, and also provides students with an analysis of the most up-to-date literary trends and debates in African American literature. This accessible and engaging guide covers a variety of essential topics such as:0-The origins of African American Literature0-The Emergence of Slave Narratives0-The Harlem Renaissance0-Mid-twentieth century black American Literature0-Literature of the civil rights and Black Power era0-Contemporary African American Writing0-Key theoretical debates within the field.