We made it! Our last Acknowledgement Series post! Wow, this series has been such a privilege to write. It is the longest running writing series I've written so far and I am so amazed by how quickly it went. It began as a tribute to Black writers and poets, but has grown into so much more.
All of the writers and poets covered in this series are remarkable. They contributed to not only our national narrative, but their lives serve as reminders of the amazing things that humanity is capable of. From escaping slavery, championing Civil Rights and Feminism, to struggling to find a place in the world, these stories of courage, determination, and a willingness to change the world will inspire generations to come.
Our very last tribute goes to Michelle Obama, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and Harriet Jacobs.
To see the other posts in this Acknowledgement Series, visit the homepage here.
Michelle Obama is a force to be reckoned with. Lawyer, author, and First Lady, her legacy is one that will be remembered in history books forever.
Here are her works:
Becoming
Published in 2018, a memoir.
Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her, from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. She describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story.
American Grown
Published in 2012, a novel.
In American Grown, Mrs. Obama tells the story of the White House Kitchen Garden, celebrates the bounty of gardens across our nation, and reminds us all of what we can grow together.
Henry Louis Gates Jr. wrote and edited many books, created many films, and taught as a Professor at Alphonse Fletcher University.
Here are some of his works:
Figures in Black: Words, Signs, and the "Racial" Self
Published in 1987, a novel.
Gates attacks the notion of African-American literature as a kind of social realism. Throughout his study, Gates incorporates the theoretical insights of critics such as Bakhtin, Foucault, Lacan, Derrida, and Bloom, as he examines the modes of representation that define black art and analyzes the unspoken assumptions made in judging this literature since its inception.
The Signifying Monkey
Published in 1988, novel.
Examining the ancient poetry and myths found in African, Latin American, and Caribbean culture, and particularly the Yoruba trickster figure of Esu-Elegbara and the Signifying Monkey whose myths help articulate the black tradition's theory of its literature, Gates uncovers a unique system for interpretation and a powerful vernacular tradition that black slaves brought with them to the New World.
Loose Canons: Notes on the Culture Wars
Published in 1992, a novel.
Gates offers a broad, illuminating look at this highly contentious issue. Gates agrees that our world is deeply divided by nationalism, racism, and sexism, and argues that the only way to transcend these divisions is to forge a civic culture that respects both differences and similarities is through education that respects both the diversity and commonalities of human culture. His is a plea for cultural and intercultural understanding.
Colored People: A Memoir
Published in 1994, a novel.
From an American Book Award-winning author comes a pungent and poignant masterpiece of recollection that ushers readers into a now-vanished "colored" world and extends and deepens our sense of African-American history, even as it entrances us with its bravura storytelling.
Harriet Jacobs was born a slave and was sexually abused by her master. She eventually gained her freedom and and went on to write an autobiography about her life as a slave.
Here is her novel:
Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl
Published in 1861, an autobiography.
The true story of an individual's struggle for self-identity, self-preservation, and freedom, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl remains among the few extant slave narratives written by a woman. This autobiographical account chronicles the remarkable odyssey of Harriet Jacobs (1813–1897) whose dauntless spirit and faith carried her from a life of servitude and degradation in North Carolina to liberty and reunion with her children in the North.
These writers have all earned their place amongst the most influential writers in the literary world. With these short bios and lists of their works, I hope to inspire you to read and learn more about them. Happy reading!
Sources:
I do not own any of the book cover images, nor the pictures of the writers. They are only used for creative purposes, not for profit. Below are my sources.
https://www.goodreads.com/ (for book cover images). All images of the writers themselves came from https://www.wikipedia.org/ Dates accessed 9/10/20 and 9/10/20.
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