Anthems, Sonnets, and Chants

More about the book

The 1930s were marked by significant challenges for African Americans, including the Great Depression, an identity crisis, and the looming threat of a race war due to the Italo-Ethiopian conflict. This era saw a surge in black poetry that expressed new forms of autonomy and resistance to social hardships. However, much of this impactful protest poetry was often labeled as "romantic" and overlooked by prominent leftist critics and anthologists, despite its profound significance in capturing the struggles and resilience of the time.