African American Poetry: A Digital Anthology

Race: Black Identity

Poems by African American Authors dealing with race-consciousness -- engagement with what it means to be Black.

Contents of this tag:

  1. A Note on Historical Language: 'Negro,' 'Colored,' 'Black,' and 'African American'
  2. Langston Hughes, "Dream Variation" (1924)
  3. Zora Neale Hurston, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" (1928)
  4. Josephine Heard, "The Black Samson" (1890)
  5. Zora Neale Hurston, "The First One" (Full text of one-act play) (1927)
  6. Mary Ashe Lee, "Afmerica" (1894 version)
  7. Ethel Caution-Davis (Ethel M. Caution), "A Man" (1916)
  8. Mary Ashe Lee, "Afmerica" (1886 version)
  9. Anne Spencer, "White Things" (1923)
  10. John Wesley Work (J.W. Work), "It's Great To Be A Problem" (1920)
  11. Katherine D. Tillman, "Color" (1902)
  12. Walter Everette Hawkins, "Ode to Ethiopia" (1909)
  13. T. Thomas Fortune, “Who Are We? Afro-Americans, Colored People, or Negroes?” (essay) (1906)