CFP: Perspectives on African American Literature (7/31/04; collection)
After some three centuries of recognised existence, the time is ripe to take a comprehensive look at the nature of African American literature. From being one aspect of the residual tradition of enslaved Africans to the distinguished corpus of literary works that are available today, it can be said that the literature has come a long way from its humble origins. Barriers peculiar to African Americans, especially racial prejudice, have been largely overcome, and a literary tradition worthy of its greatest exponents has come into being. What has been the driving force of this literature? What are the themes and motifs that shape it?