American Negro Poetry by Arna Bontemps


American Negro Poetry
Title : American Negro Poetry
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0809015641
ISBN-10 : 9780809015641
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 256
Publication : First published January 1, 1963

With 200,000 copies in print, this anthology has for decades been seen as a fundamental collection of African-American verse. Bontemps (1902-73), an important figure during and after the Harlem Renaissance, author of more than 25 novels, and longtime librarian at Fisk University, last revised this classic anthology just before his death, adding such crucial new voices as Audre Lorde, Nikki Giovanni, and Bob Kaufman, among others.

This edition, issued in 1996, reprints the poems in Bontemps's revised volume along with updated biographical notes. Nearly seventy poets are represented, their works indexed by both author and title.

American Negro Poetry Reviews

  • Michael

    While I wish some poems weren't so predictable, its the same wish I have for Caucasian heavy anthologies. I was glad to see some names I've never read, a few poems from names I've encountered before. Not my favorite, but better than most.

  • William

    A strong collection of poems. Now amazingly, more than 50 years old. This is a fine introduction to the early and mid-century poetry. Of course more recent voices are missing such as much of Rita Dove, Naasha Trethewey, Yusef Komunyakaa, Kevin Young and others.

  • Sarah

    There's only one Audre Lorde poem so I can't say I would recommend this.

  • Victoria & David Williams

    we have an earlier edition

  • Julie

    This book edited by Arna Bontemps covers Afircan-American poetry for about a 70 year period.

    I especially liked the works included by the Harlem Renaissance poets, particularly Waring Cuney, Frank Horne and Arna Bontemps. Langston Hughes is well represented in this book as well.

    Any lover of poetry should read this book! Although I have to retun this copy to the library, I am going to look around for a copy to purchase - this one is a keeper.

  • Priscilla

    amazon.com

  • Angelo Shamoon

    Pretty interesting poems about religion, slaves and other things.