The Harlem Renaissance (1918–1937) was the most influentialsingle movement in African American literary history. Its keyfigures include W. E. B. Du Bois, Nella Larsen, Zora Neale Hurston,Claude McKay, and Langston Hughes. The movement laid the groundworkfor all later African American literature, and had an enormousimpact on later black literature world-wide. With chapters by awide range of well-known scholars, this Companion is anauthoritative and engaging guide to the movement. It firstdiscusses the historical contexts of the Harlem Renaissance, bothnational and international; then presents original discussions of awide array of authors and texts; and finally treats the reputationof the movement in later years. Giving full play to thedisagreements and differences that energized the renaissance, thisCompanion presents the best of current wisdom as well as a set ofnew readings encouraging further exploration of this dynamicfield. · The most accessible and comprehensive student book available on
