LATE TWENTIETH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT

Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi. Translated from the Akan Twi language, this means it is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind. The selections of African American literature of the twentieth century to the present are representative of this notion of sankofa. Literary ancestors such as August Wilson, Maya Angelou, and Octavia Butler have preserved major moments from this period, and in some instances, appeared to have predicted what was to come. These ancestors have paved the way for a number of literary progeny.

August Wilson’s cycle of ten plays covers the 20th century as it specifically pertains to African Americans. Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, which is set in the second decade of the twentieth century, centers on the lives of recently freed African Americans. Radio Golf, the last play in the cycle focuses on the redevelopment of the Hill District in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Both plays can be accessed in this anthology through GALILEO and/or links to external databases.

It would seem that Maya Angelou whispered in the ears of Amanda Gorman and inspired her. Both known for their acclaimed readings at inaugural ceremonies of William Jefferson Clinton and Joseph Robinette Biden, respectively, their poems have seeped into American consciousness in ways that were relevant to the times.

It has been noted that Octavia Butler possessed a prophetic vision through her literary pieces. However, the author herself pointed out that the novel Parable of the Talents, for instance, was a cautionary tale. It is conclusive that the lessons illustrated in her work were based on evidence from the past and the present that could lead to a catastrophic future if certain conditions were not effectively addressed and resolved in a timely manner. Such circumstances are scrutinized in the short story “Speech Sounds,” which is part of her collection Bloodchild and Other Stories.

Colson Whitehead also uses the past as a means to interrogating issues of the present. Included in this anthology are exerpts from The Underground Railroad and The Nickelboys, works that focus on slavery and institutionalized racism.

Additionally, poet Evie Shockley intensively analyzes Black women’s resilience througout the periods of enslavement, Jim Crow, and beyond with her piece entitled “you can say that again, billie.” This poem is the subject of an episode of the PBS documentary series Poetry in America. Students within the University System of Georgia may gain access to this piece by logging into the GALILEO website.