Black Literary Pioneers
By Christopher Beckwith
What would contemporary urban literature be like without its literary pioneers? Several early writers have provided a solid
foundation for today’s aspiring black writers. While it is not necessary for modern-day writers, authors and poets to take their
inspiration from African American writers of the past in order to be successful – the historical significance of these legendary
writers definitely makes the journey more meaningful. As we celebrate Black History Month, it is only befitting that BOOK
COVER Magazine should pay homage to those who have made the realization of becoming a published writer more attainable.
It’s hard to deny the contributions of W. E. B. Du Bois and Phillis Wheatley as historical literary standouts. These early writers are
known for their insightful views on the plight of the African American community, not to mention white America’s interpretation
of said condition. It is just as important as it was in days gone by, it’s equally relevant today for those looking to make their mark
on the literary world.
W. E. B. Du Bois, formally William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, was an American sociologist who helped develop the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909 and also served as the editor of its magazine, The
Crisis, from 1910 to 1934. A graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee in 1888, Du Bois later received a Ph.D. from
Harvard University and became a household name as related to early African American published writers.
Phillis Wheatley is also a standout in early African American literature. Born in Senegambia, officially the Senegambia
Confederation of West African, Wheatley was sold into slavery at the age of seven and brought to Boston, Massachusetts on a
slave ship in 1761. Upon her arrival in Boston, Wheatley was purchased by John Wheatley as a personal servant to his wife.
Educated by the Wheatleys, Phillis began writing poetry after mastering Latin and Greek. At the age of twelve, she
published her first poem and later in 1773, her first volume of poetry, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, making
her both the second published African-American poet and first published African-American woman. Following the publication of
her book, Wheatley traveled to London to promote her writing where the cultural climate was racially more tolerant.
After her return to Boston, Wheatley's life changed significantly once she was freed from slavery. She continued to write,
but the growing tensions with the British and, ultimately, the Revolutionary War, weakened enthusiasm for her work.
It’s no secret that urban literature would not be what it is today without the likes of W. E. B. Dubois and Phillis Wheatley.
However, it was a lesser-known writer, Jupiter Hammon, who actually paved the way for all black writers to follow, particularly
the greats of the Harlem Renaissance such as Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes and James Baldwin. These
early African American authors were lauded for their groundbreaking work but it was Hammon who actually broke through the
literary glass ceiling that resulted from the belief at the time of the limited intelligence of the Negro.
Britannica.com describes the Harlem Renaissance as a blossoming of African American culture (c. 1918–37), particularly in
the creative arts, and the most influential movement in African American literary history. It was part of a larger New Negro
movement emerging in the early 20th century that ultimately ushered in the civil rights movement of the late 1940s and early
1950s. The civil rights movement spurred the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the burgeoning
urban North. This period saw a dramatic rise in levels of literacy; the development of national organizations geared toward
advancing civil rights of African Americans and the creation of economic opportunities that previously hadn’t existed.
Jupiter Hammon, is credited as the first published black author. Hammon was a poet who in 1761 became the first African
American writer to be published in the United States. The website of the Friends of the Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library
Inc. explains how Hammon was born a slave and throughout his life was owned for four generations by the Lloyd family of Long
Island, New York. Both of his parents were slaves and his father, nicknamed Opium, was known for his frequent escape
attempts.
Unlike most slaves, Hammon was given the opportunity to attend school, and quickly learned to read and write. On
September 24, 1786, his "Address to the Negroes of the State of New York", also known as the "Hammon Address," stressed his
views on slavery. The speech was written after a lifetime of slavery while Hammon was seventy-six years old.
With works dating back to a period in our history when most Blacks couldn’t read or write, Jupiter Hammon and Phillis
Wheatley set the tone for modern African American writers. In today’s digital age, options like self-publishing via eBooks and
Print on Demand have rendered the concept of becoming a published author less of a privilege and practically an obligation for
those who view fulfilling their dreams of writing a blessing versus entitlement.