Modern American Minority Writers

This course introduces students to the wealth of literature contributed by minority writers after 1920. For this course, minority will be defined as groups who have not traditionally been represented in the American Literary Canon. Such groups include, but shall not be limited to, African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, working class Americans, and gay/lesbian Americans. This course will explore the significant historical conditions and contributions of these underrepresented groups within the United States. All forms of literature will be covered--folktales, poetry, short stories, novels, plays, autobiographies, memoirs, and oral forms.