African and African-American Traditions in Language Arts

Portland Public Schools Geocultural Baseline Essay Series, 2012. - 106 p.This survey of African-American Literature is not limited to the literary accomplishments of Africans in the U.S., although this will be the primary focus. This essay will "return to the source, "Africa, the world center of culture and learning in antiquity to pay homage to "literary ancestors" who influenced world literature and ultimately provided the cultural blueprint for African-American literature. This cultural reality is important because it provides Africans in the U.S. and the Diaspora with a frame of reference based on African traditions of excellence and achievement that have spanned thousands of years.