Heritage: African American Readings for Writing

Heritage: African American Readings for Writing is a collection of ninety essays, short stories, poems, and plays by and/or about African Americans. In recognizing that African American culture is not monolithic, the authors have chosen a wide range of subjects that will spark the interest of students from diverse backgrounds. These selections, examining both traditional and current issues, are introduced with a biographical sketch of the author. The writing process—from selecting a topic through revising and editing—is presented at the beginning of the text with illustrations of writing in progress. In addition to the writing suggestions provided after each reading, the text contains a writing review section that discusses prewriting, drafting, and rhetorical and revising/editing strategies. The purpose of Heritage is to help students learn to write by providing them with a comprehensive writing guide, containing provocative and well-written professional and student models that are of interest to them.