The mid-1950s brought changes not only to the political and social worlds of African-Americans in the United States, but to their literary world as well-changes reflected in and effected by writers profiled in this DLB volume. Much of the impetus for the surge in black creativity after 1955 came from the 1954 Supreme Court decision abolishing separate but equal education. Black writers were caught up in the growing civil rights and nationalist movements. These movements inspired less traditional African-American literary forms, such as science fiction and childrens fiction, less emphasis on religion in writing, and the emergence of more published women writers. Subject matter changed also, as these writers focussed less on black/white conflicts and more on the black family and community.

49 entries include: James Baldwin, Octavia E. Butler, Susan R. Delaney, Virginia Hamilton, Frank E.M. Hercules, Kristin Hunter, Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Thomas, Alice Walker and Al Young.

The criticism alone is of enormous value to students in college and graduate literature courses.