Reference resources are great places to start your research. They include biographies about an author, encyclopedias about the author or literary themes. They provide historical background to a story or helps readers understand the historical influences on an author, story and/or characters.
The Oxford Companion to African American Literature by 
Encyclopedia of African-American Writing by 
The Cambridge History of African American Literature by 
An Introduction to Black Literature in America by The resources listed here are still considered reference, but the focus is more specific. For example, thematic reference, books about how certain events or eras influenced an author's characters, story plots and in some cases, actions.
Neo-Segregation Narratives: Jim Crow in Post-Civil Rights American Literature by 
Slavery, Philosophy, and American Literature, 1830-1860 by 
The Harlem Renaissance: a historical exploration of literature by 
Maternal Metaphors of Power in African American Women's Literature by 
The Cambridge Companion to Slavery in American Literature by 
A Langston Hughes Encyclopedia by 
Critical Companion to Zora Neale Hurston: a literary reference to her life and work by Tipsheets for using the databases suggested in this guide.
When you need to find out what experts think about a literature work, you will look for literature (or literary) criticism. Criticism can be found as books, articles in journals, articles in books, and more. In the boxes below you will find instructions for locating criticism in these sources.
HCCFL.EDU 813.253.7000 HCC Libraries Website Feedback Privacy Statement Equity and Diversity Office Fraud Hotline Jobs © 2024 | All rights reserved
