The Legacy of Black Literature January 30, 2013
Posted by Carolyn Burns Bass in Uncategorized.trackback
February is Black History Month and it’s only two days away. Notice how we’ve not used the term African-American. Black History Month is also recognized in Canada and the United Kingdom, where many of our #litchat participants reside. So this year we’re expanding the conversation to include the work of such notable black-heritage authors as Alexandre Dumas, Zadie Smith, Malcolm Gladwell, poet Aimé Césaire and others who live outside the African-American reference. The contributions of black authors to the canon of world literature is indisputable and generates brilliant discussion.
We’re beginning our celebration of black authors today in #litchat with special guest host, novelist Jacqueline E. Luckett. Luckett will lead discussion again on Friday.
Luckett’s first novel, Searching for Tina Turner, put her on the list of writers to watch. A lifelong storyteller, Luckett spent most of her professional life in corporate America. In 1999, she took a creative writing class on a dare, from herself, and happily found her love of writing reignited. By a lucky coincidence, that same year she discovered the Voices of Our Nations (VONA) writing workshops and participated over the next four years in workshops with Christina Garcia, Danzy Senna, Junot Diaz, Ruth Forman and Terry McMillan. VONA provided a safe haven for a new writer still unsure of abilities, yet eager to learn. Luckett attributes much of her growth as a writer to the VONA workshops. In 2004, Luckett formed the Finish Party (featured in O Magazine, October 2007) along with seven other women writers–of–color. An avid reader and lover of books, Luckett is an excellent cook, aspiring photographer, and world traveler. She lives in Northern California and, though she loves all of the friends there, she takes frequent breaks to fly off to foreign destinations.
Follow Jacqueline E. Luckett on Twitter: @JackieLuckett.
Photo of Jacqueline E. Luckett (above): Ashley Summer.
LitChat 
I’ll be honouring Black History month by exclusively reading books by black people and about black people. I wish black literature would get more recognition and press than it does. There are so many inspiring new writers out there reviving black culture through literature and are unfortunately going totally unnoticed. So, here’s to Black History month and that it continues on strongly through the month of February and onwards…..