This honest and poignant young adult poetry collection addresses many different experiences of what it means to be black.The quintessential African American, a proud, lonely, vulnerable yet independent human being who has forged out of hardship that combination of endurance, understanding, and spirit called soul. This illustrated book collects poems by Langston Hughes, Mari Evans, Gwendolyn Brooks, Robert Hayden, and many more.
First published in 1968, this anthology was one of the first collections of African American poetry specifically created with the young reader in mind. Along with selections from Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks, this newly updated version features poems by such contemporary poets as Maya Angelou, Ishmael Reed, Rita Dove, and others. This is a comprehensive reflection of the African-American voice and culture. Young Adult.