This comprehensive, chronological anthology of African and African American literature asserts that there is a distinctly black literary and cultural aesthetic, one that originated in the oral traditions of Africa and was kept alive during the American slavery experience. This text represents the centuries-long emergence of this aesthetic in poetry, fiction, drama, essays, speeches, sermons, criticism, journals, and the full range of song lyrics from the spiritual to rap.Produced in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution, the audio CD is a one-of-a-kind collection of many of the poems, chants, and songs included in the book.