Black History in American Literature

The books, poems and other writings of a culture can tell us a lot about that culture’s story. This Black History Month, Dr. Joshua D. Smith, assistant professor of English literature, shares about the significance of African American literature. Smith is a literary and American studies scholar. His primary research centers on nineteenth-century American thought and the conceptual influence of the American West. Smith shared about notable Black authors in America’s literary tradition and why it matters for us to read their work.

As a professor in Biola’s Torrey Honors College, Smith has taught a “Meta Torrey” — a type of class dedicated to a specific subject — on African American history and culture. Smith often notices students frequently come to the class with very little context for African American culture. He notes that in addition to learning about African American history, it’s important to understand the culture.

“When I have students who are coming to the Meta Torrey to learn about African American culture, they’re processing a lot because it’s so different,” said Smith. “If they had some kind of residence in some Black community, some of that would have been less of a non-sequitur.”

Smith emphasizes that while reading a book is no replacement for actually engaging with and learning from real people who belong to a culture, books can offer a unique perspective on the historical events of a particular time.

“Historical context is important, and literature is important,” said Smith. “Literature is a fun way of looking at history.”

To take a stroll through African American literature — and to understand African American history — Smith recommends reading one book every few months. Check out Smith’s suggested reading list below including fiction, poetry and non-fiction works!