ENGL 248 African American Literature

A collection of resources for assignments commonly seen in ENGL 248 at Green River College.

English 248: African American Literature

English 248: African American Literature

Welcome to the research guide for English 248! The resources in this guide will help you write informed and well-documented essays, and also help you with background research for your presentation.

open book with frontispiece portrait of Phillis Wheatley

(click on image to enlarge)

According to an article by the University of Utah, Poems on Various Subjects was the first book of poems published by an African American, Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784). This book, printed in 1773 is "only about one hundred copies of this book are known to exist today." Read more about this rare book and the author in the article linked below.

Source & Image citation: Rarebooks in Book of the Week. "Book of the Week — Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral…." J. Williard Marriott Library, U of Utah, 16 Jan. 2017, openbook.lib.utah.edu/ book-of-the-week-poems-on-various-subjects-religious-and-moral/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2020.

Note: This guide was last updated by CD in Oct. 2020. If you see errors, have questions, or suggestions for improvement, let us know by using the contact information on the "Get Help" page of this guide!

Navigating this guide

Use the tabs in the menu to do the following:
  • Gather biographical information on your author
  • Find literary criticism of your texts.
  • Learn about historical contexts by era

Use your research to enhance your understanding of the works you read, write about, and discuss.

Related Guides