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African American Culture : Literature

African American Culture Black American culture or Black Culture is born of out the rich cultural expressions of African Americans which are distinct from traditional American (European) identity.

Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784)

An African-American author who is considered the first African-American author of a published book of poetry. She was born West Africa and was kidnapped and sold into slavery. At the age of seven or eight, she was transported to North America, where she was bought by the Wheatley family in Boston. After she learned to read and write, the family encouraged her to write poetry.

WATCH: Toni Morrison on capturing a mother's 'compulsion' to nurture in 'Beloved'

To remember Toni Morrison, the PBS NewsHour unearthed this 1987 interview with the celebrated American author. At the time, Morrison's "Beloved" had just been released, which would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize. She spoke with the NewsHour's Charlayne Hunter-Gault on what inspired the novel's theme of a woman's "compulsion to nurture" a child, and why she found some historical accounts of slavery lacking.