Ebony Rising: Short Fiction of the Greater Harlem Renaissance Era

By Craig Gable and Aamna Qureshi

Book Overview

Ebony Rising is the first comprehensive, gender-balanced collection of short fiction from the greater Harlem Renaissance era (1912-1940). This was a time marked by writing of extraordinary breadth and depth by some of the most famous authors in African American literary history. Among them were Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Jean Toomer, Dorothy West, and Claude McKay. Not surprisingly, these authors have received an unprecedented amount of critical attention, and their work remains popular to this day.

For this anthology, Craig Gable has selected 52 short stories by 37 writers (20 women and 17 men) representing a wide range of style, form, subject matter, and social awareness. To underscore the movement's growth and change, the stories are arranged chronologically by year of publication. Some will be familiar to readers; many more will not, for this is not the "greatest hits" of the Harlem Renaissance. Instead, readers will find a remarkable collection of fiction by authors famous and obscure--some who lived in New York City and others who never resided there. There are stories set in Harlem, but they are just as likely to take place elsewhere in the United States. Alongside traditional stories, there are examples of detective fiction, political satire, even science fiction, with a few experiments in narrative structure and form for good measure. The stories take up issues of race, marriage, parenthood, crime, politics, religion, work, abuse, old age, and death--in short, the stuff of life, and of compelling and lasting fiction.

A selected bibliography documents some 300 books and articles on the Harlem Renaissance. There is a separate list of sources for other short stories by the authors appearing in this anthology; a list of award-winning short fiction from two black literary contests of the day; timelines of important historical, literary, and cultural events; and other aids for teachers, students, and reading groups.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253216753
• ISBN13: 9780253216755
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (Ips)
• Length: 600 Pages
• Weight: 2.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.1" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

History Revisited

EBONY RISING is a preeminent collection of short fiction written during the Harlem Renaissance Era. What makes this book stand out from other anthologies with similar subject matter is that the book features a well-planned organizational structure and includes many lesser known writers and works. Beginning with the preface, editor Craig Gable showcases his breadth of knowledge of the era and it is clear that this book will not only be good reading, but also educational. The selections are organized by the year of publication, with each year (or group of years) serving as its own section. At the beginning of each section a timeline of significant historical events and African-American literary accomplishments is included to help readers get a sense of the times in which the writings were published. In addition to including writers often omitted from anthologies, such as Eloise Bibb Thompson, and J. Saunders Redding, the collection has a good balance between male and female featured authors. At the end of the book there is a detailed listing of sources for further reading, brief biographic sketches of the featured authors, and a handy chart that highlights many of the major themes in the included works. EBONY RISING is one of the best anthologies I have read. With clear organization, a unique selection of authors, and the inclusion of historical information, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in literature, particularly those with an interest in African-American literature or the Harlem Renaissance. This book is a refreshing yet educational treat. Reviewed by Stacey Seay of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

What a treasury!

I like everything about this collection: the fact that it encompasses 52 stories covering over 27 years and a wide variety of content and styles; is gender balanced; presents works by both the famous and the lesser knowns beyond the actual boundaries of New York (plus lesser-known stories by the famous); and its chronological arrangement that allows the era to "grow." With the help of the author's preface, I dove right into the stories not previously anthologized, like Mercedes Gilbert's hilarious "Why Adam Ate the Apple" (with the memorable line "He started to rave, and jes' raised Cain.") I was not disappointed. Additional useful resources include a history of the era and a checklist of common issues, topics and plot components. This indispensable resource for the study of American literature belongs on every library shelf.