In Black And White

Six Profiles of African American Authors

The first video series devoted to the life and work of contemporary African American authors. It introduces students and general readers to six of America's most talented and challenging writers: Charles Johnson, Toni Morrison, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, John Edgar Wideman and August Wilson.

These authors' work is helping to define a new multi-cultural American literary canon for the 21st Century. As Nobel Prize- winning novelist Toni Morrison observes in her program, "American literature is incoherent without the contribution of African Americans." Each program uses interviews with the writers and excerpts from their books to locate their work in the broader context of African American history and letters.

"Thought-provoking...Serves as a fine introduction to the works of the authors." - Video Librarian

"The whole series has the tonic effect of revealing how rich and varied are the hearts and minds behind African American writing." - Library Journal