THE REFLECTION OF SLAVERY IN AMERICAN LITERATURE AND THE ROLE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WRITERS

Аннотация:

The legacy of slavery has profoundly shaped American literature, serving as both a historical record and a means of cultural expression. Early narratives such as slave narratives by Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, and Olaudah Equiano provided firsthand testimonies of the brutality of slavery while asserting the humanity and resilience of enslaved people. These works not only contributed to abolitionist movements but also established a literary foundation for African American voices. In the post-slavery era, African American writers like W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison continued to explore the psychological, social, and cultural consequences of enslavement, weaving themes of racial identity, resistance, and self-determination. Contemporary authors such as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Colson Whitehead reinterpret slavery through historical fiction and metafiction, emphasizing memory, trauma, and intergenerational impact. By engaging with the history of slavery, American literature reveals the deep scars of racial injustice while highlighting the enduring role of African American writers in shaping national narratives. Their works challenge dominant discourses, reconstruct silenced histories, and assert African American cultural identity, ensuring that the memory of slavery remains central to the understanding of U.S. history and literature.