The Negro in American Fiction

Published in 1937, when such work was almost exclusively the domain of white scholars, this groundbreaking volume represents one of the first sustained critical examinations of Black representation in American fiction written by a Black intellectual. Sterling A. Brown, a foundational figure of the Harlem Renaissance, systematically dissects how African Americans had been depicted across centuries of American literature, from antebellum narratives through the early twentieth century. He traces the evolution of racial stereotypes, the propaganda of pro-slavery literature, the sentimental lies of the plantation tradition, and the complex emergence of authentic Black voices. Brown does not merely catalog offenses; he celebrates the dignity of folk expression and argues passionately for literature that reflects the full humanity of Black Americans rather than serving as a mirror for white anxieties. This is essential reading for understanding the foundations of African American literary criticism and the long struggle to claim narrative authority over one's own image.