Numerous years and successive time periods shape African American literary history. Major events, gatherings, statements, publications, and awards from a particular moment prove critical to subsequent developments. Consequently, in retrospect, 1987 represents a defining moment in Black literary history.
You’re listening to Remarkable Receptions—a podcast about popular and critical responses to African American novels and more.
In April 1987, Rita Dove won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her 1986 volume Thomas and Beulah. Dove was only the second Black poet to win the honor since 1950, when Gwendolyn Brooks won the Pulitzer.
In September 1987, Toni Morrison published her novel Beloved, and although her monumental book was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction, Beloved did not win at the November 9 ceremony. The loss was shocking and troubling for many, with the New York Times running an article entitled "An Upset at the Book Awards."
On December 1, 1987 James Baldwin, who was living in France at the time, died. His funeral took place in New York City at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine on December 8. Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, and Toni Morrison were among Baldwin's eulogists.
During his fiery remarks, Baraka made the memorable statement that Baldwin “was God's Black revolutionary mouth!"
Two young poets, Thomas Sayers Ellis and Sharon Strange, were in the audience for Baldwin's funeral, and they were especially moved by Baraka's comments. The next year, Ellis and Strange would go on to found a poetry group known as the Dark Room Collective.
Baldwin's funeral sparked something else as well. Seeing Morrison delivering Baldwin's eulogy likely reminded people of her National Book Award for Fiction loss and of losing Baldwin without him receiving adequate praise for his contributions. So, a group of 48 Black writers wrote a letter offering praise for Toni Morrison. Their letter appeared in the New York Times on January 24, 1988.
The letter put audiences on notice that several prominent African American artists and scholars were deeply dissatisfied with the indifference and unfair treatment toward Black writers by the literary establishment.
Later, in 1988, Morrison was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Beloved. Did the letter from those 48 Black writers influence her win? Who knows? But we do know looking back that those events in 1987 and early 1988 set various events into motion that defined African American literary history moving forward.
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This episode was written by Howard Rambsy. The episode was edited by Elizabeth Cali.
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This podcast, Remarkable Receptions, is part of the Black Literature Network, a joint project from African American literary studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the History of Black Writing at the University of Kansas. The project was made possible by the generous support of the Mellon Foundation. For more information, visit blacklitnetwork.org.