the annotated african american folktales the annotated books

Arguing for the value of these deceptively simple stories as part of a sophisticated, complex, and heterogeneous cultural heritage, Gates and Tatar show how these remarkable stories deserve a place alongside the classic works of African American literature, and American literature more broadly. and Maria Tatar assemble a groundbreaking collection of folktales, myths, and legends that revitalizes a vibrant African American past to produce the most comprehensive and ambitious collection of African American folktales ever published in American literary history. Following in the tradition of such classics as Arthur Huff Fauset’s “Negro Folk Tales from the South” (1927), Zora Neale Hurston’s Mules and Men (1935), and Virginia Hamilton’s The People Could Fly (1985), acclaimed scholars Henry Louis Gates Jr. These nearly 150 African American folktales animate our past and reclaim a lost cultural legacy to redefine American literature.ĭrawing from the great folklorists of the past while expanding African American lore with dozens of tales rarely seen before, The Annotated African American Folktales revolutionizes the canon like no other volume.

Indiewire, San Francisco Chronicle, and Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (Fiction).

The book, The Annotated African American Folktales is one of the most comprehensive collections of African American folktales ever published in American literary history can be found at the National Foundation Store or call 202.357.5271. A robust discussion revealed how these folktales have had a history of being hijacked and misappropriated by others, often creating cartoonesque characters drawn from African American lore, diluting their relevance, and reinforcing racial stereotypes. The capacity audience was entertained with excerpts from such classics as “Negro Folk Tales from the South,” by Arthur Huff Fauset. It presents fairy tales from Africa, trickster tales, ballads of heroes, black origin stories, and Caribbean and Latin American folktales. The illustrated book celebrates nearly 170 stories across several continents and is a kaleidoscopic study of the African American folklore tradition. In what could only be described as an enchanting evening of storytelling, Gates and Tatar reinforced the importance and complexities that these stories exude and how they deserve to be recognized among the most important pieces of not only African American literature, but American literature in general. On Wednesday, January 10, the National Archives hosted a panel discussion moderated by National Archives Foundation Board Chair Emeritus A’Lelia Bundles with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Maria Tatar who discussed their book, The Annotated African American Folktales.

African American Folktales with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

The annotated african american folktales the annotated books