Literature and Marginalized Communities: African American and Other Perspectives - ELSA MEET 31st March 2019

ELSA MEET 31st March 2019

Goverdhan Hotel, Agra, India

Theme:

Literature and Marginalized Communities: African American and Other Perspectives

The meet came up as a sequel to the discussion held last month pertaining to the marginalised communities of India. Prof. Nibir Ghosh initiated the meet with a small quiz based on the literary works of African American literature. All members participated enthusiastically in the quiz and won prizes. The questions were very pertinent to the topic and with each answer Dr. Nibir Ghosh elaborated the issue behind it. Thus the session became an enriching experience and left all members with a burning desire to read more about the pantheons of African American Literature.

Dr Anjali Singh initiated the discussion by briefly mentioning the high points of the Afro-American Literature. She touched upon the history of this genre and then mentioned the contribution of Toni Morrison to it. The Nobel Prize winning author’s work ‘Beloved’ was mentioned by Dr. Anjali especially for portrayal of doubly marginalised section of American society, namely the black women. She also mentioned the works of Langston Hughes and Amira Baraka. Dr Srikanth Kulshreshta mentioned the contribution of Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian author for tracing the roots of the native culture.

Dr Divya Gupta mentioned the historicity of the slave trade and the inhumane conditions to which they were subjected to. She also mentioned Nadine Gordimer’s July’s People as a seminal work of this genre. Dr. Rajan Lal discussed the work of N. Scott Momaday.  ‘The Way to Rainy Mountain’ is a work which traces the roots to ancestry of the Native Americans.

Saurabh Agarwal began his presentation with the poem ‘Names’ by Nobel Prize winner Caribbean poet Derek Walcott which talks about the loss of identity of the people coming from the various parts of the world. He also read excerpts from ‘Invisible Man’ by Ralph Ellison which highlights how the blacks have been forced to think for ages that white is right.    

Dr. D.K. Singh asked a pertinent question about the relevance of the words of the famous critic Irving Howe that “The day Native Son appeared, American culture was changed forever.” While answering to this Prof. Nibir Ghosh took the members through the glimpses of the African American literature from the very beginning till the contemporary scenario. He emphasized on the Native Son by Richard Wright and Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison being the milestone of African American Literature. He shed light on the important trajectories of African American writings beginning with Slave Narratives, then moving on to Harlem Renaissance, Communist movement, Nation of Islam, Black Power and Civil Rights Movements and culminating with the entry of the first Black Man in the White House i.e. Barrack Obama.

Mr. Saurabh Agarwal won a special prize for scoring the highest points in the Quiz followed by Ms. Anjali Singh, Dr. Srikant, Dr. Rajan Lal, Dr. Divya, Dr. Shipra Kulsrestha, Dr. D. K. Singh and others.

The Quiz questions are given below along with corresponding answers.

1.Name the first African American lady poet to publish a book in the United States?

Phillis Wheatley

2. Who was the first African American to earn a doctorate degree from Harvard. He is famous for his collection of essays, The Souls of Black Folk

 W.E.B. DuBois

3. Name the author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that brought the author international attention. 

Maya Angelou

(pen name of Marguerite Ann Johnson)

4. Alice Walker won a Pulitzer Prize for her fiction work. What was the name of the novel?

The Color Purple

5. An African  American author became well known for his writings on the topics of communism and black nationalism. His magnum opus narrates the story of an unnamed African man who could not be seen because people chose not to see him?

Name the author and the novel

Ralph Ellison 

Invisible Man

6. Name Lorraine Hansberry's novel that depicts an African American family in Chicago trying to move to a white neighbourhood.

A Raisin in the Sun

7. To whom did president Abraham Lincoln address as 'the little woman who wrote a book that made this great war.’ What book is being referred to?

Harriet Beecher Stowe (in 1862)

Uncle Tom's Cabin

8. ‘The day Native Son was published, American culture was changed forever.’ Name the author/critic who made this remark.

Irving Howe

9. Mention the years of the American Civil War. Which were the two sides that participated in the said war.

1861-1865.

Northern and Southern States of America.

10. On what date was the Declaration of Independence signed?

4 July, 1776.

Comments by Wanda Giles (USA):

Sounds like a fabulous discussion, and I know two Illinoisans who would have loved to be sitting in and listening.  Irving Howe taught at Stanford for a year or so; he didn't like the California climate and rushed back to New York, taking with him a much-respected student and her husband, who became the writer Willie Morris, a dear friend of ours during some of his short life.  Our current cat is named Celie; she takes her social responsibilities with great seriousness (well, sometimes, and I'm not sure she read the book yet). 

Good topic!  Congratulations, Nibir and colleagues!  Oh, I have to say one more thing, and it's only somewhat relevant.  Richard Wright.  As everybody knows, he had a hard time breaking into the literary structure of his time in America; as we all know, he did it very, very well he made a huge difference.  Some time ago--they were all but Wright still living--the Illinois WPA (Works Progress Administration of the Great Depression era) writers gathered at the Newberry Library--it's on Facebook and well worth checking out--and spoke for the day on their memories; among them were Jere Mangione, Meridel Leseur, Margaret Walker, Studs Terkel, and another half dozen or so whose memory escapes me.  But to hear those people speak, to see them, to have a meal with them--it was one of the best days of our lives..  And Richard Wright's name was brought up often and respectfully, as of course would have been their own, had they not survived.  It was a splendid seminar; I have no idea whether the Newberry filmed it.  If it did, it is well worth watching. 

Brilliant day!  And again, congratulations; it sound like a splendid discussion!

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