Discrimination against blacks in publishing

1
Discrimination against blacks in publishing

• In the 19th century African American writers
  seeking to be published faced discrimination
• 
  By Carolyn Martin

2
Gwendolyn Bennetts life

• Discrimination can be seen by examining
  Gwendolyns life in several ways
• Education
• Connection
• Realism
• Dialect

3
Education

• Prior to the civil war, the majority of black
  Americans living in the United States were held
  in bondage. Law and teaching practice forbade
  teaching blacks from learning to read and write
  (Dodson). Eventually laws were passed to allow
  African Americans to get an education. In the
  1920, thousands of blacks were encouraged to get
  a college education, but writers stilled were
  discriminated for using it (JBHE). African
  American writers were discriminated on how they
  wrote their poems and stories. The older writers
  like Zora Hurston and Paul Laurance Dunbar talked
  about how blacks had to mask their feelings and
  performed in a certain way for white patrons to
  accepted them. Also younger writer like
  Gwendolyn Bennett was was criticized for using
  Standard English in her work. She wanted to use
  her knowledge in her writing by using educated
  words and creativity, but was told by a white
  patron her work wasnt colorful enough (Lauter).
  Although education was forbidden before these
  writers time it stilled had impact in their life.

4
Connection
These younger writers came from extreme diverse
backgrounds and worked on their own. They were
from different parts of the country (jwjohnson1).
Such as Gwendoly Bennett, she built a warm and
supportive relationship with other young
writers writers like Langston Hughes, Countee
Cullen and later on with Zora Hurston they
formed a group which known as the Harlem Circle.
These younger writes encouraged and support one
another. Older more established writers like
James Weldon Johnson also supported and
encouraged the younger writers and artists to
purse their goals (Govan). They also created a
journal called Fire to help keep in contact
and to let other writers and artists know what
was happening in the world. Bennett relied upon
her network contacts as news sources to inform
her "Ebony Flute," a literary chitchat and arts
news column which she produced for Opportunity
for almost two years (Govan ). Although they
created Journals to communicate with other
writers and support one another. They found
themselves once again at the mercy of white
patrons. They needed white audiences to buy
their writings and publish their works since
they control the published businesses to
(jwjohnson1).
5
Realism
6
Realism part II

• In my opinion when Gwendolyn wrote her poems and
  stories, she wanted to illustrate the pride she
  had in her race. I feel she wanted people to see
  the strength and the beauty in blacks. Also, She
  demonstrated through her writing giving the
  opportunity African American can be
  knowledgeable. However, in her poem Advice I
  felt that she was being discriminated by white
  patrons. Because She stated in her poem You were
  a sophist, pale and quite remote, as you bade me
  write poems brown poems of dark words And
  prehistoric rhythms Your pallor stifled my
  posey (Lauter). As a writer Gwendolyn Bennett
  felt constricted with her writing. She was
  criticized for her style and the way she
  portrayed blacks. She often used allusions and
  realistic events to refer to African American
  spirituals and other aspects of black culture
  (Mr. Beck).

7
Dialect
Dialect was another way African Americans were
faced with discrimination in publishing. African
American writers in the 19th century were
expected did not use dialect for several reasons
One reason I feel that she does not use dialect
because it was a description of poor, uneducated
blacks. In her poem Advice she used educated
words like sophist, pallor, Posey, tapestry and
precision. Another reason I felt she did not used
dialect is because it was used to make fun of her
race. In the 19th century there was a show called
minstrel show that stereotyped African Americans
as black and dumb.
8
In Conclusion

• African American writers were discriminated
  against in publishing their writings in many
  ways. By looking at Gwendolyn Bennetts life. I
  Showed you how they were discriminated in their
  education, connection, realism and dialect. I
  talked about how one African American did not
  allow discrimination to hinder her from doing
  what she wanted to do.