African American Folklore: An Encyclopedia for Students

An Encyclopedia for Students

African American folklore dates back 240 years and has had a significant impact on American culture from the slavery period to the modern day. This encyclopedia provides accessible entries on key elements of this long history, including folklore originally derived from African cultures that have survived here and those that originated in the United States.

• Offers the most comprehensive compilation of resources on African American folklore, in the forms of bibliographical citations, lists of websites, and lists of cultural centers

• Demonstrates the importance of black folklore to the development of American culture

• Contains a unique collection of entries on black folk traditions

• Documents the historical, aesthetic influence of African culture on African American folklore