1. Origins of the African American Jeremiad : The Rhetorical Strategies of Social Protest and Activism, 1760-1861
- Author
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Willie J. Harrell, Jr and Willie J. Harrell, Jr
- Subjects
- Civil religion--United States--History, Enslaved persons' writings, American--History and criticism, Political science, History, African American messianism--History, African Americans--History--To 1863, Jeremiads--United States--History and criticism, American prose literature--African American authors--History and criticism, African Americans--Race identity
- Abstract
In the moralistic texts of jeremiadic discourse, authors lament the condition of society, utilizing prophecy as a means of predicting its demise. This study delves beneath the socio-religious and cultural exterior of the American jeremiadic tradition to unveil the complexities of African American jeremiadic rhetoric in antebellum America. It examines the development of the tradition in response to slavery, explores its contributions to the antebellum social protest writings of African Americans, and evaluates the role of the jeremiad in the growth of an African American literary genre. Despite its situation within an unreceptive environment, the African American jeremiad maintained its power, continuing to influence contemporary African American literary and cultural traditions. more...
- Published
- 2011