This course examines African American fiction from the 1920s to the 1970s and the meaning of ‘Black creativity.’ These years of Black creativity are marked by social movements for justice, equality, and liberation. Even still, Black writers regularly debated the political purpose and relevant forms of Black expression. Issues of class, white patronage, and audience also circumscribed these debates. Together, we will explore how The New Negro Movement, Left Struggles, The Civil Rights Movement, The Black Power Movement, and the Black Feminist Movement worked in tandem with Black authors’ creative and critical writings. They portray, explore, and often challenge the exercise of racist oppression and the struggles against it. The course is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in the literary history of and critical approaches to 20th century African American literature.