Literary criticism for African American audiences

The high volume of critical writings in Black Dialogue, The Journal of Black Poetry, Negro Digest/Black World, and other publications of the 1960s and 1970s was remarkable. In addition though, the periodicals raised the possibility of black literary criticism for African American audiences.

Hoyt Fuller, among others, had made the case that "white" publications were not taking black artistic writing seriously. Hence, Negro Digest/Black World, for instance, produced so many reviews and criticism related to in part to model what active engagements with black poetry looked like.

Reading through issues of Negro Digest/Black World and it becomes evident that the production of writings for African American audiences is part of what gave the writers and editors a sense of purpose.  
 
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