Black Literature is Important. We Should Be Seeing It More.

Albert Smith

Black students at SIUE want to read and engage with literature that reflects their own experiences and culture.

In a survey, both men and women students overwhelmingly agreed that it was important to read works that reflect Black people, experiences, or cultures. 72.9% of of first-year Black men students and 77.9% of first-year Black women students agreed or strongly agreed when surveyed. Only 1.9% of the men students and 0.5% of the women students disagreed or strongly disagreed that it was important to read works that reflect Black people, experiences, or cultures.

These numbers were striking as there is almost a unanimous opinion that reading Black literature is important. The numbers suggest that what students at SIUE consider important may not be what they are engaging with within the classroom. Black literature despite being identified by Black students as being important, is oftentimes only covered in the African American literature courses.

There may be opportunity in exploring Black literature in spaces outside of AALS courses at SIUE.

Related: 

• Black Readers Findings