Two posts back I was lamenting the lack of contemporary fiction that featured characters of color by authors of color. Well, apparently I'm not the only one with the same feelings of frustration. But luckily, instead of just blogging about it, some people have decided to do something about it.
Stemming from a simple editorial written in the New York Times Book Review by author, Martha Southgate, ringShout was born. ringShout is "dedicated to recognizing, reclaiming and celebrating excellence in contemporary literary fiction and nonfiction by Black writers in the United States." Still in it's infancy, ringShout is currently just a lot of positive energy and great minds working together to show the world that street fiction is not the beginning and the end of African-American literature.
If you check out the ringShout website you'll find a downloadable list of recommended titles of the best contemporary Black fiction and nonfiction. It's a long list, which goes to show that ringShout was really needed because there is such a misconception that this work doesn't exist. The truth is the work does exist but the publishing industry and commercial bookstores don't know what to do with it.
Well the party is starting now. Happy reading and spread the word about ringShout!
Peace!
No comments:
Post a Comment