African American Perspective: History and Retrospective

As conceptualizations of multicultural literature evolve and diversify, it is important to revisit its historical foundation-
the roots from which it sprang. What did the earliest forms of multicultural literature look like and what social
conditions gave rise to them? What writing traditions and philosophies provided the framework for the development
of multicultural literature? How has multicultural literature changed since its earliest conceptualization? The
answers to these questions provide an important contextual grounding for understanding the various models of
multicultural literature evolving today. The historical roots of multicultural literature lie in the civil rights movements of
various historically oppressed groups. Many trace the history of multicultural literature back to the social action of
African-Americans and other people of color who challenged discriminatory practices in public institutions during the
civil rights struggles of the 1960s.

As the dawn of the 21st century nears, racism, the most important and persistent social problem in America and in the world today, is on the rise in manifold ways. Whether we are talking about ethnic cleansings, tribal conflicts, warring factions, group hatred, subtle discrimination, or retraction of equity laws under the guise of fairness, the underlying result is the same. One group, threatened by a perceived loss of power, exercises social, economic, political, and religious muscle against the Other to retain privilege by restructuring for social advantage. Where lies the solution?