In Honor...

February was Black History Month.
I forgot too.
So, the purpose of today's posting is to be more globally connected and globally aware.
African American literature has always been a big part of United States history, probably since African Americans have been a part of the United States since even before this country was formed. Starting with slavery and ending with probably Barack Obama's election win, African-Americans have shaped their literature around the current pains and triumphs they face.
The first of published black writers were slaves and abolitionists, the very first being Phillis Wheatley. She! was a slave child brought from African and sold in Boston. Although English was not her native tongue, Wheatley held an interest in literature and before long published Poems on Various Subjects in 1773, even though she was bonded slave.
Amazing right?
African American literature continued to expand with Frederick Douglass (an escaped slave and abolitionist), W.E.B. de Dois (one of the original founders of NAACP), Langston Hughes (central figure of the Harlem Renaissance), and Maya Angelou (civil rights activist).
So, how is it that African American literature is so overwhelming culturally enriched?
There are four main eras in African American literature: Slavery, Post-Civil War, Harlem Renaissance, and Civil Rights Movement. These four eras focused on African American struggles and victories as they tried to rise up and triumphally show the world their own true, proud identities.
African Americans are very influential when it comes to literature. It's because of their background, their struggles, and their final victories that such vivid, powerful poems, books, songs, and so much more are brought forth and really make such huge contribution to society.
Completely and totally wonderful is it not?
And these works of literature made by these powerful people is only from America. Imagine the work from Africans in Cuba, Haiti, Brazil, England, Africa herself!
Nicolas Guillen (whom we study relentlessly in Spanish class) was an Afro-Cubano whose works of poesia negra are well known for their political activism during the political upheavals occurring in Cuba during the mid-20Th century.
African culture is so rich, just like any other culture. It's seen bad times, worse times, and many victories.
So, maybe instead of just celebrating one culture, how about we celebrate them all through the wonders of literature? Go on Google, and look up some powerful writers who came from Asia, Latin America, Australia, even Antartica!
You never know. Them penguins could be some very pretty powerful writers.

Writing Around the Big Ol' Block

This week, I was experiencing the dreadful writer's block. I hate it with all my being because writer's block is just such a......frustrating disease to have will trying to write something (i.e. blog).
Okay, writer's block is not an actual disease (because they would have [hopefully!] a cure for it). It's more like a state of mind in which you simply cannot write, no matter how hard you try. It's frustrating because you have ideas, you have thoughts, words at the tip of your tongue, but you just can't get them out.
There are numerous causes for writer's block, but some experts have the block linked with anxiety and depression. Which makes you start wondering about some of your favorite authors and whether or not they went through this period of 'depression'?
Did Alexander Dumas suffer from lack of inspiration? Or Victor Hugo? How about Emily Dickinson?
How did they even get over those moments of noncreativity? There's actually an author named Henry Roth who did not write a lick of text for sixty years because he suffered from writer's block! What did they do in order to over this giant brick that did not let them write out some great literature?
There are various exercises that you can do in order to get back on track. It's highly recommended to talk to someone so that you can get rid of the turmoil in your head or heart and have a clear mind to write. If that's not the case, then maybe writing down anything that you think of (good or bad) might lead to a brilliant idea that can win you a Pultizer Prize.
Writer's block is insufferable because then, you lose that mojo that made you a powerful, excellent writer. But, with all things, there are ups and there are downs.
I had writer's block. I ranted about having writer's block. And now, it's fading away. But I've already written my post and hopefully taught you more about powerful writing, so maybe the block wasn't so bad.
To check out some more symptoms and solutions for writer's block, click on the link to find a long list that may help push out the powerful writer in you:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/567/01/