Listen now | This episode entails a panel discussion for Black History Month—and beyond—of some of the works and authors who epitomize the richness of black literature, which, of course, is also American literature. Both Parts 1 and 2 will illustrate the interconnection of the poetry and lives of Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Paul Laurence Dunbar. Our passionate discourse about Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" will both get you thinking and inspire you; if you've read it or watched it, it'll stir you to take another look, and if you never have, it'll prod you in that direction. The beauty of these works is that while they definitely—and unapologetically—zero in on the black experience, their themes are so raw and so relatable, so timeless and so touching that absolutely no one is left out; every one of us can relate in some way. My students from over the years still testify to that. Enjoy Part 1, and then check out Part 2!