The Power and Beauty of African American Poetry:

The newest addition to the acclaimed Poetry for Young People series introduces readers to many of the most celebrated and important African American writers in our history. Included are Phillis Wheatley, who published the very first book of poetry by a black American; Langston Hughes, a founder of the Harlem Renaissance; and Gwendolyn Brooks, who who a Pulitzer Prize for poetry. Thirty-four poems in all have been thoughtfully selected, introduced and annotated by two top academics.

From the back cover

 African American Poetry is a brand-new addition to the acclaimed Poetry for Young People series. Celebrating the impressive depth and breadth of work created by some of the most influential African Americans poets over the last two hundred years, this collection includes poems by Phillis Wheatley, Countee Cullen, Lucille Clifton, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and James Baldwin. Arnold Rampersad of Stanford University has written the introduction to this book, as well as brief contextual notes on each of the poems. The poems themselves were carefully selected by Marcellus Blount, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University.

African American poets have long sought freedom of expression, and have often worked against severe odds to do so. In the process, these poets have created a powerful and ever-evolving body of work.

From the dust jacket