African American children's literature is a vibrant form of expression. Written by a leading authority on the subject, this book overviews the history of African American children's literature from the antebellum South to the present day. The volume places African American children's literature in its social, political, and cultural contexts, discusses its origins in songs and folklore, and examines its importance as a vehicle for promoting respect for the African American heritage. Included are discussions of major authors and illustrators, such as Virginia Hamilton, Walter Dean Myers, and John Steptoe, as well as important genres of children's literature, such as poetry, historical fiction, and picture books. Teachers of children's literature will treasure this book as a convenient overview of this fascinating subject, while students of literature and social studies will value it as a guide to the African American literary achievement and to the treatment of social issues in fiction. The volume also includes a rich selection of picture book illustrations.