Pre-Harlem Renaissance Writers and the Formation of African American Identity and Culture

Research Project

Project/Area Number	16K02505
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Literature in English
Research Institution	Keio University
Principal Investigator	OKUDA Akiyo 慶應義塾大学, 法学部(日吉), 教授 (40296736)
Project Period (FY)	2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help	¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000) Fiscal Year 2019: ¥520,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥120,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000) Fiscal Year 2017: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000) Fiscal Year 2016: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000)
Keywords	ハーレム・ルネサンス前期 / 世紀転換期アメリカ文学 / アフリカ系アメリカ文学 / ハーレムルネサンス前期 / アメリカ文学 / アメリカ文化
Outline of Final Research Achievements	The research focuses on pre-Harlem Renaissance African American writers like Pauline E. Hopkins, Sutton E. Griggs, James E. McGirt, Henrietta Davis and John E. Bruce. While the Harlem Renaissance is defined as a blossoming of African American cultural production starting in the 1920s, more scholars now find the preceding period as culturally significant as well. Building on such scholarship, this research revealed how at the turn of the century a substantial number of black periodicals, literary clubs and historical societies in cities became the sites for cultural activities. Scholarly lectures, poetry readings, dramatic and musical performances, often at a local church, formed the foundation and literary networks for many writers who also sought access to a larger white readership and to American literary identity.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	研究期間内には、国内の学会誌への論文掲載、共著の執筆、さらには国際学会での発表を行った。バプティスト派牧師サットン・Ｅ・グリッグスが執筆した複数の小説、朗読家ヘンリエッタ・デイヴィスが制作し演じた演劇、編集者ジェイムズ・Ｅ・マッガートが発行した文芸誌および発表した詩と音楽、活動家ジョン・Ｅ・ブルースが設立した歴史協会と連載したコラム、というように、それぞれの研究において一貫して世紀転換期の作家とその文化活動を広く明示した。不毛であったとされてきたこの時代のアフリカ系アメリカ文化を、演劇・音楽も含めた論考にまとめた。