African American Women Writers Before Reconstruction: Tackling Socio-Political Changes Through Their Words

The Reconstruction in the US (1865-77) is a period set apart by critical social, political, and economic changes. The years preceding that were an agitated period in American history. During this time, African American women scholars essentially impacted the discussion about orientation, race, and personality. This thesis is a comparative report on two of these eminent writers: Harriet Jacobs and Phillis Wheatley. It utilizes qualitative analysis to look at their individual perspectives and distinct narrative styles in the literary productions of the mentioned writers. Also, I will be reviewing literature surrounding the effects of these works on discussions regarding socio-political incidents, for instance, the Civil War. Through looking at primary materials, scholarly data sets in the spheres of gender and race studies within the particular time span, and carrying out an in-depth comparative examination of content, the aim of this thesis is to contribute towards a more extensive and holistic comprehension of American literary legacy.