This guide acts as a reference for information on the authors, writings, characters, themes, topics, literary theories and events associated with US and international black literature. There are biographies on nearly 500 novelists, poets, critics, playwrights, essayists and historians, as well as synopses of nearly 500 works. It contains 1300 entries, arranged alphabetically and ranging in length from one paragraph to four pages. Other features of the text include: a foreward providing an overview of the history and current status of black literature; a chronology listing birth and death dates of major authors and publication dates of major works; and a subject index.