Black Skin, Blue Books: African Americans and Wales 1845-1945 (University of Wales Press - Writing Wales in English)

Williams analyses and compares the ways in which African Americans and the Welsh have defined themselves as minorities within larger nation states (the UK and US). The study is grounded in examples of actual friendships and cultural exchanges between African Americans and the Welsh, such as Paul Robeson’s connections with the socialists of the Welsh mining communities, and novelist Ralph Ellison’s stories about his experiences as a GI stationed in wartime Swansea. This wide ranging book draws on literary, historical, visual and musical sources to open up new avenues of research in Welsh and African American studies. Annotation Black Skin, Blue Booksis a major contribution to the field of comparative transatlantic studies, as it analyzes the ways in which African Americans and the Welsh have defined themselves as minorities within larger nation states. This volume examines friendships and cultural exchanges between African Americans and the Welsh, such as actor Paul Robesons connections with socialists in Welsh mining communities and novelist Ralph Ellisons stories about his experiences as a GI stationed in wartime Swansea. Offering insights into national and ethnic identity, this wide-ranging book draws on literary, historical, visual, and musical sources to open new avenues of research in Welsh and African American studies: nationalism and assimilationism, religion and secularism, language and race, and cultural identity and political citizenship Black Skin, Blue Books is a major contribution to the field of comparative transatlantic studies, as it analyzes the ways in which African Americans and the Welsh have defined themselves as minorities within larger nation states. This volume examines friendships and cultural exchanges between African Americans and the Welsh, such as actor Paul Robesons connections with socialists in Welsh mining communities and novelist Ralph Ellisons stories about his experiences as a GI stationed in wartime Swansea. Offering insights into national and ethnic identity, this wide-ranging book draws on literary, historical, visual, and musical sources to open new avenues of research in Welsh and African American nationalism and assimilationism, religion and secularism, language and race, and cultural identity and political citizenship. Black Skin, Blue Books : Frederick Douglass, Abolitionism And Victorian Wales -- 'in The Wide Margin' : Modernism And Ethnic Renaissance In Harlem And Wales -- 'they Feel Me A Part Of That Land' : Paul Robeson, Race And The Making Of Modern Wales -- The Invisible Man's Welsh Routes : Ralph Ellison In Wartime Wales -- Conclusion : 1945. Contains Bibliographical References (p. [261]-344) And Index. This is a ground breaking comparative study of the fascinating connections between African Americans and the Welsh, beginning in the era of slavery and concluding with the experiences of African American GIs in wartime Wales.