Written in Black: Rhetoric, Prophecy, and Visions of Collective Freedom
Restricted (Penn State Only)
Author:
Bridges, D Angelo
Graduate Program:
English (PHD)
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
May 19, 2023
Committee Members:
Cynthia Young, Outside Unit Member Shirley Moody, Major Field Member Cheryl Glenn, Major Field Member Kirt Wilson, Outside Field Member Raymond Gilyard, Chair & Dissertation Advisor Mark Morrisson, Program Head/Chair
Keywords:
African American rhetoric collective freedom Charles Chesnutt Zora Neale Hurston James Baldwin Christian discourse prophecy
Abstract:
In this dissertation, “Written in Black: Rhetoric, Prophecy, and Visions of Collective Freedom,” I examine the discourse of Charles Chesnutt, Zora Neale Hurston, and James Baldwin to explicate how they articulate visions of collective freedom for BlackAmerica. I argue that African Americans have pursued a collective vision of freedom that reflects their investment in developing livable futures for themselves. These three authors convey the multidimensional, deictic nature of liberty, which is complex, ever-changing, and dynamic. Their prophetic writings evince the rhetorical strategies Black Americans have used to demarcate a path toward their liberation. Moreover, I highlight four aspects of collective freedom for African Americans as illustrated by the three abovementioned authors. These facets are: (1) expressions about the problematic spiritual condition of Black people in America, (2) defenses of Black humanity on its own terms, (3) related commitments to honor Africanized communicative practices, and (4) visionary constructions of communities of care and concern for Black life. Ultimately, I am concerned with explicating how Chesnutt, Hurston, and Baldwin deploy prophetic discourse to offer descriptions of the psychic and cultural uplift that would recreate the world anew.
