Black-Eyed Susans and Midnight Birds: Stories by and about Black Women

by Mary Helen Washington (editor)

This book combines in one volume two now classic short story collections.  The editor has added a new introduction and prefatory material.



"Mary Helen Washington has had a greater impact upon the formation of the canon of Afro-American literature than has any other scholar." --The New York Times Book Review

Genres: Short Stories, Feminism, Anthologies, Fiction, African American, Feminist Theory

398 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1989

Reviews

[Kima Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this cover to cover in 7th grade and then read all of the books she referenced. This anthology changed the entire course of my life.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read the 1975 edition, which is likely a bit different from this more recent edition, but I enjoyed Washington's collection of some of the most important pieces of American literature. She offers three quotations to frame the collection:

"'De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see.' Nannie, in Zora Neale Hurston's _Their Eyes Were Watching God_" &

"And she had nothing to fall back on: not maleness, not whiteness, not ladyhood, not anything. And out of profound desolation of her reality, she may very well have invented herself.' Toni Morrison" &

"Black-eyed Susan: 'A slight, pretty flower that grows on any ground; and flowers pledge no allegiance to banners of any man.'" Alice Walker"

Just typing these quotations gives me chills - and the stories and essays filling up the rest of the collection (which includes "The Self-Solace" from Gwendolyn Brooks' _Maud Martha_, "My Man Bovanne" from Toni Cade Bambara's _Gorilla, My Love_, and "Reena" by Paule Marshall (which repeats some themes/names from _Brown Girl, Brownstones_)) are just as important, creating a perfect, concise expression of twentieth century African American women writers. She separates the stories into the following categories: The Intimidation of Color, The Black Woman and the Myth of the White Woman, The Black Mother-Daughter Conflict, The Black Woman and the Disappointment of Romantic Love, and, finally, Reconciliation. This is a brief, but worthwhile read.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1980s I owned paperback copies of both Black-Eyed Susans (1975) and Midnight Birds (1980). It's hard to say what happened to them, but I am glad I decided to re-visit these stories and read them one-by-one. The stories in these anthologies are just a taste of the voices and concerns that Black [American] Women Writers were writing about between 1968 and 1979.

Included are works by Jean Wheeler Smith, Paulette Childress White, Toni Morrison, Paule Marshall, Gwendolyn Brooks, Gayle Jones, Louise Merriwether, Alexis DeVeaux, Frenchy Hodges, Sherley Anne Williams, Alice Walker, Ntozake Shange, and Toni Cade Bambara.

[Ellice · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could recreate this book, I would take out all the introductions to the authors that appear before their stories and the bibliographies that follow. I discovered the hard way that many of the introductions contain spoilers for the stories, so should definitely not be read in advance of the actual work. The bibliographies are not bibliographies of the authors, but instead reference criticism that has been written about them. In these ways, this book feels a bit like a college English textbook. It also took me a while to get into the rhythm of the works included, but eventually I did hit some stories I really enjoyed. It was also nice to encounter some authors I hadn’t read—or hadn’t even heard of. Skip all the intros and just read the stories.

[Kelley Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this 1970s collection of stories about Black women - super cool that this was a pre The Color Purple Alice Walker and pre Beloved Toni Morrison. Lots of other great authors I’d not heard of and want to check out.

[T.tara Turk-Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book I read where I actually wanted to be a writer.

[DORIS · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE THESE BOOKS I WAS BORN TO READ. GOODREADS A PLACE TO HANGOUT AND JUST BEAD. YESSS

[Philesha Colquitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

For every Black feminist theorist.

[Kyami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthologies of Black Women Writers are wonderful because they showcase and highlight the works of well-known and un-known writers. These set of stories (20) deal with fictional alienation, conflicting relationships, and animosities on being black and a woman in America

[Meghan Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

some good stories.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in the 1990s - I credit Mary Helen Washington with exposing me to wonderful writers - that I sought out and my love of reading grew even more.

[Ade Oluyemisi]

I really enjoyed the stories some of which I wish were longer. It's making me reread The Bluest Eyes