"What happens to a dream deferred?"
- Langston Hughes, "Harlem"
As American history progressed, African Americans evolved too. Dating back to slaves, they contributed to literature by creating negro spirituals and documenting events going on during slavery. African Americans also contributed well known authors throughout history, such as W. E. B. DuBois, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay. African American authors allow readers today to visualize life in the past such as racial discrimination and social inequality.