Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography  

Cansler, Ronald Lee. ""The White and Not-White Dichotomy" of  Melvin B. Tolson's Poetry." Negro American Literature Forum 7.4 (1973): 115-18. JSTOR. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. This source is written about Melvin B. Tolson’s writing, especially “Dark Symphony.” The author, Ronald Cansler, looks into the reasons for different races either reading or accepting Tolson’s work based on style and content. This source can be used to talk about the tendencies and plots of Tolson’s work and their effect on readers.

Jones Jr., Robert B. "MELVIN B. TOLSON, 1898-1966: Plain Talk And Poetic Prophecy (Book)." American Literature 57.2 (1985): 341. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. This source is an article from the magazine American Literature. The author Robert Jones Jr. talks about the literary works that are modernist and names Tolson as an important modernist writer. He also defines modernist poem writing as having a lot of current society’s knowledge and put it together creatively. This source can be used to define modernist writing and prove Tolson as an important modern poet.  

Melvin B. Tolson by Joy Flasch. Review by: Virginia Simmons Nyabongo. Books Abroad, Vol. 47, No. 4 (Autumn, 1973), p. 771. This source is a summary of a full length book written on the poetry of Melvin B. Tolson. It mentions how Tolson’s modern, unseen techniques is a manipulation of traditional styles. It also says how Tolson has mastered “three s’s” which are sight, sense, and sound. This source can be used to elaborate on Tolson’s style and command of the English language as a way to incite feelings.

Nielsen, Aldon L. Melvin B. Tolson and the Deterriorialization of Modernism 26.2 (1992): 241-55. JSTOR. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. This source is an article out of the African American Review. In this article literary critic, Aldon Nielsen, comments on the writing of Melvin B. Tolson and Fredrick Douglass. He analyzes their style and explores the way the two writers “write between the lines.” This source can be used to elaborate on the modernist style of Melvin B Tolson and highlight the original techniques he created.

"Nothing Educates Us like a Shock": The Integrated Rhetoric of Melvin B. Tolson. David Gold. College Composition and Communication, Vol. 55, No. 2 (Dec., 2003), pp. 226-253. This source is an article by David Gold that details the life of Melvin B. Tolson as not only a poet but a civil rights activist and teacher. This source will work well to prove how Tolson is multifaceted and was constantly working to improve the world in a variety of ways.

Schultz, Kathy Lou. "To Save And Destroy: Melvin B. Tolson, Langston Hughes, And Theories Of The Archive." Contemporary Literature 52.1 (2011): 108-145. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. This source is an article from Contemporary Literature that stresses the importance of archiving the past in a way that is accessible to all. The author, Ms. Schultz, feels that the works of Melvin B. Tolson as well as Langston Hughes help to archive the history of the United States and comment on important topics in history through their writing. This source can be used to help prove Tolson as a protest writer. Also it can help to support the fact that Tolson’s writing was beneficial to the advancement and enemy to the digression of the African American race.   

Taylor, John. "Melvin Tolson." Antioch Review 69.4 (2011): 716-721. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 May 2014. This source is an essay that goes into the identity of Melvin B. Tolson. The author, John Taylor, acknowledges that Tolson looked up to European culture and literature which was hard while also being an African American poet. Taylor believes Tolson was able to balance both by learning and reading the European literature while also helping his race to advance. This source could be used to talk about how Tolson may have been torn between these two identities.   

Tolson Jr., Melvin B. "The Poetry Of Melvin B. Tolson (1898-1966)." World Literature Today 64.3 (1990): 395. Academic Search Complete. Web. 8 Apr. 2014. This source is somewhat of a biography of Melvin B. Tolson and his writing focusing on “Dark Symphony.” This source goes deep into the language and dialect used in “Dark Symphony.” The author points out the strong parts of the poem that have the most powerful language. Also the rhythm of the poem is explored. This source will be good for writing about Tolson’s language and dialect as well as why he writes in this way.   

Tolson, Melvin B. “Dark Symphony." 2004. The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Second ed. Ed. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Nellie Y. McKay. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2004. 1371-1374. Print. This is the primary source or the actual writing of Melvin B. Tolson as in “Dark Symphony.” This is going to be used to talk about the specific quotations in the work. This will be the basis for the paper.