Description
Book Synopsis During the Harlem Renaissance, several literary periodicals encouraged African American women to submit poetry, short stories, essays, or other literary contributions for publication. Opportunity magazine was one such periodical that made immeasurable contributions to the careers of many female African American writers.
This anthology collects all of the short stories published in Opportunity by African American women during the magazine''s 25 years of publication. It includes works by both well-known authors (Zora Neale Hurston, Marita Bonner) and more obscure writers. There is also an additional African tale translated by Violette de Mazia, a white woman known for promoting African American art. It also includes an introduction which contextualizes the short stories historically in light of the overall development of African American writing.
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1
DIGRESSION
Eunice Roberta Hunton 7
REPLICA
Eunice Roberta Hunton 9
SLACKENED CAPRICE
Ottie B. Graham 10
DRENCHED IN LIGHT
Zora Neale Hurston 15
WHO GIVES HIMSELF
Eunice Roberta Hunton 21
THE TEARS OF THE ALMOND TREE
Isabelle Eberhardt 22
ELISE
Julia Rumford 25
ONE NIGHT IN AFRICA
Isabelle Eberhardt 26
THE CORNER
Eunice Hunton Carter 29
SPUNK
Zora Neale Hurston 30
THE HANDS: A STORY
Marita Bonner 34
MADEMOISELLE ’TASIE—A STORY
Eloise Bibb Thompson 37
JOHN REDDING GOES TO SEA
Zora Neale Hurston 44
THE LEGEND OF NGURANGURANE
(THE SON OF THE CROCODILE)
Violette De Mazia 54
THE TYPEWRITER
Dorothy West 62
MUTTSY
Zora Neale Hurston 67
THE PINK HAT
Caroline Bond Day 76
MASKS: A STORY
Eloise Bibb Thompson 79
BLACK
Nellie R. Bright 84
HIGH FALUTIN’
Pearl Fisher 89
A SLAVE FOR LIFE: A STORY OF THE LONG AGO
Coralie Franklin Cook 95
DARK LAUGHTER
Ethel Riley 102
BEYOND THE YEARS
Mary Etta Spencer 108
RECOMPENSE
Lilith Shell 114
CROSS CROSSINGS CAUTIOUSLY
Anita Scott Coleman 121
PRODIGAL
Laura D. Nichols 123
FAITH: A STORY
Thelma T. Clement 125
THE ETERNAL QUEST
Anita Scott Coleman 128
EBONY—A STORY
Isabel M. Thompson 130
THE NOOSE
Octavia B. Wynbush 134
THERE WERE THREE
Marita O. Bonner 138
OF JIMMIE HARRIS
Marita O. Bonner 142
CORNER STORE
Marita O. Bonner 146
THE BLACK DRESS: A SHORT SHORT STORY
Dorothy West 150
TIN CAN
Marita Bonner Occomy 152
PART OF THE PACK: ANOTHER VIEW OF NIGHT LIFE IN HARLEM
Hazel V. Campbell 165
WHITE ONLY: A STORY OF THE COLOR LINE
Helen Faw Mull 172
STREET OF THE MORTAR AND PESTLE: A STORY OF COLOR IN THE CAPITAL
Florence Jackson Stoddard 175
A SEALED POD
Marita Bonner 180
THE PARASITES
Hazel Vivian Campbell 185
TOO MUCH PIGMENT
Effie Carrow 192
THE MAKIN’S
Marita B. Bonner 199
ACROSS THE LINE
Grace W. Tompkins 204
A STREET CAR RIDE
Frances Eisenberg 205
HALL OF LIBERTY
Manet Fowler 210
INCIDENT
A’lelia Ransom 216
NOTHING CHANGES
Mary Louise Bohanon 217
BLACK FRONTS
Marita Bonner 223
SOUTHERN CIRCUMSTANCE
Manet Fowler 229
THE FUGITIVE
Grace W. Tompkins 233
BLACK BROTHER
Cordelia T. Smith 237
CONDEMNED HOUSE: A SHORT STORY
Lucille Boehm 241
TWO-BIT PIECE
Lucille Boehm 244
THE FINE LINE: A STORY OF THE COLOR LINE
Marian Minus 246
UNCLE BEN
Helen Faw Mull 254
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW
Ramona Lowe 257
A DAY’S PAY: A SHORT STORY
Elise D. Challeno 261
THE RED DRESS: A SHORT STORY
Grace W. Tompkins 264
HALF-BRIGHT: A SHORT STORY
Marian Minus 269
MAMMY (A SHORT STORY)
Dorothy West 275
THE BISHOP AND THE LANDLADY
Patsy Graves 281
EXCESS BAGGAGE
Helen Faw Mull 287
SALLY
Duanna Dungye 290
THE LITTLE THAT IS EVERYTHING
Elsie A. Parry 292
PORTRAIT OF A CITIZEN
Zora L. Barnes 295
THE SIMPLE ONE
Alice I. Murray 299
CITIZEN IN THE SOUTH
Ruby Rohrlich 303
“FAITH”
Doris Peters 308
TWO WORLDS
Helen Bayne Anthony 312
REQUIEM
Zora L. Barnes 314
BIG JOE: A SHORT SHORT STORY
Stella Kamp 318
TELL IT TO US EASY
Eleanor Simms 319
ONE BLUE STAR
May Miller 322
THE SOULS OF WHITE CHILDREN
Mary Capotosto 325
MRS. MILLENNIUM
Frances Evans Layer 329
DARK QUARRY
Babette Stiefel 333
CONCERTO
Shirley Nelson Shuman 339
THE BONES OF LOUELLA BROWN
Ann Petry 340
GOLD IS WHERE YOU FIND IT
Alberta Thomas 349
A CHANGE OF SCENERY
Rosalie Lieberman 351
NOT IN THE RECORD
Elizabeth Walker Reeves 353
Index 357
