The fourteen black American writers profiled are Ed Bullins, Rita Dove, Nikki Giovanni, Michael S. Harper, June Jordan, Etheridge Knight, audre Lorde, Haki R. Madhubuti, Clarence Major, Thylias Moss, Ishmael Reed, Carolyn M. Rodgers, Sonia Sanchez and Ntozake Shange. Biographical information, a selection of critical extracts and a bibliography are provided for each author.