December 18, 2007
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--African American voices from the medieval griots of Niger to present-day lyricist Stevie Wonder come together in a new edition of African American Literature © 2009 from Holt McDougal (www.hrw.com - formerly Holt, Rinehart and Winston).
This new edition of African American Literature was developed in partnership with the National Civil Rights Museum and Howard University’s Moorland-Spingarn Research Center. These partnerships also provide online resources to complement the text for students. In addition, significant updates to the content make it easier to grasp the impressive span of the African American literature, which is arranged chronologically from oral epics out of Africa to contemporary hip hop culture.
“The youth of today see African American artifacts and culture but they don’t understand how these pieces are part of a long literary tradition,” said Allen Wheatcroft, president of Holt. “We want this anthology to help educators reach and inspire the next generation with names like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, and Queen Latifah. These are names that students recognize and teachers can use the works of these authors to pull students into other literature.”
Holt also elected to craft African American Literature into a student-friendly worktext, so that students interact directly with the pages, unlike a traditional textbook. As part of their exposure to African American literature, students learn analysis skills and vocabulary, and then are provided with creative assessment alternatives to allow them to demonstrate their understanding of the content.
Holt African American Literature is designed for a class on African American Literature, but it can also be used as a supplement for a traditional language arts course. It complements Holt’s African American History program so schools can use both to encourage cross-curricular connections.
Holt McDougal is a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company is a global education company with approximately $2.5 billion in combined revenue. The Company publishes a comprehensive set of best-in-class pre-K–12 educational solutions, ranging from research-based textbook programs to instructional technology to standards-based assessments for students and educators. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers. With origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. To learn more about Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, visit www.houghtonmifflin.com and www.harcourt.com. For further information, please call (800) 992-1627 or visit www.hrw.com.
Contacts
Holt McDougal
Kate Weber, 512-721-7520
kate.weber@hrw.com
or
for Holt McDougal
Jennifer Harrison, 916-716-0636
jennifer@JHarrisonPR.com
