African American Literary Theory?

[Blue Sea]

Hello! Long time no see! I missed this forum!

I need your help in African American Literary Theory.
I don't understand how it was born. I know the basic stages of the African American Literature (beginning with the Slave Narrative all through the Harlem Renaissance until the Civil Right Movement, etc.). I just can't find how terms like "hegemony" "racialism" etc. were originated?! I then read something about Addison Gayle and Henry Louis Gates and it is all shattered in my mind. I have a sloppy understanding of the African American Literary theory, not to mention its criticism.
Does the Division of the Black history applies to Literature?
Will you help me out by giving me key facts or suggesting useful books, studies or anthologies that might be available online?

[OrphanPip]

Hegemony comes out of the work of the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci. Racialism is a pretty broad term and I would guess it comes from post-structuralist theory.

These concepts are common across the humanities.

As to specifically Black literary theory, the only stuff I can think of is the French negritude movement, which was a big influence of the Harlem Renaissance.

[Blue Sea]

That was another piece of information, but I still don't have an inclusive conception about this theory.

Thank you, any way :)

[ralfyman]

Look for Napier's reader.