Baker, Houston A., Jr., Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance, The University of Chicago Press, 1987.

Baker argues that the Harlem Renaissance predates the 1920s and that its influence is still echoed in a broad spectrum of twentieth-century African-American arts.

Lieb, Sandra R., Mother of the Blues: A Study of Ma Rainey, University of Massachusetts Press, 1983.

This biography is a good resource for those who want to learn more about Ma Rainey. It is well researched and contains numerous anecdotes about the singer and her circle of friends and business associates.

Nadel, Alan, ed., May All Your Fences Have Gates: Essays on the Drama of August Wilson, University of Iowa Press, 1994.

Nadel collects useful critical essays on the role of issues such as gender, history, art, politics, and race in Wilson's plays.

Shafer, Yvonne, August Wilson: A Research and Production Sourcebook, Greenwood Press, 1998.

In this indispensable book, Shafer...