ENGL 363: African American Authors from the Colonial Era to 1900

African American Authors from the Colonial Era to 1900 examines pre-1900 authors including Phillis Wheatley, Frederick Douglass, and Charles Chesnutt.

What ENGL 363 covers

Prerequisite: WRTG 112 or ENGL 102. An examination of African American authors before 1900, including Phillis Wheatley, Frances Harper, Maria W. Stewart, David Walker, Frederick Douglass, William Wells Brown, Charles Chesnutt, and Paul Laurence Dunbar.

The goal is to research historical issues; integrate findings into discussion; and articulate, develop, and advance a persuasive argument in written form.

Typical ENGL 363 assignments

Expect an assignment requiring you to research a historical issue relevant to a specific author (e.g., Frederick Douglass) and develop a persuasive argument grounded in that research.

Key topics in ENGL 363

• Pre-1900 African American authors
• Historical issue research
• Persuasive argument development
• Integrating research into literary discussion

Writing tips for ENGL 363

Follow the assignment instructions and rubric line by line

UMGC assignments for ENGL 363 are graded against a specific rubric or grading criteria your instructor provides — every requirement has to be visibly addressed. Skipping a requirement because it seems minor is one of the most common reasons a strong submission loses points.

Use close reading, not just plot summary

English literature courses like ENGL 363 expect close reading of the text itself — specific quotations, literary devices, and passages analyzed in depth — not a plot summary or general impression of the work.

Ground interpretation in historical or cultural context

Strong literary analysis connects a text to its specific historical, social, or cultural context — a reading that treats the work as timeless and disconnected from when and where it was written is one of the most common ways students lose points.

Why students seek help with ENGL 363

Students sometimes summarize an author's biography without the historical research and persuasive argument the course specifically requires — the rubric typically wants that research-grounded argument shown, not biography alone.

How GradeEssays helps with ENGL 363

Share your African American authors assignment and rubric, and your writer will build a persuasive argument grounded in genuine historical research.

Prerequisites and course context

ENGL 363 requires WRTG 112 or ENGL 102.

Related courses