James Emanuel

Criticism and letters

In addition to his poetry, Emanuel also edited (with Theodore Gross) the influential anthology of African-American literature Dark Symphony: Negro Literature in America. Published in 1968 by Free Press, the anthology was one of the first major collections of African-American writings. This anthology, and Emanuel's work as an educator, heavily influenced the birth of the African-American literature genre.

In 2000, a collection of Emanuel's letters and writings were placed in the United States Library of Congress. Included among the papers was correspondence with Gwendolyn Brooks, Ralph Ellison, Benjamin O. Davis, Ossie Davis, W. E. B. Du Bois, and many others.

Emanuel also edited five Broadside Critics books (1971–1975) and wrote a number of critical essays. His other published works include a memoir, The Force and the Reckoning, published in 2001.