The Complete Short Stories of American Author Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932)

FAIN: RQ-266079-19

New School (New York, NY 10011-8871)
Stephanie P. Browner (Project Director: December 2018 to present)
Sarah Wagner-McCoy (Co Project Director: December 2018 to present)

Preparation of a scholarly edition (in printed volumes) of the short stories of American writer Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932). (24 months)

For fifty years Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932) wrote stories that chronicled the complexities of race in America. A formidable craftsman and subtle diagnostician of his country's troubles, he published in newspapers and elite magazines such as The Atlantic. Today his stories appear in all major anthologies, and are key to groundbreaking studies on race in post-Reconstruction America, though only a fraction are available. We seek support for a complete scholarly edition of his stories. The literary canon is now diverse, but African American writers have not gained the editorial attention granted to their white peers, with the exception of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. Drawing on a rich archive of manuscripts, The Complete Short Stories of Charles W. Chesnutt, under contract with Oxford University Press, will offer authoritative texts, annotations, and comprehensive introductions. These two volumes will meet an urgent need and change the landscape of literary studies.