The Strength of Gideon

The Strength of Gideon; and Other Stories; with Illustrations by E.W. Kemble
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Dodd, Mead & Co., 1900
Southern Civilization Collection
Vanderbilt University Special Collections

Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first African American writers to achieve national prominence and international recognition.  His works addressed themes of racial identity and social justice.  The stories in The Strength of Gideon; and Other Stories are set against the backdrop of the Reconstruction era, a time of significant social and political change in America.  They offer insight into the African American experience and the quest for freedom, dignity, and self-worth under systemic racism and oppression.