Black Thunder - by Arna Wendell Bontemps (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

'Gabriel Prosser's 1800 slave revolt allowed Bontemps to warn of the rebellion that would come of poverty and racial oppression. This metaphor of revolution is at the same time a highly pertinent representation of black masculinity that will reward students of gender, slavery and the sensibilities of the 1930s.'

-Nell Irvin Painter

From the Back Cover

Originally published in 1936, Black Thunder is the story of Gabriel, a slave who decides to avenge the murder of a fellow slave by leading the blacks of Richmond against their masters. Even as plans go awry the night of the attack, Gabriel still believes in the inevitable triumph of his struggle to lead blacks to freedom.

Review Quotes

'Gabriel Prosser's 1800 slave revolt allowed Bontemps to warn of the rebellion that would come of poverty and racial oppression. This metaphor of revolution is at the same time a highly pertinent representation of black masculinity that will reward students of gender, slavery and the sensibilities of the 1930s.' -Nell Irvin Painter

About the Author

Arna Bontemps (1902-1973) was a prominent contributor to the Harlem Renaissance. A poet and writer, Bontemps taught at the Harlem Academy and later became the head librarian at Fisk University, where he created the Langston Hughes Renaissance Collection. His published works include Black Thunder, Gabriel's Revolt: Virginia 1800; Great Slave Narratives; and Drums at Dusk: A Novel.