Black Pulp Fiction’s Uncanny Origins

African American Studies at Princeton University

In this episode of the AAS 21 Podcast, Professor Kinohi Nishikawa comes to the table with Professor Eddie S. Glaude Jr. to discuss black pulp fiction, and taking seriously “lower” forms of literature in the college classroom, and beyond. Nishikawa’s forthcoming book, Street Players: Black Pulp Fiction and the Making of a Literary Underground is expected out November 2018 (University of Chicago Press). In particular, the book traces the many titles published by Holloway House from the late 1960’s to the imprint’s close in 2008. This fascinating discussion is deep dive into questions about genre, different communities of readers, and how modern literature, and its handling of complex topics, touches other art forms. Professor Nishikawa and Professor Glaude also discuss Nishikawa’s other major work-in-progress, Blueprints for Black Writing: African American Literature and Book Design, which considers the important yet overlooked role book design (e.g., typography, paper quality, cover art) has played in shaping modern African American literature.