The “Pet Negro” and Valuation of Blackness

In part II of The “Pet Negro” System, Hurston exposes how white society views Black worth at both an individual and general level, associating these with the South and the North, respectively.  At the beginning of part II, Hurston writes “The North has no interest in the particular Negro, but talks of justice for the…

“Art and Such”: ‘something to marvel over.’

Zora Neale Hurston’s 1938 essay, “Art and Such” details how Hurston believes African American art and its creators are treated by white audiences and how she believes they should be treated. In her description, Hurston conveys some of her points in a sarcastic and sardonic tone, which drives the argument of the essay more. She…