Sterling Allen Brown

Influential African-American teacher, literary critic, and poet whose poetry was rooted in folklore sources and black dialect.

Major works include

• "Southern Road" (original poetry)
• "Negro Poetry" (criticism)
• "Drama and The Negro in American Fiction" (criticism)

He spent most of his career at Howard University.

Born May 1, 1901, Washington, D.C., U.S. died January 13, 1989, Takoma Park, Md. educated at Williams College, (A.B., 1922), and Harvard University (A.M., 1923).