Black Male Literary Scholarship and African American Children's Literature: An Interview with Dr. Neal A. Lester of Arizona State University

In this issue’s multimedia feature, a scholar foregrounds his work in English and literature, reflecting on what it means to be a Black man in the academy and his experience navigating his identity in terms of research, service, and teaching in his fields of expertise. Dr. Neal A. Lester is Professor of English and Director of Project Humanities at Arizona State University. An acclaimed Black male scholar, his work centers identity, gender, sexuality, and race, exploring the roles and portrayal of African Americans and Black masculinity across a range of media, including topics such as African American children’s literature, Black folklore, and Black images in American motion pictures. The video interview features Lester discussing his personal discovery of his passion for African American literature as well as the intricacies of navigating his identity as a scholar who is both Black and male in areas of scholarship typically led by Black women. Lester delves deeply into the emergence (and absence) of African Americans in children’s literature; how the values, beliefs, and norms of adults are reflected in children’s literature and illustrations; and the impact of Black children’s literature on identity development for Black boys and girls. The video can be viewed on our Vimeo channel at http://go.osu.edu/ SpectrumMultimedia.