#but to clarify southern and central american authors are in constant conversation with north american authors

[dragonomatopoeia]

Would like to preface this by agreeing with OP-- we are well past the time of pretending that every piece of classic literature is written by a white man. I'd even hazard a step further and say that it's time to dispense with the excuse that white writers are the only ones assigned in English classes.

For one, the Jewish identities of many prominent USAmerican writers tend to get swept aside when dismissing the classics as 'written by a bunch of white guys'. Isaac Asimov, Ira Levin, Arthur Miller, and J.D. Salinger are all commonly read in high school English courses, and they were all Jewish-American.

For another, I can only attest to my own experience; however, I attended a different high school every year until I graduated, and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe was assigned no less than three times across those schools. One of those instances was smack dab in the middle of the bible belt, in a school that didn't have enough funding to replace the doors to their bathroom stalls. That being established, I'd like to change tacks

A mutual rightly pointed out that even within America there are a wealth of classics written by people of color. Furthermore, the modern literary scene would be unidentifiable without their contributions and influences.

Could you imagine modern literature without the Harlem Renaissance? Without Langston Hughes? Nella Larson? Or what about the influences, the knock-on effects of it? Imagine modern literature without Maya Angelou. James Baldwin. Ralph Ellison. Lorraine Hansberry.

Imagine modern literature without Magical Realism. Without Isabelle Allende. Gabriel García Márquez. Toni Morrison.

Fortunately, we do not have to. In any case, it would be an impossible feat, even before we move into considering how inextricable the literary traditions of Indigenous storytellers are from American art as a whole.

We do not have to imagine a world without Leslie Marmon Silko. Simon J. Ortiz. Vine Deloria Jr. Ryan RedCorn. Thomas King

The world of American literature is not a small white box! There is such a vast and varied world of writing to explore! We are all in conversation with one another. The world outside is beautiful, the world around us is beautiful, and our neighbors and relatives and friends and ancestors have stories and experiences to share! Absolutely reach beyond the literature of your country, your continent, but don't forget how many different people and communities are around you, trying to hold a conversation with you, every day.

kills me that "every single classic out there is written by white people" is such a common take. are the literary traditions of other countries a fucking joke to you? come on. go read the journey to the west or something I beg