As described in your Week 1 readings, multicultural literature did not appear overnight. Its roots can be traced back to many writers working prior to the War of Independence and formation of the United States of America. This week focuses on contemporary Native American writers as well as writers associated with the origins of the Civil Rights Movement as way of introduction to this rich body of literature. In future weeks you will notice a variety of authors born both inside and outside the United States concluding with the Week 5 focus on transnational literature.

Your Week 1 assignment focuses on the origins of multicultural literature.

Write a 350- to 700-word essay on the origins of multicultural literature.

Include the following in your essay:

A description of the origins of multicultural literature as a historical development.

A description of the contributions of contemporary Native American writers to multicultural literature.