Charles Chesnutt: An African American First
Published on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 5:53pm
Born in June, 1858, Charles Chesnutt was the first African-American to publish a novel. In addition to his writing, Chesnutt owned a successful court stenography business and passed the Ohio bar exam. He was awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP in 1928 "for distinguished literary service to African-Americans." In addition to his literary career, Chesnutt served on the founding General Committee of the NAACP. Petworth Library has a display of books by and about Charles Chesnutt, including:
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| Journals of Charles W. Chesnutt | Charles Chesnutt Reappraised |
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| Conjure Stories | Absent Man |