African Diaspora at Internet Archive: Linda Goss

After the anthologies by Alan Dundes and Daryl Cumber Dance this week, I wanted to share two more big anthologies, both by Linda Goss, also known as "Mama Linda," a renowned African American storyteller; find out more at Wikipedia.

Goss coedited this book with her husband, Clay Goss: Jump Up and Say! A Collection of Black Storytelling.

Goss co-edited this one with Marian Barnes: Talk That Talk: An Anthology of African-American Storytelling.

Like Dance's book, these anthologies contain a mix of folkloric and literary materials. Jump Up and Say! opens with moralizing tales, including both American and African storytellers (Amos Tutuola!), stories about slavery and freedom, stories about family and friends, rhythm talk, humorous tales, stories of protest and change, ghost tales, soul food stories about meals and memories. The book Talk That Talk starts out with a whole section of animal stories, followed by chapters on oral history, sermons, love stories, ghost, humorous stories, and finally rhymes and rhythms.

So, jump up and jump in: there are so many marvelous stories in these two big books, both just a click away at the Internet Archive!

Talk That Talk: An Anthology of African-American Storytelling

by Linda Goss and Marian Barnes

Jump Up and Say! A Collection of Black Storytelling

by Linda Goss and Clay Goss