Alice Dunbar Nelson (July 19, 1875 September 18, 1935) was an American poet, journalist, and political activist.Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 February 9, 1906) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (21 June 1839 29 September 1908), was a pioneer Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short story writer, widely regarded as the greatest writer of Brazilian literature.Charles Waddell Chesnutt (June 20, 1858 November 15, 1932) was an American author, essayist, political activist and lawyer, best known for his novels and short stories exploring complex issues of racial and social identity in the post-Civil War South.Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (September 24, 1825 February 22, 1911) was an American abolitionist, suffragist, poet, teacher, public speaker, and writer.Alexandre Dumas (24 July 1802 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père, was a French writer. Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins (1859 August 13, 1930) was an American novelist, journalist, playwright, historian, and editor.Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856 November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States.Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, c. February 1817 or 1818 February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman.Lucy Terry (17331821), was an American settler and poet. Phillis Wheatley Peters (c.1753 December 5, 1784) was an American author who is considered the first African-American author of a published book of poetry.Jupiter Hammon (October 17, 1711 ca. 1806) was an American writer who is known as a founder of African-American literature.