This unique collection portrays the early twentieth century short story writer, biographer, novelist, essayist, stenographer, and lawyer, Charles Waddell Chesnutt. Readers are shown how Chesnutt was, perhaps, the best African American literary signifier of his day. The volume opens with generous selections from his journals and published and unpublished essays, which document the writer s racial, literary, social, and economic milieu. Also included are the conjure stories, novel excerpts, selected literary criticism, photos, and a list of related web sites for further research.