J. Saunders (Jay Saunders) Redding

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1906, J. Saunders Redding became one of the most influential Black literary critics and educators of his generation. Reliable sources available here describe him as an author, professor, and critic, and note that he was the first African American professor in the Ivy League.

Redding taught at several historically Black colleges and universities, including Morehouse, Southern, and Hampton, and he also had a major academic role at Cornell. Alongside his teaching, he wrote books that explored African American life, literature, and identity, earning a reputation for bringing Black writing into the center of academic discussion.

He died in 1988, but his legacy remains strong in the history of American literature and education. Readers who enjoy thoughtful memoir, cultural criticism, and literary history may find his work especially rewarding.