Hokum (2008)
Beatty observes that although Black literary humor is as old as Black literature itself, the accepted canon of Black literature often marginalizes humorous texts in favor of “serious” texts that are considered more literary in tone and content. This castigation of comedy ignores the important purpose that humor has served within the African American expressive tradition. Beatty's anthology addresses this shortsightedness, by recognizing the "black upper-, middle- low- and no-class clown for being more than comic relief…for being scapegoat and sage…thus validating our humanity through our madness” (11).