New Voices

Use the timeline above to explore writing in the late 20th century. Clicking the link under a writer’s picture will show you more about that writer, and buttons will help you explore the era. You can also scroll down the page to read about all the writers in this time period.
A New Generation of Writers
After the second world war, the literary landscape in the United States changed. While political and social values remained relatively conservative, the leading writers of the day were often radical and forward-thinking, paving the way for the Beat generation and for the political activism of the 1960s. Learn more about American literature after World War II from Encyclopædia Britannica here.
Click the buttons below for more information about different aspects of writing in the late 20th century.
Jump to Featured Writers:
Tennessee Williams | Ralph Ellison | Arthur Miller | Kurt Vonnegut | Flannery O’Connor | Vine Victor Deloria Jr.
Jump to Featured Writers:
Tennessee Williams | Ralph Ellison | Arthur Miller | Kurt Vonnegut | Flannery O’Connor | Vine Victor Deloria Jr.
Jump to Featured Writers:
Tennessee Williams | Ralph Ellison | Arthur Miller | Kurt Vonnegut | Flannery O’Connor | Vine Victor Deloria Jr.
Jump to Featured Writers:
Tennessee Williams | Ralph Ellison | Arthur Miller | Kurt Vonnegut | Flannery O’Connor | Vine Victor Deloria Jr.
Jump to Featured Writers:
Tennessee Williams | Ralph Ellison | Arthur Miller | Kurt Vonnegut | Flannery O’Connor | Vine Victor Deloria Jr.
Jump to Featured Writers:
Tennessee Williams | Ralph Ellison | Arthur Miller | Kurt Vonnegut | Flannery O’Connor | Vine Victor Deloria Jr.