Being Property Once Myself: Blackness and the End of Man

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By Joshua Bennett *16

Published Dec. 16, 2021

In this gripping series of literary criticism, Bennett examines the works of Black authors from the 20th and 21st centuries including Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison. Being Property Once Myself: Blackness and the End of Man (Harvard University Press) particularly focuses on the use of different animals by these authors to depict Black experiences. Bennett offers both sharp analysis and beautifully written prose in his debut book of literary criticism.

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The October 2025 cover of PAW, featuring an illustration of a woman dressed like Superman, but the S on her chest is a dollar sign.
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