Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings – Joel Chandler Harris 1911

This edition of Harris’s controversial 1881 collection preserves the original African American folktales framed through the character of Uncle Remus, an elderly Black storyteller recounting adventures of Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and other trickster figures to a white child. The 1911 reprint features A.B. Frost’s iconic illustrations, which brought the animal characters to life with dynamic energy. While Harris’s use of dialect and plantation setting reflects 19th-century racial attitudes, the tales themselves—rooted in oral traditions from enslaved communities—showcase subversive humor and survival wisdom that have influenced generations of storytellers.

Modern Alternatives:

• The People Could Fly (Virginia Hamilton, 1985) – Authentic African American folktales.
• Bruh Rabbit and the Tar Baby Girl (Virginia Hamilton, 2003) – Feminist reimagining.
• Jump! (Lester & Pinkney, 2003) – Reclaimed versions with vibrant art.