Originally published in African American newspapers, periodicals, and journals between 1880 and 1953, these enchanting Christmas tales are part of the black literary tradition that flourished after the Civil War. Introduced by Bettye Collier-Thomas, the short stories and poems in this collection address love, faith, and racism, and include contributions by Langston Hughes ("One Christmas Eve"), W.E.B. Du Bois ("The Sermon in the Cradle"), Alice Moore Dunbar ("The Children's Christmas"), and Pauline Hopkins ("General Washington: A Christmas Story").