This collection investigates the complex intersection of racial identity and artistic production within the context of modernism. The editors, Heather Hathaway, Josef Jarab, and Jeffrey Melnick, assemble a series of scholarly essays that challenge traditional, Eurocentric definitions of the modern artist. By examining how writers and artists from diverse backgrounds navigated the constraints of their era, the text argues that modernism was a far more inclusive and racially charged movement than previously acknowledged.

Scholars and academics frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the field of modernist studies for its focus on racial diversity. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for an audience familiar with literary theory and cultural history.