Clifton is an African-American poet whose work stands on its own but is also interesting to use in a discussion of cultural diversity, together with poems written by authors representing other ethnic groups, such as Li-Young Lee (Asian-American, see this database), Sandra Cisneros (Mexican-American, see this database), Linda Hogan (Native-American, see this database).

The memoir portion of Clifton's book is worth reading and excerpts worth discussing together with these poems because it gives a lyric sense of what it was like to be a young black woman from an uneducated family, who went on to become a professional author. Her experience speaks to that of many immigrant or minority groups currently making their way in American society.