This diploma thesis focuses on the analysis of the conditions of lighter-skin black women of mixed ancestry, both free and enslaved, before and after emancipation, as related in four novels written by the 19th century African-American novelists: Hannah Crafts, Harriet E. Wilson, Julia C. Collins and Frances E. W. Harper. The work especially deals with the main motifs appearing in their novels, such as the interracial relationships, variations of racism toward mulattos, the problematics of ``passing{\crqq} for white and the issue of ``racial uplift{\crqq}. The analyses of the novels themselves are preceded by a survey of the authors´ lives since they drew inspiration from their own personal experience. This is followed by a brief conclusive comparison of their novels.

The multicultural classroom is becoming more prominent in Sweden. Students from different cultures and ethnicities meet to learn in the same environment. In a changing society, the need to develop acceptance towards others is more important than ever.  Thus, in this essay, post-colonial and social influence theories have been applied to the analysis of Octavia E. Butler’s novel Kindred. This essay argues that by integrating post-colonial literature in the EFL- classroom, students can gain deeper intercultural knowledge and learn to understand the power of the social environment concerning its influential effects on people’s racial attitudes and prejudices.