Richard Wright's life story is one of overcoming adversity and racial barriers to become a leading African American writer. Born to a sharecropper and a teacher, Wright faced poverty and abandonment early on. Despite limited formal education, he self-educated through voracious reading and writing, eventually joining the Communist Party USA. His works, including 'Native Son' and 'Black Boy,' delve into the African American experience and racial injustice, influencing American literature and culture.
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Despite facing challenges such as his father's abandonment and poverty, Wright was an avid reader and pursued education with fervor
Early Writing
Wright's literary aspirations were evident from a young age, as seen in his first published short story at the age of sixteen
Self-Education
Despite leaving formal education early, Wright continued to educate himself through reading and using a white coworker's library card
The Great Depression and racial injustice led Wright to join the Communist Party USA and engage with various Communist publications, honing his skills as a writer
Seeking better opportunities and an escape from the oppressive racial climate of the South, Wright moved to Chicago in 1927
Uncle Tom's Children
Wright's collection of short stories, "Uncle Tom's Children," won the Story Magazine Award in 1938, marking his emergence as a significant literary figure
Native Son
Published in 1940, "Native Son" is a powerful exploration of the African American experience and racial injustice in urban America
Black Boy
Wright's autobiographical work, "Black Boy," offers a poignant account of his own life and journey from the South to the North
Frustrated with the persistent racial discrimination in the United States, Wright moved to Paris in 1946
In France, Wright enjoyed a freedom of expression that had been elusive in his homeland
Wright's writings continued to address themes of racism, poverty, and identity, making him a significant literary and social critic
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______ ______ Wright was born on ______ ______, 1908, near ______, ______, to a sharecropper and a schoolteacher.
Richard Nathaniel
September 4
Natchez
Mississippi
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Richard Wright's first published work
The Voodoo of Hell's Half-Acre, a short story published at age 16 in the Southern Register.
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Richard Wright's early termination of formal education
Formal education ended early, but continued self-education through extensive reading.
