RICHARD WRIGHT
1908-1960
“THE MAN WHO WAS ALMOST A MAN”
WRIGHT WAS BORN IN NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI AND SPENT MOST OF HIS CHILDHOOD
TRAVELING THROUGH THE SOUTH AS HIS MOTHER LOOKED FOR WORK AS A COOK OR MAID.
WHEN THE FAMILY FELL APART, WRIGHT WAS FORCED INTO A SERIES OF ORPHANAGES AND
FOSTER HOMES.
AFTER COMPLETING THE NINTH GRADE, HE STRUCK OUT ON HIS OWN TRAVELING TO
MEMPHIS BEFORE MOVING TO CHICAGO.
HE BEGAN WRITING ARTICLES FOR THE COMMUNIST PARTY.
HE MOVES TO NEW YORK IN 1937 WHERE HE BECOMES A PART OF THE HARLEM
RENAISSANCE.
IN 1940 WRIGHT PUBLISHES HIS NOVEL NATIVE SON WHICH ESTABLISHES HIM AS AMERICA’S
FOREMOST BLACK WRITER.
AFTER WORLD WAR II, AT THE INVITATION OF GERTRUDE STEIN, HE MOVED TO PARIS
BECAUSE THE ATMOSPHERE WAS MORE CONDUCIVE TO HIS LITERARY AND POLITICAL
INTEREST.
CRITICS SAY HIS WRITINGS FROM HIS EUROPEAN YEARS DID NOT MEASURE UP TO HIS
WRITINGS WHEN HE LIVED IN AMERICA.
OUR STORY IS AN ACCOUNT OF A YOUNG BOY’S ATTEMPT TO PROVE HIS MATURITY.