Highlighting Black Writers: Richard Wright

    When I ran across Richard Wright's book, "Black Boy" I was in the eleventh grade. I didn't know much about the author. I just knew I was looking for black literature and the plot sounded really interesting. I enjoyed reading the autobiographical work. The book captivated me because it highlighted post slavery and sharecropping days for Wright and his family. Sometimes historical reads are slavery narratives but it was neat for me to read about Wright's struggles growing up in the South while dealing with the implications of having relatives being former slaves and sharecroppers. Living in the South myself, and seeing different issues dealing with systematic racism, I really enjoyed reading a different perspective. Wright had a short story published at 16 by an African American newspaper. Wright would get library books by using a white co workers library card due to the strict laws at the time. Wright later moved to Chicago frustrated with life in the south and got into the Communist party. He continued to write and work different jobs. Still battling poverty and systematic racism Wright moved to New York hoping to get a shot at being published. He did eventually gain commercial success with his "Uncle Tom's Children" . Wright spent his latter days in Paris where he eventually passed away. His writing is very informative about life issues black Americans were plagued with. Wright is considered a classic American author and he has a great selection of books for readers interested in racial topics.