CONTENTS A LETTER FROM DUCHESS 4 CHAPTER ONE The Boy and the Writer 6 CHAPTER TWO Early Years 14 CHAPTER THREE Rise to Fame 26 CHAPTER FOUR Legacy 34 Fast Facts 42 Stop and Think 44 Glossary 45 Online Resources 46 Learn More 46 About the Authors 47 Index 48
A LETTER FROM DUCHESS In 1940 Richard Wright wrote his most famous book Native Son It was the first best selling novel by an African American writer Because the influence of this novel was so far reaching Wright is considered one of America's greatest novelists Students who want to learn about African American life in the 1900s could gain a great deal by studying Wright Wright's great grandparents were enslaved He was influenced by the Harlem Renaissance He migrated from Memphis to Chicago Then he left the United States to settle in France His experiences help us understand racism and its widespread influence in the United States at that time Wright used the written word to communicate his experiences as a Black man who was frustrated by his lack of opportunity The Black characters in his novels wanted to be free For Black Americans in the 1940s freedom was not guaranteed Join me in learning about Wright's life and legacy Follow me on a journey that explores the power of words and the promise of freedom duchess harris 4
5 Richard Wright was one of the most popular African American authors of his time
