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
CHAPTER ONE 6
THE BOY AND THE WRITER four year old Richard Wright was playing in his Natchez Mississippi home in 1912. Logs burned in the fireplace The wind howled outside Richard and his brother were in the living room Their grandmother lay in the next room She was very ill Richard's mother had warned the boys not to make noise They knew she would punish them if they disturbed their grandmother Richard looked around the room He was bored He wanted something fun to do He was drawn to the burning logs He wondered what other objects would look like in the fire He thought about tossing his picture book into In the early 1900s many African Americans in the South lived in poverty 7
