Literature Spotlights

Richard Wright

An American essayist, and poet best known for his Novels "Native Son" and "Black Boy". Wright was born on Sept 4, 1908, in Roxie, Mississippi. Wright was the grandson of slaves and was largely self-educated. Early in his career, Wright found employment writing for the Federal Writers Project. His literary work focused largely on the plight of Black Americans during the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. He was a Guggenheim Fellow and his work was adapted for Broadway and film. "Black Boy" became an instant bestseller upon release and is still influential today.