Beyond Black Boy and Native Son

[Troy]

As I slowly plow through AALBC.com's upgrade I'm constantly discover just how much I don't know about Black literature and it is fascinating.  Most of us know Richard Wright for his bestselling novel, Native Son. I did not know Native Son was turned into a film back in 1951 (the film is on YouTube).

I also did not know how many novels Wright had published, when I created his page many years ago, I found a few, today during the update I found 19 different titles Wright that has published including not only novels but nonfiction and poetry.  It is also hard to appreciate today, just how prominent and influential Wright was in his day, given the complete lack of attentions paid to his work.  Maybe @Cynique can share her perspective since she was an eye witness to the period and Wright passed before I was even born.

 

 

 

 

[Cynique]

I actually don't remember that much about Richard Wright's career, Troy,  because I was in grade school during his rise to fame, and  by the time I reached high school, the genre of his books wasn't my cup of tea, so although I started Black Boy, I never finished reading it. Off the top of my head I do remember seeing a movie based on Native Son in which Richard Wright, himself,  actually played the leading role. The movie wasn't very well done and was dark and rather depressing.  I also recall that Wright became radical in his politics, flirting with Communism before becoming an ex-patriot, moving to Paris. I was never a big fan of his because he seemed so into white women,  and what also sticks in mind is reading that he was very dismissive of black female authors, reportedly engaging in a feud with whom I believe was Zora Neale Hurston.