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The Birth Of a Talent
Richard Wright was born on September 4th, 1908. He was born in Mississippi, in the heart of a segregated and racially tense south. This was probably the greatest catalyst to his achievements. Although his education was tumulteous, due to many changes in schools, he graduated junior high school as class valedictorian. -
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Family Struggles
Between 1913 and 1919 Richard moves from state to state and experiences what it is to be "Black in the South". 1913-1914 The family moves to Memphis, TN. Subsequently, Richard's Father leaves the family for another woman. After this event Richard's mother Ella moves the family to Arkansas, where Richard becomes close to his uncle Silas. in 1917 his uncle was mudered because he was the owner of a prosperous saloon. This resulted in a proverty striken childhood and an unstable family life. -
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World War I and it's Impact on the African American Community
With the progressive movement of World War I African American experience a renewed sense of "Courage" and through demonstration, rallies and protest begin to claim their rightous place in American society and clamour for the end of segregation/slavery. It is also a time of great migration "About 500,000 southerners head north" Richard was greatly inspired by these events. -
Disrupted Education
Richard Wright is forced to leave school to secure employment. -
Racial Riots
Starting 1921 through 1925 racial rioting takes place in American cities and increase Richard's awareness of Southern racisism. A high school freind of the author is mudered by whites. These events will be deciding factors for the author when he moves North. -
Headed North
Richard moves to the South Side of Chicago. This will be a defining event for the author. -
Meaningful Employment
Richard begins work for the Chicago Post Office. This job allows the author a relatively confortable life for him and his family. It also allows him to concentrate on his craft and write. Richard will go on to work for the Chicago Post Office through 1935, -
Taking a Stance
Richard joins the Chicago chapter of the John Reed Club, a mass organisation of the Communist Party in the United States, and he writes poetry as co-editor for "Left Front" which was a magazine of the organisation. He also helps launch the "New Challenge" magazine. -
Communist Party
Richard Wright officialy joins the Communist Party in 1934 -
First Novel!
Richard unveil's his first novel "Lawd Today" and struggles to sell it. -
New York
Richard moves to New york in 1937,and writes for the Daily Worker, a newspaper published by the Communist Party of America. He continues to work for the Writer's, a government work progress administration. -
Uncle Tom's Children and The Making of Native Son's
Uncle Tom's Children is published and receives rave reviews. At the same time, Richard is gripped by the Robert Nixon case which involves an old black man accused of killing a white women. This event is an inspiration for Native Son's. -
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Family
1939 Richard marries Dhima Rose Meadman, a white ballet dancer.
1940 His marriage to Dhima Rose Meadman ends.
1941 He marries Ellen Poplar, a white woman and a Communist organizer.
April 15th, 1942 his daughter, Julia Wright, is born. -
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World War II and the Cold War
From 1939 to 1945 another world war was raging. America prospered during this time and went on to fight the Cold War against the Soviet Union and Communism. This affected Wright who was a member of the communist party, and although he severed his relationship with the Communist Party of America he felt living in America was impossible partly because he believed he was being watched due to his communist affiliations. -
Native Son's Published
Native Son's is finally published. The book becomes a best seller and is the fisrt best seller written by an African American Author. Richard Wright is also known as the wealthiest black author of his time, This was a testament to his succes. -
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Severed Relationship
1942 Richard quietly departs from the Communist Party of America.
1944 "Atlantic Monthly" publishes the authors essay titled "I tried to be a Communist" later the essay is republished, as a part of collection of essays written by disillusioned ex-communists, in the "God that Failed". -
Autobiography?
Black Boy is published and is described as an autobiography. Although, the author never classified the book as such. The book went on the become a best seller. -
DIscovering the World
Wright visits France for the first time. He is invited by the French government. He is well received, and went on to make Paris his permenant home in 1947. The racism his family faces in New York is also a motivation for his move. -
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Beginning of the Civil Rights Movement
While the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement did not materialize until the early 60's. 1950's mark the beginning of an active fight for a racial equality. Other organizations flourish to fight the racial divide and end segregation. Richard Wright was greatly influenced by this movement in his writing and he continued to write about it throughout his life. -
The Outsider
The Outsider is published and welcomed with mixed reviews. At the same time, between 1953 and 1956 Wright travels through Africa's Gold Cost and Spain. These trip had both a political and educational aspect. -
The Color Curtain: A Report on the Badung Conference
The Color Curtain: A Report on the Badung Conference is published. This book focuses on the race relations on an international scale. He urges the problem of Western and third world countries to be fixed. -
The Loss of a Talent
On November 28th, 1960 Richard Wright dies of an apparent heart attack in Paris. While he was ill with amoebic dysentery it is suspected he was mudered but never prooved. Nevertheles, he died an undoubtable talent and left a great legacy for American literature. He was cremated on December 3rd with a copy of his novel "Black Boy" -
A Legacy that Lives on...
Richard's wife, Ellen, submits his second collection of short stories "Eight Men" to be published in 1961. To date Richard Wright is studied by scholars around America.
