Richard Wright (1908–1960) was a prominent African American author known for his novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction works that addressed racial themes and the plight of Black Americans in the Jim Crow-era South. Born Richard Nathaniel Wright on September 4, 1908, in Roxie, Mississippi, he became a leading voice in protest literature, especially through his influential works such as the novella collection Uncle Tom's Children (1938), the bestseller novel Native Son (1940), and his autobiography Black Boy (1945)
. Wright's writing vividly depicted the harsh realities of racial discrimination and violence faced by African Americans during the early to mid-20th century. His novel Native Son was groundbreaking, becoming the first by a Black writer to be selected for the Book-of-the-Month Club and adapted for Broadway. His autobiography Black Boy explores his difficult childhood in the South, his intellectual awakening, and his struggles against racism and poverty
. He was also involved politically, having worked as an editor for the Communist newspaper Daily Worker and was active in leftist circles during the 1930s. Later, disillusioned with racism in the U.S. and political movements, Wright moved to Paris in 1947, where he lived until his death on November 28, 1960. In his later years, he continued to write novels, essays, and poetry, including a significant body of haiku
. Richard Wright's legacy includes his role in shaping African American literature and influencing later Black writers such as James Baldwin. His works remain important for their unflinching portrayal of race relations and social injustice in America
