Black Boy by Richard Wright
By: Allie Castner & Elyane James
What is Black Boy about?!
Black Boy by Richard Wright is an autobiography in which
Wright took actual events from his own life and turned it into a strong compelling read.
In the novel, Richard is a boy in the Jim Crow American South. This was a system
of racial segregation practiced in some states of the U.S., which treated blacks as
second-class citizens. In this novel, Wright focuses in on how the hunger and Language of the Jim Crow made everyone more oppressed to do desperate acts. Writing for Wright, gave him a freedom from raging tensions and anger. Overall, Wright's novel is a powerful story of the individual struggle
for the freedom of expression.
Who is Richard Wright ?
Quick Facts :] 
-Richard Wright was born September 8th, 1904.
-He grew up in a Natchez, Mississippi.
-1940 Wright published his first novel called "Native Son" a violent story of racial oppression.
-Wright was the Valedictorian of his ninth grade class.
- He was the first African American author to have a "book of the month" club.
- Wright died of a heart attack on November 29th, 1960 at just 52 years old.
"Black boy":
"The publication of this new edition is not just an editorial innovation,
it is a major event in American Literary history." - Andrew Delbanco, New Republic
- "Black Boy" is available in both hard cover and paperback versions at any bookstore or at www.amazon.com
Pictures of the Jim Crow:
The picture above shows a "colored men" drinking fountain.
The picture above shows a "colored train waiting room."
What was the Jim Crow law?
The Jim Crow Law was a racial caste system which was mainly in the southern and border states between 1877 to the 1960's. Under the Jim Crow law African Americans were seen as second class citizens. Many Christians supported segregation and were taught that whites were superior and that African Americans were made to be servants. Jim Crow severely states regulated interactions of races.
They separated the rest rooms, water fountains, churches, schools, and about anything that
could be segregated. As you can see the Jim Crow law was a very cruel law that had added to
racism and segregation on blacks and whites.
Personal Thoughts and Recommendations:
We would recommend this book to anyone looking for a moving and compelling story
of a man living during the times of Racial segregation and how he got over the struggles
to find some happiness in the world. Although kind of lengthy, "Black Boy" is the type
of book you just can not put down and find your self turning and turning the pages
until you finally reach the end.
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