Richard Wright’s ‘Black Boy’ is a Must-Read — By Gloria Edem
Black Boy will make you understand why athletes are taking a knee against racism! I experienced racial discrimination second-hand reading this memoir!
Black Boy was my favourite recommended literature back in secondary school. What endeared me was the tone with which the author narrated his sad childhood amidst racism in a rather humorous way. The irony!
Richard Wright, an American author details in this memoir his experiences growing up as a poor black boy in the Jim Crow South of America at the end of World War I. Here was a black boy navigating a society designed to oppress and marginalize the black man.
Richard grew up in a poor family having been deserted by his father at a young age. He spent much of his growing days with his family in deep poverty, learning to cope with biting hunger and illness while moving around the country in search of a better life.
His single mother worked hard to support him and his younger brother until she fell ill with a stroke and became bedridden. Luckily Richard’s extended family rose to the occasion to support them as much as they could but as the day passed he found he did not exactly fit into the family’s idea of an obedient Christian boy.
Richard shares his personal struggles as he tries to find his voice, his identity, and build a decent life for himself and his family. He loved reading and he questioned everything from the trivial to the more complex such as the inequalities and injustices they faced.
Black Boy is a brilliant depiction of the average African-American’s experience of racism and how deeply it was woven into the very fabric of society.
My name is Gloria and I love sharing simple, concise summaries of any material I enjoy reading. Connect with me on LinkedIn @Gloria Edem and on Instagram @uforoafrica
