On Richard Wright and Paul Eliot Green in This Issue

Volume 5, Number 2 Spring/Summer 1997

On Richard Wright and Paul Eliot Green In This Issue

BY JOHN HERBERT ROPER EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE but also featured the black ac Cover essay: tors Rose McClendon, Fannie . On Richard Wright One of the fascinating con I and Paul Eliot Green ...... 1 Bell De Knight, Gus Smith, and troversies in Richard Wright's (in England) Grace Walker. Fur complex artistic and personal ca Letter from the Editors ...... 2 thermore, during the era 1927- ALA Symposium on The reers involves his working rela 1940, Green was virtually alone Trickster, Oct 9-11, 1997 ...... 3 tionship with the white play among Broadway and off-Broad wright Paul Eliot Green (1894- TEACHING RICHARD WRIGIIT way playwrights whose works 1981) of North Carolina Wright ... In Chicago, Illinois consistently provided African learned of Green through the lit by Barry Kritzberg ...... 4 American actors an opportunity erary, artistic, and interracial for serious dramatic roles, a fact READING WRIGHT grapevines of the day, and it was ... In Tougaloo, Mississippi known well to Wright. the novelist who made the fIrst by Terrica Redfield ...... 5 In 1936 Wright was in Chi approach to the playwright, cago working for the federal the Abstracts from RWC at CLA ...... 9 doing so in a letter in 1936, as atre project of the federal writ RWC at ALA: ...... 10 he records in his memoirs. ers program, and he wrote to Georlze Moses Horton Society Green had received the Pul for-the Study of African American Green in order to get pennission itzer Prize in 1927 for his play Poetry is newly founded ...... 12 for--and artistic advice about--a In Abraham's Bosom. This play production of Green's Hymn to Plus the latest Richard Wright is a dramatization of a black the Rising Sun, an anti-chain Bibliographic Supplement! man's struggle to build schools gang play grounded in a number for his people in eastern North of real incidents of racist abuses strange politics that censored Carolina; he also wants to build in Richmond and Charlotte. As their artistry. For what it is a life for himself despite being Wright records in his memoirs, worth, in his memoirs Wright the "wrong sheet" brother of the some of the black actors in the records problems with local white landlord and the unac program protested the play be members of the Communist knowledged offspring of the cause they wanted a happier and Party (CP) over his artistic free community's patriarch. It fea more uplifting theme. Incredi dom in the abortive production, tured not only an African Ameri bly, some even denied that there although others date his defIni can theme for subject of its art, were such abuses of the chain tive split with the CP much later. gang in North Carolina and Vir However, neither man aban ginia. Wright's own life was doned the effort to fuse art and Wright and Green threatened, he had to transfer politics, or in the Aristotelian were very much jobs within the program, and phrase dear to Green, to actual frustrated by the eventually the mayor of Chicago ize art. In 1940, Wright agreed strange politics that intervened to cancel the produc to work on a redraft of his new censored their artistry. tion. Wright and Green were novel Native Son so that the very much frustrated by the work could be brought to Broad- (cont. page 7)

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 1 From the Editors American Literature Association, In the Fall '96 issue we in College Language Association, vited members to share ideas for Modem Language Association, celebrating the Richard Wright and National Council of Teach Centenary (2008). And we do ers of English meetings for 2008. need those ideas as soon as pos 6. The Richard Wright Circle sible. As a catalyst, we have should encourage prisoners who itemized a few of our ideas about feel they have learned invaluable what should be done to make lessons from reading Wright's 2008 a memorable year for an works to submit brief essays for international readership, teachers the Richard Wright Newsletter and students, and Wright schol and longer articles to other jour ars. nals. 1. Instead of planning a single, We could list ad infinitum, but large and costly conference for we are more interested in hav Natchez, Mississippi or Paris, ing ideas from members than in France, we propose that all aca listening to our wish list. demic institutions where 1997 promises to be a good Wright's works are studied plan year for seious study of Richard local symposia or conferences Wright and other African Ameri for 2008. can authors. The publication 2. It would be good for the within the last few months of Beinecke Library, Yale Univer Houghton Mifflin's Call and sity, to plan a special conference Response, The Norton Anthology on Wright's unpublished manu of African American Literature, scripts. The Richard Wright Trouble the Water: 250 Years Circle would be interested in of African American Poetry, and having selected papers from such other books that contain Wright's a conference published in a spe work creates optimism. So too cial Wright number of African does Trudier Harris' founding of American Review. the George Moses Horton Soci 3. HarperCollins should explore ety for the Study of African the feasibility of issuing a American Poetry, which will Centennial Edition of Wright's have its inaugural meeting at the works. 1997 ALA. Already the HOrlon ?' 4. On September 4, 2008 the Society has a very handsome American Embassy in Paris and web site: http://www.unc.edu/ on November 28, 2008 the depts/csas/horton. Forthcoming French Embassy in Washington books from the University Press should host Richard Wright of Mississippi that may be of memorial receptions. special interest to Richard 5. The Richard Wright Circle Wright Circle members are The should sponser forums at the Several Lives of Chester Himes

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 2 by Edward Margolies and Michel tion unless it receives hundreds Fabre, scheduled for May, and A of letters. Therefore, we also ask ALA Symposium on Place Called Mississippi: Mis that members encourage stu The Trickster sissippiNarrativeseditedby Mar dents, colleagues, and profes October 9-11, 1997 ion Barnwell, scheduled for July. sional organizations to write in The Cal-Neva Resort Lake Tahoe, NY The Modern Language Associa support of this effort. Ideally, tion will issue Approaches to the stamp would be issued at Call for Papers: Author Socie Teaching Wright's Native Son, Natchez on September 4, to co ties and individuals are invited edited by James A. Miller, this incide with Wright's 90th birth- . to propose papers or panels on summer. The forthcoming Rich day. any aspect of the Trickster, ard Wright issue of Mississippi Please remember that we are Gambler, or Confidence Man in Quarterly will feature Michel anxious to receive ideas and American Literature. The Sym Fabre's "Richard Wright's Criti manuscripts from our members. posium will feature an opening cal Reception in France" and We need to develop a backlog celebration, panels all day Fri Yoshinobu Hakutani's "The Criti of material, especially for the day and Saturday, formal and cal Response in Japan to Richard Fall '97 issue. May we hear from informal talks by leading experts Wright." These events contribute you soon? in the field, an excursion to to a healthy climate for promot Maryemma Graham nearby Virginia City, Nevada, ing the study of Wright's works Jerry W. Ward, Jr. and a dosing cocktail buffet, all for themselves or in conjunction in the dramatic High Sierra set Introducing ... with works by others. ting of sparkling Lake Tahoe, the Assistant Editor The theme of this year's with its boating, fi shing, skiing, Natchez Literary Celebration hiking, and superb clubs and res (May 29-31 ) is "Famous South As the school year comes to taurants. ern Families in Fiction and in a close, so does my tenure as the Fact." The Richard Wright Liter novice at the Newsletter. In a few Deadline for proposals: June ary Excellence A wards will be weeks, I'll finish up my MA at 15, i997. Send to the Sympo presented to Elizabeth Spencer Northeastern in English. Thanks sium Coordinator: and Shelby Foote on May 3l. to the Newsletter, my future ca Jeanne Campbell Reesman, Di On behalf of the RWC, we reer as a college instructor is in vision of English, Classics, Phi extend our sympathy to the fam formed by a first-hand struggle losophy, and Communication, ily of Stephen E. Henderson who with the publishing process and University of Texas at San An died in January and to the family by cutting-edge writing about tonio, San Antonio, TX 78249. of John Albert Sekora who died Richard Wright and his contem Ph. 210-458-4374; fax 210-458- on February 2. poraries. Teachers' (and stu 5366; email We urge members ofthe Circle dents') contributions to this year's [email protected]. to send letters requesting that the newsletter have been especially U.S. Postal Service issue a stamp thought-provoking for me as an honoring Richard Wright in 1998, aspiring teacher of literature and Conference registration: $45. to: Dr. Virginia Noelke, Chair writing. Room: special conference rate Citizens' Advisory Stamp Com My gratitude to the Editors of $85 per night. mittee, 475 L 'Enfant Plaza SW, for their guidance and faith, and Deadline for hotel registration: Room 4474, Washington, D.C. to all you subscribers for sup September 8. 20260-2437. porting the Newsletter. It's been Phone: 702-832-4000 or 800- It is our understanding that a pleasure working with you. CAL-NEVA. this committee will not take ac- Diane Putnam

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 3 II in the investigation." credible. "Did he ask name, ... in Chicago, Illinois A detective, quoted in the occupation, and marital status American (29 May), declared that before he killed them?" BY BARRY KRlTZ13ERG Nixon was the likely slayer: "He They wonder aloud, too, at was a sex pervert and the sight of the two paragraphs added to the Let Them Read All About It sleeping persons aroused in him end of the Daily Times story (3 In The "World's Greatest the killer instinct." June) of Nixon's confessions: Newspaper"! The Daily Times, not to be "Meanwhile, the lllinois Parole outdone by the competition, came Board explained why it released. Students are generally skepti up with the "inside story of the Louis Seraille, twice convicted of cal about Wright's claim, in "How mom's capture" (31 May), even rape, who has confessed to two Bigger Was Born," that "many of though a state's attorney had hundred attacks on women. In a the newspaper items and some of described Nixon (American, 30 letter to the Women's Civic the incidents in Native Son are but May) as "more alert and more Council, Chairman William C. fictionalized versions of the cagey than we had suspected." Jones of Streator said that Seraille Robert Nixon case and rewrites Nixon confessed to the slay was released because he had an of news stories from the Chicago ing and police assumed that he excellent work record; the board Tribune." was responsible for a number of received many favorable letters They understand Wright's unsolved crimes. "The sex mo in his behalf, and further trouble eurpose in using such headlines ron" (Daily Times, 2 June) coop was not expected." as "NEGRO RAPIST FAINTS erated by reenacting one of these The newspaper articles, ex AT INQUEST," but students tend other crimes "with the agility of amined again for facts about the to see the newspaper articles as an ape." murders, raise a host of doubts. exaggerated and, therefore, inef fective. The best way to answer student reservations is to let The best way to answer stu dent reservations is to let them them decide for themselves by comparing the decide for themselves by com "fictionalized" versions in the novel with the articles paring the "fictionalized" versions in Chicago newspapers on the Robert Nixon case. in the novel with the articles in Chicago newspapers on the Robert Nixon case. "The sex fiend" with the Fingerprints were found at one The Daily News (12 May "gorilla-like hands" confessed to murder scene, for example, but 1938) broke the story first: Mrs. yet more murders at a hasty grand no article reported that they be Florence Johnson was beaten to . jury hearing: I killed a Mrs. ionged to Nixon; blood was found death with a brick and a suspect, Johnson on Lake Park Ave .... I on Nixon's clothing on the night Robert Nixon, was in custody. killed Mrs. Castle after I raped of Mrs. Johnson's murder, but no The very next morning the Trib her in her hotel room on Ohio St. lab report confirmed that the blood une reported that the murder was ... I raped Miss Kuchta the nurse was hers. (Nixon maintained that committed "by a colored sex in the Chicago hospital--then I the blood came from slaughter criminal" and added, as a testi beat her to death with a brick." ing chickens at the butcher shop monial to police vigilance, that My students, who have read where he worked, but only read "fifteen colored men were seized in horrified silence, find this in- ers of the Chicago Defender--a

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 4 black community newspaper- learned of Nixon's explanation.) When my students come to Ilii Reading Wright • • • the Tribune article (5 June), II "Brick Slayer Likened to Jungle Beast," they readily concede that those apparent exaggerations of ... in Tougaloo, Mississippi periences with these males. the novel are really just what In reading Lawd Today!, one Wright says they are: "rewrites BY TERRICA REDFIEW might find Jake and his friends' of news stories from the Chicago treatment of African-American Tribune." Lawd Today! versus women offensive or at least de The students learn more from The Outsider: Realistic grading. Although the things this exercise, however, than that Rep,resentation of the they say regarding these women Wright's fictionalized newspaper African-American Male can be considered degrading, the articles are an accurate reflection choice of words they use is even of newspaper reporting in Chi Richard Wright's Lawd To worse. The language used in this cago in 1938. day! and The Outsider contain instance is significant in that it They understand, too, why very similar passages that illus is purposely used to illustrate a Wright alludes to wealthy, white trate the thoughts and actions of culture that is not so glamorous thrill-killers, Nathan F. Leopold, two specific African-American as one might like to believe. The Jr. and Richard Loeb, in Native male characters. The portrayal actions and language of Jake in Son. The pair showed no re of these characters, although they this book give him life-like morse for their murder of Bobby do not or should not be thought qualities, but these qualities are Franks ("it is as easy for us to to represent the African-Ameri illustrated to an extent that many justify the experiment as it is to can male in general, has signifi African-Americans would rather justify an entomologist impaling cance in that both characters, al pretend that men like Jake do not a beetle on a pin"), but they though fictional, may be found exist. Jake's limited knowledge, could afford to hire Clarence in society. The very common innate lust and basic lack of re Darrow, the most celebrated place, or even not so common spect for women is illustrated in lawyer of the day, to defend place, characteristics of Jake and Part One: Commonplace, Chap- them. The judge, taking note of Cross raise a question: which (cont.) the youth of the offenders, did character best represents the real not send them to the electric African-American male? Does chair, but gave them sentences the simpleton, somewhat vulgar, ... which character that offered the hope of even manner of Jake or the intellec best represents the tual parole. tual criminal mind of Cross best real African-American There was no sympathetic represent African-American fa male? Does the simple judge to take note of the youth thers, brothers, and sons? Al ton, somewhat vulgar, of Robert Nixon or Bigger Tho though the answer to this ques manner of Jake or the mas. Both were poor and black, tion is debatable, it is possible and both went to the electric to make a compelling argument intellectual criminal . chair. based on the use of language in mind of Cross best •••••••••••••••• each book to decide which rep represent African resentation of the African American fathers, Barry Kritzberg teaches at Mor American male is more real ac brothers, and sons? gan Park Academy in Chicago. cording to one's everyday ex-

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 5 ter XlI of Lawd T oelay!. The habit, followed the jellylike sway men describe the waitress as a of her sloping hips. At once his Cross doesn't merely race horse and a car they would imagination began a reconstruc lust for this like to "drive." The girl is de tion of the contours of her body, woman's body, he using the clues of her plump scribed as plump, teasing, and seems to analyze his assumed to be stuck-up and arms, her protruding breasts, the money hungry because of her gently curving shape of her legs, desires for her. skin color. Because Jake and and the width of her buttocks. his friends describe the woman' Through the bluish haze of to because he is intelligent and ar as inanimate objects to be pos bacco smoke and amidst the hub ticulate; however, his character sessed, it seems that Jake and of laughter coming from the rear does not seem as real a repre his friends view women as ob of the cafe, his senses dreamily sentation as Jake because Cross jects to be conquered and used seized upon woman as body of thinks too much and too deeply for their own personal comfort. woman, not the girl standing by about usually considered simple The narrator's description of the the steam table, but just woman matters such as his desire for the woman makes one feel that she as an image of a body and he girl at the lunchstand. My opin is unambitious and ignorant to a drifted toward a state of desire, ion is based on my experience certain degree. She spends her his consciousness stirring with African-American males. days working as a waitress pass vaguely with desire for desire" A more realistic representation ing the time by sensually teas (Wright, 30-31). In this instance, of the African-American male ing men like Jake. She is merely the narrator describes the way would have to make me feel I a woman designed to tempt and the waitress walks in a sensual, could walk outside my room or please men. almost romantic way. Instead off campus and find one person Cross's treatment and of her "oversized buttocks" trem like that or hear one conversa thoughts of Black women in The bling, her "sloping hips" have a tion like that on any given day. Outsider are essentially the same jelly-like sway. Cross doesn't Jake's character and experiences as Jake's. The difference is that merely lust for this woman's are more likely to fill this crite Cross's thoughts are more intel body, he seems to analyze his na. lectually conveyed. In Book desires for her. She is still just Although Jake and Cross feel One: Dread of The Outsider, this an object to fulfill his wants and basically the same about the is illustrated in a lunchstand situ needs upon, however, he ponders women they meet at the lunch ation; Cross views the waitress the reason why she means noth stands, I do not know if I know as "woman as body of woman": ing to him in actuality but is any man who would express his "The girl turned to prepare his aroused by a sensual desire in feelings the way Cross does. He order and his eyes, trained by him for her body, a female body. uses descriptions such as "gen However, the girl becomes "an tly curving shape of her legs," intractable bitch" at the sight of "protruding breasts," and "con ... it seems that lake her "hard face, coarsely fonned tours of her body," while Jake and his friends view mouth, huge cheekbones and and his friends describe the women as objects to be stubborn chin" (31 ). In essence, woman they meet as being "built conquered and used her face ruins his mood. for service," having a bulging Many people would much stomach, brasstinted hair, hairy for their own rather assert that Cross's repre personal comfort. armpits, and fat fingers. Men, sentation of the African-Ameri in general conversation, would can male is more real simply describe the "gently curving

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 6 shape of her legs" as big legs, character in Lawd Today! is and University Chancellor "protruding breasts" as big hoot more realistic than Cross's char Robert House, Jim Crow was ers or titties, and the "COnlours acter in The Outsider in the di successfully defied. Indeed, stu of· her body" as a Coca-Cola mension of how language is used dents and faculty and towns bottle figure. Everyday on the to describe women. people often looked in curiously radio or just by listening to men but sympathetically at the two talk of women can be heard the •••••••••••••••• writers in Bynum Hall. They phrases "Baby got back," "junk Terrica Redfield is a sophomore saw a black and a white script in her trunk," or "big booties." English major at Tougaloo Col writer hard at work on Native Even the character Theo on ''The lege in Tougaloo, Mississippi. Son. Best evidence of their Cosby Show" called nice-look working ,together in Chapel Hill ing girls "hamburgers." Also, I is that it was amicable, even don't know a man who would 00 warm, and entirely successful at think to describe his purely lusty the personal level of relation desire for a woman as a desire (Wright & Eliot, from page 1) ships. for "woman as body of woman." However, when he returned He would more likely say, "I way by none other than Orson to Broadway, Wright found that want her." I would hope that Welles, a man who in that day Houseman disliked the version there are men who have a way could do no artistic thing wrong of the script that the integrated with words like Cross does, who on Broadway or in Hollywood. team had produced. Green, evi can make a degrading statement John Houseman was to help dently with Wright's initial ap seem a little nicer, but the aver Welles produce the play, and proval, had rewriuen Bigger age African-American male Green quickly sent a telegram to Thomas to reflect classic tragic seems to resemble Jake in this Wright offering to serve as cow characteristics, to be realized as aspect. riter with the novelist on the a major figure with a major fl aw It is obvious that there are playscript. Wright readily, and that was deepened by racism but more Jakes than Crosses in the enthusiastically, agreed. not created by racism--nor by world, whether one wants to In order to do this work, poverty, nor by anything else admit it or not. All one had to Wright came to Chapel Hill, liv emanating from society, since do is listen to the conversations ing "at a Negro boarding house" Green's Bigger was to possess of men about women for which in town during that Jim Crow an internal character flaw. Thus, they have lusty feelings. Re era but often visiting and taking (cont.) gardless of whether they are in meals with the Green family. q tellectual professionals, town Most defiantly, Green arranged Indeed, students and I drunks, or college students, the for Wright to work in Bynum faculty and townspeople description of women will gen Hall on campus even though erally be more vulgar than ro campus security personnel had often looked in curiously mantic or sensual. In homes, on earlier escorted away black stu but sympathetically at the basketball court, in the locker dents and a black professor the two writers in Bynum room, in dubs, and even in class whom Green had attempted to Hall. They saw a black rooms, the choice of words in bring over from nearby histori and a white scriptwriter the discussion is not intellectu cally black Shaw University. ally based. Therefore, although This time around, with support hard at work on I do not like to admit it, based by University of North Carolina Native Son. on everyday experiences, Jake's President Frank Porter Graham

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 7 the Chapel Hill draft developed scripts by Professor Laurence a tragic flaw in Bigger Thomas, II Green A very shows that the and the famous trial scene em Green, who was teaching Broadway production followed phasizing the societal impact of a full load of classes the Chapel Hill version with the racism and poverty was played at the university, could exception of the courtroom down considerably. By contra not come to Broadway I scene; and Wright was always distinction, Houseman wanted to for the final sessions of insistent that he co-authored the focus on racism as the agent of project with Green, despite later influence, and thus played up the rewriting. He had to disclaimers by Houseman unsub trial scene as a statement about fight the battles through stantiable by the surviving texts. racism's impact on Bigger the mails. He lost the In any case, contemporaneous Thomas's life and actions . . fight, and a bitterness New York critics thought Green Green, who was teaching a set in between Houseman was the co-author, and in 1940 fun load of classes at the uni it was Green's name that carried and Green that persisted versity, could not come to the greater weight with such au Broadway for the final sessions until 1974. thorities. As the decades have of rewriting. He had to fight the passed, of course, Green's repu battles through the mails. He tation has declined while lost the fight, and a bitterness partly because of Canada Lee's Houseman's has waxed. and pre set in between Houseman and strong performance as Bigger sumably most of today's drama Green that persisted until 1974. Thomas, partly because of Or experts would give the nod of Wright obviously came to agree son Welles's genius for produc critical preference to with Houseman's changes, but tion, partly because of Houseman's courtroom scene. he revealed no personal animos Houseman's superb directions, More interesting to me as a ity at all toward Green, and the but also because of the effective cultural historian is the way that two continued to speak glow writing. For the Pulitzer com Green and Wright fought shoul ingly about each other. Indeed, mittee, the greatest attraction was der to shoulder in both figura when a new theatre building con the writing of Green and Wright. tive and physical senses to land structed in Green's honor was Native Son was rated the year's a blow on damnable Jim Crow opened in Chapel Hill in 1978, best by Robert Bums Mantle, the at the state university of North Wright's widow Ellen was there dean of Broadway critics. Carolina in 1940. to celebrate and to see a produc Mantle campaigned vigorously tion of Native Son, the inaugural for it in the press and in the crit 00 offering at the facility. ics' circles, and recorded his For a period in 1940, how support in his subsequently pub ever, Green sank into a deep . lished collection Best Plays of John Herbert Roper is the funk and did not even want to 1940. The play finished a close Richardson Professor of Ameri be listed as scriptwriter. Even second to Lillian Hellman's can History at Emory & Henry tually, Green was listed as script more topical Watch on the River College in Emory, VA. writer along with Wright, largely Rhine. because of Wright's insistence Drama critics will have to Note: Sources for this piece are in that it be so. Whatever the be determine whether Houseman or Wright's published memoirs, American Hunger, and in the Paul Green Papers hind-the-scenes bickerings sug Green offered the better dramatic of the Southern Historical Collection gest, there was no ambivalence interpretation of Wright's novel. of the Library of the University of about the resulting perfonnances, A close textual analysis of the North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 8 College Language Association 1997 April 16-19, Atlanta, Georgia

Abstracts from the Wright Panel "

"Writing the Self through "The Search for Richard Homer: Peter Abrahams' Wright: Horace Cayton's Tell Freedom mirroring Unfinished Quest" Richard Wright's Black Boy."

DR. NGWARSUNGU CHIWENGO DR. VIRGINIA WHATELY SMITH Drake, in fact came in frequent Samford University University of Alabama, contact with Wright when they Binningham wrote Black Metropolis, a socio Peter Abrahams--the first logical study of Black Chicago and black South African to write in Richard Wright remains a Wright wrote an introduction. English--published Tell Freeoom giant in the canon of African Cayton, after Wright's death, set after reading the African Ameri American letters, but the author's out on a quest to write a definitive can Harlem Renaissance writers "life" story has remained elusive. biography of Wright, but was felled by a heart attack once he landed in Jean Toomer, Countee Cullen, To date, four biographers have Paris in 1967. However, he had James Weldon Johnson and presented narratives of the black spent years gathering materials Richard Wright. Although the writer: Constance Webb, Mjchel before then in the fonns of notes, literary influence of the first two Fabre, Addison Gayle, Jr., and manuscripts, collected data, and is obvious in his early writings, Margaret Walker. Michel extensive taped interviews with it is Wright who the most sig Fabre's text of The Unfinished Wright's childhood friends, i.e., nificantly helps him understand Quest of Richard Wright has Joe C. Brown, or with colleague and articulate the essence and the held steadfastly as the definitive enemies, i.e., Ralph Ellison. As a position of blacks within a domi text, mainly because of Fabre's result, an "archival biography" on nant white world. Both authors advantage of being a Frenchman "The Search for Richard Wright" write to articulate the dominant who gained Ellen Wright's con exists. white world. Both authors write fidence and getting access to all Fabre and Walker had the ad to articulate the psychological of Wright's papers after Webb (cont. page J1) and physical trauma blacks en betrayed Ellen Wright. dure as both colonized and sub Yet there remains a "loose alterns. Yet, as a Colored in cannon" or unacknowledged bi habiting a site between whiteness ographer who may have been the Dr. Mary Kemp Davis at Flor and blackness and as the very second biographer of Wright and ida A&M University gave a epitome of the irrationalities of written the definitive text. Ho paper on similarities between the ideological paradoxes of an race Cayton, famed sociologist Black Boy and Mark apartheid state, Abrahams writes and graduate of the University Mathabane's Kaffir Boy. Her to tell a democratic world the of Chicago, knew Wright in the abstract was not available at humanity of Africans and of the 1940's when he wrote Native publication. abuses endured by the latter. Son and 12 Million Black Voices. (cont. page 11 ) Cayton, along with St. Clair

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 9 American Literature Association Annual Conference May 23-25, 1997, at the Stouffer Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore , Midary an .

RWC sponsored session: "Richard Wright's Uncle Tom's Children of the Great Richard Wright: Depression" Teaching His Work LINDA WAGNER-MARTIN GeneralALA Information: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill ' Chair: Yoshinobu Hakutani , Preregistration conference Kent State University In addition to all the effec fees will be $40 (with a special tive ways we approach Richard rateof$ 10 for independent schol 1. "Wright's Uncle Tom's Chil Wright's work, I'd like to sug ars, retired individuals, and stu d~en of the Great Depression," gest the usefulness of emphasiz dents). The hotel is offering a Lmda Wagner-Martin, Univer ing that Uncle Tom's Children conference rate of $98 a night si~y of North Carolina at Chapel was a work of the 1930's depres (single or double). Hill (see column at right). sion. Turned on its head after A welcoming party will be 2. "Native Son: The Emergence more than a decade of unprece held on Thursday evening, May of a New Black Hero," Robert dented prosperity, the battered 22; the first session will begin Butler, Canisius College, Buf U.S. economy did its bit to cre Friday morning at 9 a.m. and a fi falo. ate catastrophe for those Ameri nal celebration will follow the 3. "Black Boy: A Record of can dreamers--black and white last session on Sunday at 5:30 Ch,ildhood and Youth," Trudier alike--who had migrated north to p.m. You can make your hotel Harris, University of North Caro share in the prosperity of the ur reservation by calling 1-800-535- lina at Chapel Hin and National ban, unionized labor force. What 1201 and requesting the Ameri Humanities Center. happened, in part, to the fiction can Literature Association rate. 4. "The Outsider, A Nove ~ Writ of the 1930's, the decade when ten in Exile," Donald B. Gibson, Wright was training himself as Rutgers University, New Brun a writer, was that suddenly the swick. child or the adolescent became , Conference Director: a key protagonist. To represent Professor Gloria Cronin Panel members to include: unspeakable living conditions- English Department genuine poverty, unfeigned hun Brigham Young University Yoshinobu Hakutani, Chair ger, a desperation that quickly Provo, UT 84602 Kent State University gave way to a hardened aimless FAX: (801) 373-4661 Linda Wagner-Martin, Panelist ness--writers focused on the in Internet: UNC, Chapel Hill nocent. Halford E. Luccock [email protected] Robert Butler, Panelist termed the shift between 1920s <'. Canisius College writing and 1930s as giving rise Trudier Harris, Panelist to "the emergence of hunger" in National Humanities Center literature. Donald B. Gibson, Panelist (cont.) Rutgers University

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 10 ------'"

CLA Abstracts (cont.from page 9)

CHIWENGO: WHATELY SMITH:

Both Abrahams and Wright's vantage of using Cayton's materials "Blueprint for Negro Writing," characters are defined and deter to construct their biographies of "How 'Bigger' Was Born," and the mined by the manichean evolu Wright, and they appropriately ac text of 12 Million Black Voices tionary paradigms within which knowledge Cayton in their foot prove beyond a doubt his thor they unfold. While Abrahams notes. Yet, a footnote is not enough. ough knowledge of the strongest celebrates the idyllic African past Cayton's "biography" is in "archi depression fiction. The most and the humanness and generos val" form, and represents a "missing moving testimony to his under ity of Africans, Wright, on the link" in the canonicity of chronicles standing of the economic, racial, other hand, deplores the African representing Wright's life. The cur and political currents of the dec American's lack of the latter, rent MLA call for papers seems the ade remains the earliest story in thus reinforcing the very stere mati call y to be focused on the role of Uncle Tom's Children. otypes of the oppressor. Al the "archive." The heart of that opening story . though both authors tell the sa This paper will focus on the col is the innocence, the youth and gas of two boys who evolve from lective representation of a figure, naivete, of the four black adoles poverty to wealth and oppression Wright, and subjectivity of the biog cent males. "Big Boy Leaves to freedom, the freedom, rapher. But more importantly, it Home" not because he wams to, achieved through literacy, that will, through the archival materials not because he has any place to tbey both extol remains theoreti of Cayton, address the matter of go, but because otherwise he will cal, for freedom results in their "claims of authenticity" as far as 1) be murdered. Like thousands of physical and mental displace Who's correctly telling the story; 2) other men in -the U.S., white and ments and alienations. Abra the story represented; and 3) the au black, society has no room for Big hams well states in Tell Free thenticity of the biographer. Boy. It has wiped out three of dom that his apprehension of his his friends, and the narrative de being-in-the-world stems from scribes all three of those deaths- his readings of Negro writers. 00 reserving the most space and ter He suppresses, however, that ror for the brutal lynching, burn Tell Freedom devised by Wright, ALA Abstract ing, and dismembering of his best is rethought and written through (cant. from page 10) buddy, Bobo. Wright adds his Black Boy. Abrahams' subjec condemnation to the chorus of tivity comes into being, thus, WAGNER-MARTIN: other writers compelled to draw solely in his relationship to characters who are disenfran Wright's experience and being. Richard Wright's interest in such chised, disoriented, hungry--true established proletarian writers as Jo children of the Great Depression. 00 Sinclair, William Rollins, Jr., Er skine Caldwell, Nelson Algren, the Hemingway of To Have and Have 00 Not and the Steinbeck of The Grapes a/Wrath, as well as his statements in

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 11 Announcing ... The George Moses Horton Society for the Study of African American Poetry

(from a letter by Founder/Presi the works of African American future mailing). I anticipate a dent, Trudier Harris) poets and to foster presentation gathering that will include key and publishing opportunities for note addresses, panel sessions, I write to announce the that scholarship. and poetry readings. Several founding of The George Moses The Horton Society is an members of the Advisory Board Horton Society for the Study of affiliate organization of the have agreed to participate, and African American Poetry and to American Literature Association others are contemplating doing invite your membership in the and will hold its inaugural meet so. We will also send out a call organization. As you know, ing at the annual meeting of that for papers. To date, Yale Series Horton was a poet enslaved in association in Baltimore in May of Young Poets winner Marga the Chatham County and Chapel of 1997 (please check conference ret Walker and Pulitzer Prize hill areas of North Carolina from program for exact day, meeting winning poets Rita Dove and his birth in the late eighteenth time, and place). We invited Yusef Komunyakaa have agreed century until well after Emanci suggestions at that meeting about to read at the gathering; we will pation. In April 1997, the Uni how best to proceed with the plan a scholarly panel on each versity of North Carolina Press work of the Horton Society. I of these poets. The University will publish The Black Bard of realize that many of you may not of North Carolina Press will North Carolina: George Moses be able to attend this initial meet publish a volume developed Horton and His Poetry, edited ing; please forward comments from papers presented at the by Joan R. Sherman. It is a and suggestions to our mailing conference. I invite you to mark happy coincidence that this pub or email addresses. you calendars and come to lication was in process even as From 3-5 April 1998, the Chapel Hill for this historic oc the Horton Society was Horton Society will hold its first casion. founded. In the spring of 1996, conference in Chapel Hill--in I conceptualized the Horton conjunction with the first bian Our website address is: Society in an effort to encourage nual North Carolina Literary http://www.unc.edu/depts!csas/ sustained scholarly focus on Festival (more information in a horton.

To join the George Moses Horton Society for the Study of African Americ~n :oetry, sen? your name, address, telephone number and emaH at home and at school (please mdlcate at whlch address you prefer to be reached). Also mention any of your current poetry projects.

Charter Membership dues are $100 for institutions, $35 for faculty, $15 for graduate students, and $25 for aU others. Please make your check or money order payable to The George Moses Horton Society and return with your information to: , Ms. Lovalerie King, Secretary-Treasurer The George Moses Horton Society English/UNC, Chapel Hill CB# 3520 Greenlaw Hall Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3520

Spring/Summer 1997 Page 12 Renewal Notice

As you receive this issue of the Richard Wright Ne'wsletter, we want to remind you that if you did not renew your membership in the Richard Wright Circle after receiving the Fall/Winter 1996 issue, now is the time forrenewal. The yearly $10 membership fee runs for one calendar year and entitles you to tw~ issues of the Newsletter: Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer. In order to receive the next issue and continue your membership, you need to fill out and send us the form below (to insure that we have your latest address) along with a $10 check or money order made out to the Richard Wright Circle. Please remember that your membership dues still constitute the primary funding for the Circle and News letter. Your cooperation in helping us to maintain the Circle and Newsletter is greatly appreciated.

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Spring/Summer 1997 Page 13 Northeastern University Richard Wright ~ircle 480 Nightingale HaU Boston, MA 02115