Richard Wright Newsletter. Vol. 6
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Richard Wright Newsletter Volume 6, Number 2 Spring/Summer 1998 THE INTERVIEW ISSUE Featuring conversations with Wright Scholars Michel Fabre and Hazel Rowley Iowa, the University of Missis MICHEL FABRE sippi, and the University of Lon BY MARYEMMA GRAHAM don, Michel is afrequent traveler Contents of this Issue to the u.s. Likewise, African Americans traveling to Paris have Cover feature: been frequent visitors in the Fabres' home. This interview A recent interview with Michel was conducted in their home at Fabre in Paris ................................. I 12 Montsouris, Paris, France, September 27, 1997. Letter from the Editors .................... 2 Wright News: New Marker at * * * Wright'S Natchez home ................... 3 MG: Your biography of Rich ard Wright is still considered the An interview with Hazel Rowley ... .. 6 definitive biography of Richard Wright. It has made its own Richard Wright alld the Book-of~the- history and I wanted to know Month Club by Mark Madigan ... ... .. .9 what your sense of that history is, how you see the book since its Conferences and Symposia ....... .. .... 12 Michel Fabre is currently profes publication? Has it had the im Plus the latest Richard Wright sor emeritus at the Universite de pact you wanted it to have? Bibliographic Supplement! Paris IIi. He is a renowned Wright MF: The book has created its scholar whose career began with own history. I was given the his acclaimed biography Richard chance to rewrite the book when Wright: Unfinished Quest (1973, it was republished by the U niver recently published by the Uni 1993), Fabre along with his wife sity of Illinois Press, but I didn't versity Press of Mississippi, a Genevieve, also a noted scholar of feel I wanted to. I changed a few book which took us three years to AfricanAmerican CllltllreJounded things which were factual errors get published. the Centre d'Etudes Afro-Ameri pointed out to me by people and MG: How do you see your bi caines et des Nouvelles Litteratures that was all. I suppose because I ography in relationship to the en Anglais (CETANLA), which has don't want to say I was tired of other biographies that have ap served as an academic and cultural Wright, but for some twenty years peared? center sponsoring symposia and I had been inundated with infor MF: Ifelt Margaret Walker did conferences. Other wo rks. by Fabre mation on Wright so I knew that a biography and had a different include The World of Richard much work was going on. I felt side. I disagreed with her on Wright (1985), Richard Wright: that this was very good, and it many points, but still think what Books and Writers (1990), From was important for me to let the she has to say must be taken into Harlem to Paris: Black American book go the way it was. I worked account. Eugene E. Miller did a Writers in France, 1840-1980 with Keneth Kinnamon on Con book on Wright's style, a very ( 1991), and The French Critical versations with Richard Wright. good book on Wright's style. I Reception of African American I worked with Robert Skinner on would say the more the better es Literature from the Beginnings to Himes, and with Edward Margo pecially when it's written by lies, I wrote a biography, The 1970: An Annotated Bibliography people who are really good schol- Several Lives of Chester Himes, (1995). Having been at Harvard, (continued page 4) Spring/Summer 1998 Page 1 From the Editors The Richard Wright Newsletter After seven years of pro I am very excited to end the is published biannuaUy by ducing the Richard Wright News Richard Wright Newsletter's Northeastern University letter, we are passing the editing tenure at Northeastern Univer Department of English duties on to James A. Miller of sity with this issue, featuring 480 Nightingale Hall The George Washington Univer interviews with Michel Fabre, , Boston, MA 02115 sity. We thank the graduate stu noted Wright scholar and biog Phone: (617) 373-4549 dents at Northeastern University rapher, and Hazel Rowley, who Fax: (617) 373-2509 who have served as editorial as is approaching Wright's life and E-mail: [email protected],edu sistants for their dedicated and work from a new and different invaluable work; Diane Putnam perspective. Each interview EDITORS deserves special thanks for her reveals the writer/researcher at Maryemma Graham, Northeast superb work under pressure. work and serves as an exceUent ern University Members of the RWN Advisory model for approaching Wright Jerry W. Ward, Jr., University Board have given us much needed and biography in general. of Memphisffougaloo support throughout the years as This issue also contains a College have Julia Wright and Keneth very interesting piece which Kinnamon, our official bibliog details Native Son's controver EDITORIAL ASSISTANT rapher. And, of course, we are tial candidacy for the Book-of Diane Putnam, Northeastern indebted to members of the Rich the-Month Club in 1940. The University ard Wright Circle for the finan discussion about and alterations INTERN Keisha Winston cial and intellectual contributions of the novel that came out of to the newsletter. that debate serve as a reminder September 4, 1998 marks 1996-99 ADVISORY BOARD of the kind of fear provoked by Robert Butler Wright's 90th birthday. We en a character like Bigger Thomas Thadious Davis courage members to organize and what lies behind that fear Y oshinobu Hakutani student symposia or to sponsor for some readers. The Club's Keneth Kinnamon, Bibliogra- lectures on Wright's legacy at judges and their positions are pher their institutions. We ask also explored and reveal much about Alessandro Porte Hi that members review our sugges popular literature and the racial Yvonne Robinson Jones tions in the Spring/ Summer 1997 climate of the 1940's in Amer Arnritjit Singh issue for the Richard Wright ica. Centenary (2008). As for myself, I am ex FOUNPINGMEMBERS Our work has been stimulat tremely pleased and proud to Margaret Walker Alexander ing and rewarding, but we must have worked on the Richard Samuel Allen now turn our energies to new Wright Newsletter for the past Ralph Ellison (1914-1994) projects. We give our blessings two years. Thanks to Ma Michel Fabre to James A. Miller as he engaged ryemma Graham and Jerry Maryemma Graham a new scholarly challenge. We Ward, who have always been Jerry W. Ward, Jr. are confident that the newsletter patient and trusting, and from J ulia Wright will continue to be a source of whom I've learned a good deal. information and inspiration for I will continue to follow the ©1998 RWC the study and teaching of Wright's Circle and Richard Wright stud life, works, and enduring legacy. ies even as I move on to a new The editors welcome all news place and a new position this relevant to the life and work of Richard Wright. The Richard Maryemma Graham upcoming year. Jerry W. Ward, Jr. Wright Circle is supported by the departments of African Diane Putnam American Studies and English Editorial Assistant at Northeastern University. Spring/Summer 1998 Page 2 Wright News New Marker for Richard Wright in Natchez FROM THE NEW EDITOR: To the members of the Richard Wright Circle: When Maryemma Graham and Jerry W. Ward, Jr. asked me to assume the editorship of the Richard Wright Newsletter, I agreed to do so without any hesitation. In its seven years of existance, the Newsletter has Photos come Courtesy of the City of Natchez not only demonstrated the con tinuing relevance of Richard Wri crht's work to contemporary At 20 E. Woodlawn Street in The Richard Wright Circle is and social issues, it has cult~ral Natchez, Mississippi, a marker grateful to these students for so also helped to shape the current was unveiled on February 20, meaningful a contribution to resurgence of Wright scholar 1998 to identify the "Childhood keeping the memory of Richard ship. I look forward to continu home of noted American author Wright and his legacy alive. ing the tradition of excellence Richard Wright, while he lived established by my predecessors. with grandparents Richard and Beginning in September, 1998, * * * Margaret Wilson in the Wood *Mississippi Department of Archi ves the new home of the Richard lawn neighborhood. Author of and History, 1998. Wright Circle and Newsletter NativeSoll and BlackBoy, Wright will be: was born outside Natchez in ru ral Adams County in 1908. His Department of English, lifelong quest for freedom led The George Washington him to Paris, France, where he University died in 1960."* Washington, D.C. 20052 Students from the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Sci I look forward to working with ence raised $900.00 toward the you. cost of the marker; the Historic Natchez Foundation matched James A. Miller. with a $400.00 donation. Ac cording to Rob Jolly, a senior at MSMS, the students had two motives. They wished to show appreciation to Natchez for host ing them during their annual fiel.d trips and to demonstrate then pride in Wright's contributions to American letters. Spring/Summer 1998 Page 3 ars. We need different outlooks from other scholars especially on those things I only sketched. About two or three years ago, I was contacted by an Australian woman Hazel Rowley, who was interested in Richard Wright and was very hesitant about approach ing me because she thought there might be some competition. So when she approached me, I asked myself how I was going to deal with it. And I felt that I should let her have access to all I have since it's much easier to find documents here which are otherwise scattered all over the world.