Table of Contents
Introduction 9
Chronology 12
Chapter 1 Background on Richard Wright
1 The Life of Richard Wright Edward D. Clark 18
2 Life in the North Hazel Rowley 27
Chapter 2 Native Son and Civil Rights
1 A Protest Novel James Baldwin 37
2 The Cost of Oppression and Submission Irving Howe 45
3 Black Life No Mere Abstraction Ralph Ellison 56
4 Social Critiques of Native Son Anger Wright Addison Gayle 66
5 Losing Self-Control Joseph T. Skerrett Jr. 71
6 The Black Male's Search for Identity in a Racist Society Aimé J. Ellis 83
7 Wright's Solution to Racism Cynthia Tolentino 90
8 No Solidarity with the Oppressed Damon Marcel DeCoste 99
9 Bigger's Sense of Superiority Lale Demirtüet;rk 110
10 Bigger Thomas: Radical Revolutionary Petar Ramadanovic 114
Chapter 3 Contemporary Perspectives on Civil Rights
1 Racism Continues in the South Faye Fiore 120
2 Race Blindness Samuel Terence 127
3 Too Many Blacks Imprisoned Michael Eric Dyson 139
4 Transracial Adoptions Still Face Hurdles Rachel Uranga 144
5 Defined by Hip-Hop Keli Goff 149
For Further Discussion 161
For Further Reading 163
Bibliography 164
Index 168
