Richard Nathaniel Wright (Sep 4, 1908 – Nov 28, 1960) was an American author of novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction. Much of his literature concerns racial themes, especially related to the plight of African Americans during the late 19th to mid-20th centuries, who suffered discrimination and violence in the South and the North. Literary critics believe his work helped change race relations in the United States in the mid-20th century. Richard Wright's memoir, Black Boy covers the interval in his life from 1912 until May 1936. In January 1936 his story "Big Boy Leaves Home" was accepted for publication in the anthology New Caravan and the anthology Uncle Tom's Children, focusing on black life in the rural American South. After publication, Native Son was selected by the Book of the Month Club as its first book by an African-American author. Less