Embraces the controversies surrounding Wright as a public intellectual and author. Contributors explore how the writer mixed fact and fiction to capture the empirical and emotional reality of living as a black person in a racist world. Others examine the role of gender in Wright's canonical and lesser-known writing.

A pillar of African American literature, Richard Wright is one of the most celebrated and controversial authors in American history. The Politics of Richard Wright is an indispensable resource for students of American literature, culture, and politics who strive to interpret this influential writer's life and legacy.