Black Boy is the autobiography of Richard Wright's life from his youth in the early twentieth century south to his years searching for employment in Chicago during the Great Depression. In America during this time period, many African-Americans struggled through racial discrimination in the South and migrated to the North in search of opportunity. The majority of Wright's social, cultural, economic, and political experiences in Black Boy represent those of a typical African-American in early twentieth century America; however, some of his attitudes to racism were not the norm at the time.
Wright grew up in the South in the early twentieth century, where racism against African-Americans was a part of life that both he and his mother had to deal with on a daily basis. However, Wright's views toward racism were quite different from his mother's views. When he was younger, he questioned his mother about blacks and whites, but she did not answer his questions (Wright 47). Because of his lack of education, he was not fully aware of the racial relations at the time. At the age of six, Wright began drinking with white people at saloons; however, he did not know that his actions at the saloons were solely for the entertainment of the white people (Wright 19-22). His ignorance to the racial plight carries on in his life. For his ninth grade graduation, Wright is asked to do a speech at the ceremony. He refuses to read a speech written by the principal and instead opts to read a speech written by him. Even when he is offered a chance to go to school and college, Wright refuses:.
["Wake up, boy. Learn the world you"re living in. You"re smart and I know what you"re after. I've kept closer track of you than you think. I know your relatives. Now, if you play safe," he smiled and winked, "I"ll help you go to school, to college.".
"I want to learn, professor," I told him. "But there are some things I don't want to know" (Wright 176).
