Richard Wright was born in 1908 in Natchez, Mississippi. He grew up in extreme poverty and had an illiterate father and educated mother. Wright published his first story in 1924 in a local black newspaper. He later moved to Chicago and joined the Communist party. In 1937, he moved to New York and received a Guggenheim Fellowship for his series "Uncle Tom's Children". Wright's novel "Bright and Morning Star" follows a character named Sue whose son Johnny-Boy organizes meetings for the Communist Party. Sue is beaten by police for refusing to give up her son's plans. Johnny-Boy is eventually killed by police after another character betrays the group.

1. RICHARD WRIGHT Born September 4, 1908

2. RICHARD WRIGHT’S CHILDHOOD Born on a plantation near Natchez Mississippi Father Nathanial Wright was an illiterate sharecropper. Mother Ella Wilson was an educated school teacher. Wright grew up extremely poor. The family moved to Memphis when Wright was six. Later Wright’s father left the family. Eventually Wrights mother became sick and the family packed up and moved to Jackson, Miss with his grandmother.

3. WRIGHTS ROAD TO SUCCESS In 1924 the Southern Register, a local black newspaper printed Wrights first story “The Vodoo of Hell’s Half Acre”. 1927 Wright moved to Chicago and became involved with the communist party and later published his first major story “Superstition”. In 1937 he moved to New York and received a Guggenheim Fellowship for his series of “Uncle Tom’s Children”. Wright was married twice and started a family with his second wife. Richard Wright died on November 28, 1960 and continued to have novels published.

4. “ BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR” Part I Sue worries and waits for Johnny-Boy’s return Reva comes and tells news that the sheriff has been warned of the Communist Party’s meeting Part II Johnny-Boy arrives and Sue dries his clothes and feeds him They get into an argument, after Sue tells him the news brought by Reva, about him trusting too many of the whites He then heads out to warn the rest of the party members

5. Part III Sheriff and his men come into Sue’s home while she is sleeping She does not give up her son, or tell them any of his plans to warn the other party members The sheriff beats her until she is unconscious on the floor Part IV Starts with Sue still lying on the floor, and wakes up with fear when a white man is standing over her It is Booker, a new party member, who deceives her into giving up all of the other party members so he can inform the sheriff Part V Reva comes back and tells Sue that her father has found out that it was Booker who informed the sheriff of the meeting Sue is distraught, and tells Reva to go to bed, and then sets out with her gun and sheet. She intends to find and kill Booker before he gets to the sheriff.

6. Part VI Sue finds the sheriff and his men in the woods. They think that they have gotten to her, as she brought the sheet to get her dead son. They don’t know she has the gun. They inform Sue that Johnny-Boy is not dead. However, they are going to torcher him until he gives up the other names. Johnny-Boy is silent and they eventually break his knee caps and pop his eardrums. When Booker appears Sue shoots and kills him, but doesn’t get to put Johnny-Boy out of his misery before she is wrapped up by the men. The sheriff’s men then shoot and kill Johnny-Boy and Sue, with her last words being, “Yuh didn’t git wut yuh wanted!”

7. “ BRIGHT & MORNING STAR ANAYLYSIS” STYLE Colloquialism Suspense Narration Setting THEMES Racial Violence Communism Maternal Love Martyrdom

8. ANALYSIS CONTINUED ….. CRITICS’ VIEWS Solely Communist “ Not a good story” – can only sympathize with characters However, Wright has a great feel for dialogue, uses tense rhythms, and can create mood, atmosphere, and intesity WRIGHT’S THOUGHTS Disappointed in public view of the story Failure to arouse action

9. HISTORICAL CONTEXT American Communist Party Jim Crow Laws The Scottsboro Case Black Nationalism Literary Movements

10. REVIEW QUESTIONS Where is Richard Wright from and what year was he born? What was Richard Wright’s first story published? What was the name of the series in which Wright received the Guggenheim Fellowship Award for?

11. What were two of the themes in “Bright and Morning Star”? What was the name of the character who deceived Sue into giving up the names of the comrades? For what party was Johnny-Boy organizing these meetings?

12. ANSWERS… Natchez, Mississippi, 1908 “ The Voodoo of Hell’s Half Acre” Uncle Tom’s Children Communism, Martyrdom, Maternal Love, Racial Violence Booker Communist Party