Who were some of the prominent black authors of the 1930s and 1940s and what did they write about? How did they differ in their views of the challenges facing the black community?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ideal Answer: The ideal answer should:
1. Explain that Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, and James Baldwin were some of the main black authors of the era. Note the books they wrote.
2. Point out that each approached the subject of blacks in society differently; for example, Baldwin denied the centrality of racism in the black experience while Wright and Ellison made it the entire issue.
3. Point out the controversy between Wright and Baldwin that led to their split.
4. Conclude that black writers differed primarily over the issue of how to solve racism in the United States and what role blacks should play in the struggle. The duality of violence vs. non-violence, the "twoness" of the black identity, and the problem of discrimination remained the focus.