With an introduction by Jerry W. Ward, Jr.

"Black Boy" is a classic of American autobiography, a subtly crafted narrative of Richard Wright' s journey from innocence to experience in the Jim Crow South. An enduring story of one young man' s coming off age during a particular time and place, "Black Boy" remains a seminal text in our history about what it means to be a man, black, and Southern in America.

"Superb...The Library of America has insured that most of Wright' s major texts are now available as he wanted them to be tread...Most important of all is the opportunity we now have to hear a great American writer speak with his own voice about matters that still resonate at the center of our lives."
--Alfred Kazin, "New York Time Book Review"

"The publication of this new edition is not just an editorial innovation, it is a major event in American literary history."
--Andrew Delbanco, "New Republic"