Charles W. Chesnutt

Charles W. Chesnutt, America's first great Black novelist, lived in the distinct political, social and cultural environment that found expression in his literary works. Instead of trying to hide behind the lightness of his skin color, as many fair skin African-Americans did, Chesnutt chose to show his true identity. He took the racial and social discrimination inflicted upon him and others then used it for motivation in his writings. Chesnutt novels reveal the harsh world …

…was onto The Conjure Woman in 1899, a short fiction book written in North Carolina dialect that put him on the map with widespread attention among white and black readers. Chesnutt composed several more works over the next twenty years. They included fiction, nonfiction, and mostly letters to publishers and family. He also found time to mingle among many social groups. Chesnutt died on 15 November 1932, leaving behind him a rich artistic legacy for twentieth-century African-American literature.