DETRIMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF APARTHEID AND IDENTITY CRISIS IN RICHARD WRIGHT'S BLACK BOY

Abstract: Black Boy chronicles Wright’s own journey of self-discovery, as he grapples with the complexities of his Black identity. Richard Wright’s Black Boy is a powerful exploration of racism and identity crisis, shedding light on the insidious nature of racism and its far-reaching consequences for Black Americans. Through his work, Wright challenges dominant representations, humanizes Black experiences, and illuminates the ongoing struggle for Black subjectivity and self-discovery. The research aims to examine the key themes of identity crisis and racial segregation in Richard Wright's Black Boy. The paper focuses on the notions of racial segregation and identity crises, which have been and continue to be contentious issues in African American literature. It claims that black American literature was developed to oppose racial segregation, injustice, and hostility in order to gain self-esteem and identity. Keywords: Identity crisis, Racism, oppression, Richard Wright, Black Boy, Jim Crow, inferior.