Douglas (Bronzeville) in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Richard Wright

1908-1960

— Bronzeville Walk of Fame —

Richard Wright Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 13, 2026

1. Richard Wright Marker

Inscription. Author

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Bronzeville Walk of Fame series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1908.

Location. 41° 49.91′ N, 87° 37.051′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Douglas (Bronzeville). It is on South Dr. Martin Luther King Drive north of East 35th Street. The marker is one of four embedded in the sidewalk in front of the King Branch of the Chicago Public Library. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3436 South Dr Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago IL 60616, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Vivian Harsh (here, next to this marker); Fannie Barrier Williams (here, next to this marker); Lorraine Hansberry (here, next to this marker); The Boulevard System (within shouting distance of this marker); Bronzeville (within shouting distance of this marker); Gwendolyn Brooks (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Bronzeville (within shouting distance of this marker); Earl “Fatha” Hines (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

Regarding Richard Wright. Richard Wright

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was born in Mississippi and came as a young adult to Chicago, where he became a leading literary figure on the city's South Side and a member of the Communist Party. After World War II, Wright moved to France, where he befriended Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. Wright died of heart failure at age 52 and is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

Also see . . . Richard Wright. A bio from the Poetry Foundation,

Excerpt: "Richard Wright is recognized as one of the preeminent novelists and essayists of the 20th century. He is most famous for writings depicting the harsh realities of life for Black Americans in the Jim Crow–era South: the short story collection Uncle Tom’s Children (1938); the novel Native Son (1940), which was a bestseller and a Book-of-the-Month club selection, the first by a Black writer to earn the distinction, and produced by John Houseman and Orson Welles on Broadway; and his autobiography, Black Boy (1945)."

(Submitted on May 22, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 13, 2026

2. Richard Wright Marker

Richard Wright (1908-1960) image. Click for full size.

Photo by Carl Van Vechten; courtesy of Library of Congress, 1939

3. Richard Wright (1908-1960)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 22, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 20, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 20, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3. submitted on May 22, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.