Wright, Richard (1908-1960). 12 Million Black Voices. A Folk History of the Negro in the United States. New York: The Viking Press, 1941.

Small 4to. Numerous black-and-white photographs after Edwin Rosskam. Original oatmeal cloth, spine stamped in brown, top edge stained black (extremities toned, small spot of soiling to upper cover); dust jacket (some toning and chipping to extremities). Provenance: Carson McCullers (1917-1967), American novelist (author's inscription).

FIRST EDITION. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY WRIGHT TO CARSON McCULLERS: "To Carson who, in a difficult World, has maintained her own personal, single, individual vision of reality. As ever, Drick Wright, 3/6/43, Brooklyn, New York."

In 1940, Wright wrote a glowing review of McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter for the August issue of New Republic magazine, stating, in effect, that she was virtually unique in her ability to honestly portray African-American characters with as much care and sensitivity as she would characters of her own race. When editor George Davis read this review, he invited Wright to a Thanksgiving dinner to introduce him to his friend and roommate, Carson McCullers. Wright and McCullers hit it off and became fast friends, enjoying a lifelong friendship.

12 Million Black Voices is a photodocumentary book with images of African Americans taken by the Farm Security Administration and selected by Edwin Rosskam, with the text written by Richard Wright. In the foreword, Wright explains his focus: "It is not, however, to celebrate or exalt the plight of the humble folk who swim in the depths that I select the conditions of their lives as examples of normality, but rather to seize upon that which is qualitative and abiding in Negro experience, to place within full and constant view the collective humanity whose triumphs and defeats are shared by the majority, whose gains in security mark an advance in the level of consciousness attained by the broad masses in their costly and tortuous upstream journey."

This lot is located in Chicago.

Wright, Richard (1908-1960). 12 Million Black Voices. A Folk History of the Negro in the United States. New York: The Viking Press, 1941.