A young man's search for identity forces him to confront race, society, ambition, and the difficult choices that shape his future.
James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man presents the fictional life story of a biracial man navigating American society during a period of profound racial division.
Through his experiences, the narrator encounters questions of identity, race, class, ambition, art, opportunity, and belonging. The novel offers a complex exploration of the pressures created by a society defined by racial boundaries.
First published anonymously in 1912, the work became an important contribution to African American literature and remains a significant study of identity and American society.
Explore a powerful literary journey through identity, race, ambition, and belonging in this important American classic.











