CHESNUTT, CHARLES WADDELL

Chesnutt's literature depicted African Americans as fleshed-out human beings instead of stereotypes or subtypes, as was common in contemporary American literature. He attempted to bridge the race gap and raise the issue of civil rights and equal opportunity. In 1887, the Atlantic Monthly published its first Chesnutt story, "The Goophered Grapevine." In 1899, selected stories were published in The Conjure Woman. Another volume of short stories and several novels followed, including The House behind the Cedars (1900), which discussed issues of class, racism, interracial marriage, colorism and stereotyping of African Americans. The novel points out how African Americans often had to blend into White society, which at the time meant 'passing' as White, in order to access opportunities; only a minority could and wanted to do this. Among white audiences, Chesnutt's writings were controversial and eventually became tired. Yet he continued to write and lecture and was active in the Chamber of Commerce.