Origins & Early Life

Wallace Henry Thurman (August 16, 1902 – December 22, 1934) was an American novelist and screenwriter active during the Harlem Renaissance. He also wrote essays, worked as an editor, and was a publisher of short-lived newspapers and literary journals. He is best known for his first novel The Blacker the Berry: A Novel of Negro Life (1929), which explores discrimination based on skin tone within the black community, with lighter skin being more highly valued. Thurman was born in Salt Lake City to Beulah and Oscar Thurman.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

When Thurman was less than a month old, his father abandoned his wife and son. It was not until Wallace was 30 years old that he met his father. Between his mother's many marriages, Wallace and his mother lived in Salt Lake City with Emma Jackson, also known as Ma Jack, his maternal grandmother. Jackson ran a saloon from her home, selling alcohol without a license. Thurman's early life was marked by loneliness, family instability, and illness.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He began grade school at age six in Boise, Idaho, but his poor health eventually led to a two-year absence from school. During this time, he returned to live with his grandmother Emma in Salt Lake City. From 1910...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abe Saperstein — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Founder of the Harlem Globetrotters, revolutionized black basketball.
• Alfred Kastler — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Pioneering physicist known for developing the technique of optical pumping.
• Allen Lane — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Pioneering British publisher who founded Penguin Books, bringing literature to the masses.
• Alan Arkin — Contemporary (Born in 1934) (1934): Esteemed American actor, filmmaker, and musician with a seven-decade career.
• Bill Russell — Contemporary (Born in 1934) (1934): Center for the Boston Celtics, a 12-time champion and basketball legend.
• Brigitte Bardot — Contemporary (Born in 1934) (1934): Iconic French actress, singer, and passionate animal rights activist.
• Alfredo Stroessner — Shared historical date (08-16 · Died) (2006): Paraguayan military dictator who ruled from 1954 to 1989, known for repression.
• Andrei Mironov (actor) — Shared historical date (08-16 · Died) (1987): Iconic Soviet stage and film actor, celebrated for roles in popular Russian cinema.
• Alejo Carpentier — Shared historical date (12-26 · Born) (1904): Influential Cuban novelist, essayist, and musicologist of the Latin American Boom.
• Babur — Shared historical date (12-26 · Died) (1530): Founder of the Mughal Empire in South Asia, a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan.
• 1902 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1902
• August 16 (08-16) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 16
• 1934 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1934
• December 26 (12-26) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 26