The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, Paperback

An unusually rich selection of "Backgrounds and Sources" focuses on Johnson's life; the autobiographical inspirations for The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man; the cultural history of the era in which Johnson lived and wrote; the noteworthy reception history for the 1912, 1927, and 1948 editions; and related writings by Johnson. In addition to Johnson, contributors include Eugene Levy, W. E. B. Du Bois, Carl Van Vechten, Blanche W. Knopf, and Victor Weybright among others.

The four critical essays and interpretations in this volume speak to The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man's major themes, among them irony, authorship, passing, and parody. Assessments are provided by Robert B. Stepto, M. Giulia Fabi, Siobhan B. Somerville, and Christina L. Ruotolo.

A chronology of Johnson's life and work and a selected bibliography are also included, as well as six images.