WALLACE HENRY THURMAN: THE MAN WHO PENNED THE EXPRESSION “THE BLACKER THE BERRY”
WALLACE HENRY THURMAN: THE MAN WHO PENNED THE EXPRESSION “THE BLACKER THE BERRY” Wallace Henry Thurman, an African-American writer who is best known for his many contributions to the Harlem Renaissance, was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on August 16, 1902. His father abandoned the family shortly after Thurman’s birth, and his mother married and divorced various times. His mother often sent him to stay with his grandmother, who was known to run an illegal bar out of her home. Thurman stayed sick a lot during his youth. Although he dropped out of school due to illness and heart attacks, his health eventually improved over the years and he was able to finish high school in Salt Lake City. Thurman later attended the University of Utah and the University of Southern California but never received a degree from either institution. Thurman got a job working as a newspaper reporter while living in Los Angeles, California, and later went on to be the founder of a magazine, “Outlet”. It is s...