The Blacker the Berry

A daring voice of the Harlem Renaissance challenges beauty, prejudice, and belonging.

In The Blacker the Berry (1929), Wallace Thurman delivers a bold, unflinching portrait of Emma Lou Morgan, a young Black woman whose deep complexion makes her the target of colorism—within both white society and her own community. From her small-town beginnings in Idaho to the electrifying streets of 1920s Harlem, Emma Lou searches for acceptance, love, and a sense of self in a world obsessed with skin tone.

Thurman’s sharp, witty prose captures the glitter and grit of the Harlem Renaissance while exposing the painful realities of intra-racial prejudice. At once a personal journey and a social commentary, the novel is groundbreaking in its honesty—refusing to soften the complexities of identity, desire, and self-worth.

Fierce, poignant, and decades ahead of its time, The Blacker the Berry remains a powerful exploration of race, beauty, and the human need to belong. It’s both a vivid snapshot of an era and a timeless story of resilience against the forces that would define us.

About the author:
Wallace Thurman (1902–1934) was a novelist, essayist, editor, and playwright whose fearless voice helped shape the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Thurman moved through Los Angeles and Chicago before arriving in New York City, where he became a central figure in Harlem’s vibrant literary scene.

Thurman was known for his sharp intellect, biting wit, and uncompromising honesty about race, identity, and art. As an editor for influential magazines like The Messenger and Fire!!, he championed young Black writers and pushed against respectability politics, urging the celebration of the full range of African American life.