About
The African-American writer of There is a Tree More Ancient Than Eden, he is best known for novels that are set in Chicago and focus on mythology and history. His other notable works include Divine Days and The Bloodworth Orphans.
Before Fame
He worked for Muhammad Speaks, a Nation of Islam newspaper. Later, he joined the literature faculty at Northwestern University.
Trivia
His last novel, Divine Days, was modeled after James Joyce's Ulysses.
Family Life
The husband of Marianne Forrest, he was the Chicago-born son of a Catholic mother and a Baptist father.
Associated With
His novel, There is a Tree More Ancient than Eden, was published with an introduction by Ralph Ellison.
