This paper examines how the ugly face of racism continues to haunt the United States in many ways, and its
effects seem to
ebb and flow from one American generation to the next. It reviews the black
authors, Debra Dickerson, Maya Angelou, Richard Wright, Brent Staples, and Ralph Ellison, and attempts to show how have all helped to focus national and international attention on the challenges and obstacles faced in America as they sought to overcome the lingering
effects of racism. It also explores how, although they all have different approaches to the problem, all of these authors have managed to capture the essence of their struggles and triumphs as they grew up in the United States. An examination of their lives and works is followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.