Why is Colson Whitehead important?

Why is Colson Whitehead important?

Colson Whitehead is an American author known for innovative novels that explore social themes, including racism, while often incorporating fantastical elements. He is the first writer to win a Pulitzer Prize for consecutive books: the historical novels The Underground Railroad (2016) and The Nickel Boys (2019).

What inspired Colson Whitehead to write The Underground Railroad?

Years later, when Whitehead was 30 and an up-and-coming writer, he recalled that childhood misunderstanding and saw the storytelling potential the premise held. He envisioned a story with a protagonist traveling north on a literal underground train, stopping in each state along the way and facing some new adventure.

Did Colson Whitehead win a Pulitzer Prize for The Underground Railroad?

Whitehead’s other Pulitzer winner, “The Underground Railroad,” follows an enslaved teenage girl’s journey to freedom from a Georgia plantation by way of an actual underground railway.

Where did Colson Whitehead go to college?

Colson Whitehead