Tap cover to enlarge

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

Published
Jun 1933
Main Genre
General Fiction General Fiction
Rating

About This Book

The Norton Critical Edition of this influential Harlem Renaissance novel includes related materials available in no other edition.

Known only as the "Ex-Colored Man," the protagonist in Johnson's novel is forced to choose between celebrating his African American heritage or "passing" as an average white man in a post-Reconstruction America that is rapidly changing. This Norton Critical Edition is based on the 1912 text. It is accompanied by a detailed introduction, explanatory footnotes, and a note on the text. The appendices that follow the novel include materials available in no other edition: manuscript drafts of the final chapters, including the original lynching scene (chapter 10, ca. 1910) and the original ending (chapter 11, ca. 1908).

An unusually rich selection of "Backgrounds and Sources" focuses on Johnson's life; the autobiographical inspirations for The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man; the cultural history of the era in which Johnson lived and wrote; the noteworthy reception history for the 1912, 1927, and 1948 editions; and related writings by Johnson. In addition to Johnson, contributors include Eugene Levy, W. E. B. Du Bois, Carl Van Vechten, Blanche W. Knopf,  and Victor Weybright among others.

The four critical essays and interpretations in this volume speak to The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man's major themes, among them irony, authorship, passing, and parody. Assessments are provided by Robert B. Stepto, M. Giulia Fabi, Siobhan B. Somerville, and Christina L. Ruotolo.

A chronology of Johnson's life and work and a selected bibliography are also included, as well as six images.
12

Genres & Themes

Characters & Occupations

Buy This Book

Formats & Editions

Browse the different covers, formats, and publication history for this title.

Paperback

Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Nov 2006 W.W. Norton & Company ISBN 0393972860
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
West Margin Press ISBN 1513271067
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Dec 1989 Vintage ISBN 0679727531
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Jan 1990 Penguin ISBN 0140131469
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Feb 1990 Penguin ISBN 0140433333
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Feb 1990 Penguin ISBN 0140184023
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Mar 1991 Hill & Wang ISBN 0809000326
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
May 1995 Dover Publications ISBN 048628512X
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Jan 1997 X Press ISBN 187450931X
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Aug 2004 IndyPublish.com ISBN 1414291418
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Jan 2005 Digireads.com ISBN 1420925458
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Oct 2009 Echo Library ISBN 1406853593
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Oct 2009 Echo Library ISBN 1406853593
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
May 2011 Createspace ISBN 1463545568
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Nov 2013 Martino Fine Books ISBN 1614275270
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Dec 2014 Createspace ISBN 1505214831
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Feb 2015 Createspace ISBN 1505217083
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Jun 2015 Forgotten Books ISBN 1440054894
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Nov 2015 Createspace ISBN 1519300859
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Dec 2015 Createspace ISBN 1519797230
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Feb 2016 Digireads.com ISBN 1420952366
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Dec 2016 Createspace ISBN 1540822389
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Paperback
Sep 2019 Barnes & Noble ISBN 1078721246
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
May 2020 Warbler Classics ISBN 1735121215
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Aug 2020 Read & Co. Classics ISBN 1528718003
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Feb 2023 Knopf ISBN 0593469607
Buy
Paperback edition cover
Trade Paperback
Sep 2025 Lushena Books ISBN B0FQQXB6D5
Buy

Hardcover

Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
West Margin Press ISBN 1513220489
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
Jun 1933 Knopf ISBN 0394415825
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
Feb 1990 Turtleback Books ISBN 1417630582
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
May 1995 Perfection Learning ISBN 1627653562
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
Aug 2004 IndyPublish.com ISBN 141429140X
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
Oct 2011 Library of America, The ISBN 1598531131
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
Jan 2022 Macmillan Collector's Library ISBN 1529069203
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
Oct 2022 Everyman's Library (UK) ISBN 1841594067
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
Nov 2022 Knopf ISBN 0593535561
Buy
Hardcover edition cover
Hardcover
Sep 2025 Lushena Books ISBN B0FQRHSBGD
Buy

eBook

eBook edition cover
eBook
Feb 1990 Penguin ISBN 1101640251
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
May 2009 Floating Press ISBN 1775411214
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Jan 2011 Neeland Media LLC ISBN 1596749369
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Apr 2011 New Century Books
eBook edition cover
eBook
Apr 2011 SAP
eBook edition cover
eBook
Feb 2012 Dover Publications ISBN 0486111156
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
May 2012 Interzone Press
eBook edition cover
eBook
May 2012 West Margin Press ISBN 1513276069
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
May 2012 Warbler Press ISBN 1735121207
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
May 2012 Digireads.com Publishing ISBN 1420952374
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
May 2012 ISBN B0082UYCHM
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Apr 2013 Lulu.com ISBN 1300967609
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Apr 2013 Start Publishing LLC ISBN 1627930027
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Sep 2013 Civitas Media LLC
eBook edition cover
eBook
Oct 2014 Bronson Tweed Publishing
eBook edition cover
eBook
Feb 2015 W. W. Norton & Company ISBN B0156VNPFY
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Mar 2015 Some Good Press ISBN 1681059444
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
May 2015 Newingtons
eBook edition cover
eBook
Jun 2015 Wilder Publications, Inc. ISBN 1633842355
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Nov 2015 Dodo Collections ISBN 1518305024
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Feb 2017 Dreamscape Media ISBN 1974996182
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Feb 2017 Dreamscape Media ISBN 1520077203
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Aug 2020 Read & Co. Classics ISBN 1528791134
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Aug 2021 Open Road Publishing ISBN 1504067894
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Jan 2022 Pan Books (UK) ISBN 1529069211
Buy
eBook edition cover
eBook
Feb 2023 Knopf ISBN 0593469615
Buy

Audio

Audio edition cover
Audio CD
Blackstone Audiobooks ISBN 1799961842
Buy
Audio edition cover
Audio Cassette
Jun 1995 Masterbuy Audiobooks ISBN 0964559374
Buy
Audio edition cover
Playaway
Jan 2001 Dreamscape Media ISBN 1624061966
Buy
Audio edition cover
Audio CD
Dec 2010 Tantor Media ISBN 1452630615
Buy
Audio edition cover
Audio CD
Dec 2010 Tantor Media ISBN 1452600619
Buy
Audio edition cover
MP3 CD
Dec 2010 Tantor Media ISBN 1452650616
Buy
Audio edition cover
Audible
Feb 2011 Tantor Audio ISBN B004MKCP3E
Buy
Audio edition cover
Audio CD
Dec 2012 Dreamscape Media ISBN 1624061915
Buy
Audio edition cover
MP3 CD
Dec 2012 Dreamscape Media ISBN 1624061958
Buy