Chester Himes

Date of Birth: July 29, 1909

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: November 12, 1984

Biography

Chester Himes was an influential American writer, best known for his hard-boiled crime novels set in Harlem, New York City. Born on July 29, 1909, in Jefferson City, Missouri, Himes had a tumultuous early life marked by racial injustices and personal tragedies. His father was a professor of industrial trades, and his mother was a teacher, but the family faced significant financial difficulties. Himes’s life took a dramatic turn when he was sentenced to prison for armed robbery at the age of 19. It was during his seven and a half years in prison that he began to write, publishing his first stories in magazines such as “Esquire” and “Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine.” Upon his release, Himes moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to write and eventually relocated to Paris, France, in the 1950s. It was in France that he wrote his most famous works, including the Harlem Detective series featuring detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones. Himes’s novels are celebrated for their gritty realism, complex characters, and incisive social commentary on race relations in America. Himes lived in Europe for much of his later life, primarily in France and Spain. He passed away on November 12, 1984, in Moraira, Spain, leaving behind a legacy of literary works that continue to resonate with readers and scholars alike.

5 Interesting Facts about Chester Himes

1. Chester Himes began writing during his imprisonment for armed robbery and found early success with short stories published in major magazines.

2. He is best known for his Harlem Detective series, which includes notable works such as “Cotton Comes to Harlem” and “A Rage in Harlem.”

3. Himes spent much of his later life in Europe, where he was more widely celebrated and respected than in the United States.

4. His early novel, “If He Hollers Let Him Go,” published in 1945, is considered one of the first novels to address the complexities of race and racism in America during World War II.

5. Chester Himes was awarded the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in 1958 for his novel “For Love of Imabelle” (also known as “A Rage in Harlem”).

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Chester Himes

1. “I grew to manhood in the Ohio State Penitentiary. I was not born there, but I grew there.”

2. “The Harlem of my books was never meant to be real; I never called it real. It was symbolic.”

3. “It seemed to me then that all men were naturally treacherous, and I was not wrong.”

4. “I write for truth, for justice, to end racial hatred and to save the world.”

5. “The people in my books are both black and white, and they are all criminals. They are all outlaws.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Chester Himes’s highest net worth is not definitively documented, but his literary success, especially posthumously, has secured his place as a significant figure in American literature.