associated with her higher class), employment discrimination against blacks, and class divisions among whites and blacks. Communism is featured generously, as the Communist unionists ("agitators") are the only ones who talk about the issue of race in any way with which the protagonist agrees. There is some reference to jazz. The novel is referred to in Frantz Fanon's book, Black Skin White Masks (1952), first published in French, in the chapter titled "The Fact of Blackness". Reception Critics praised this first novel by Himes, classifying it in the "protest novel" tradition established by Richard Wright. References 1945 American novels Novels by Chester Himes African-American novels Novels set in Los Angeles Novels about race and ethnicity American novels adapted into films Novels set during World War II Doubleday, Doran books