Willard Motley

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1947-06-13

Willard Motley was an African-American writer, related to the noted artist Archibald Motley. The two were raised as brothers, although in actuality Archibald was Willard's uncle. Born into an affluent family in either 1909 or 1912 (sources vary), Willard Motley he grew up in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, in one of the only African-American families residing there.

The Chicago Defender published some of Motley's fiction when he was only 13 years old, launching him on his career as a writer. He was soon writing a weekly column for young readers called "Bud Says" under the pseudonym "Bud Billikin" (Chicago still holds an annual Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic).

After graduating from high school Motley traveled to New York, California and the western states, earning a living through various menial jobs, as well as by writing for the radio and newspapers. Returning to Chicago in 1939, he lived near the Maxwell Street Market, which was to figure prominently in his later writing. He became associated with Hull House, and helped found the Hull House Magazine, in which some of his fiction appeared. In 1940 he wrote for the Works Progress Administration Federal Writers Project along with Richard Wright and Nelson Algren.

In 1947 his first novel, Knock on Any Door appeared to critical acclaim. A work of gritty naturalism, it concerns the life of Nick Romano, an Italian American altar boy who turns to crime because of poverty and the difficulties of the immigrant experience. It was an immediate hit, selling 47,000 copies during its first three weeks in print. In 1949 it became a movie starring Humphrey Bogart. In response to critics who charged Motley with avoiding issues of race by writing about white characters, Motley said "My race is the human race."

His second novel, We Fished All Night was not hailed as a success, and after it appeared Motley moved to Mexico to start over. His third novel, Let No Man Write My Epitaph picks up the story of Knock on Any Door. Columbia Pictures made it into a movie in 1960. Ella Fitzgerald's music for the film was released on the album Ella Fitzgerald Sings Songs from "Let No Man Write My Epitaph".

The bulk of Motley's archive is held in Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University.

On March 4, 1965, Motley died in Mexico City. One final novel, Let Noon Be Fair was published the following year.