The Nathan Wright, Jr. Papers reflect his numerous interests and endeavors in the fields of religion, black power, education and race relations. The Personal Papers series includes Wright's lengthy CV's, printed information about him, a dissertation written about Wright's ideas about black education (1973), and papers regarding his ordination in 1950. Files pertaining to his education include papers he wrote as a college student, most concerning religious issues, as well as his 1964 Ph.D. dissertation entitled "The Life and Educational Thought of Bernard Iddings Bell" (1886-1958). Also contained in this series are genealogical files, his obituaries, papers regarding his funeral service, and biographical information written by Wright's children. The Religious and Professional Activities series contains many of Wright's sermons, information regarding his stewardships, and his ministry which he called the "Greater Things Ministries." There are also files regarding the "Assault-on-Illiteracy-Program" (1981-1982) of which Wright served as national chairman. This program strove to rectify the devastating effects of a "functional illiteracy" rate of 44% among black youth nationwide. Included in this series are statements Wright prepared for a 1969 Senate investigation, particularly concerning economic and other changes that affected black people. The series Speeches, Addresses and Papers covers drafts and final versions of papers which Wright presented, some of which express his views on black power and race relations. The Writings series is divided into published and unpublished works. Wright's drafts for published articles, many concerning black power, are in this series. Included are semi-monthly summaries, legislative alerts, articles regarding black empowerment, his column "Peace and Power" and papers which were published in such journals as "Laity Exchange Magazine," "Media Review and Viewpoint." Also included are his newspaper columns "Black Empowerment," and "Toward Empowerment." A significant part of the collection is the Writings - Unpublished subseries. There are numerous drafts of Wright's autobiography, "Patrician Poor - Reflections on a Black Upbringing," what appears to be a complete version of his manuscript "God's History and Other Verse" as well as "Semitic Wisdom: Judaic Insights for Human Liberation," and "Let Zion Sing! Poetic Reflections on the Psalms." There is also a manuscript for "Urban Issues Facing the Churches," and "We've All Been Tricked (A Study of Black Power and Family Planning)," and folders labeled "Black Poetry" and "Words of Life."
