Porgy

Publisher Marketing: 1925. This classic tale was Heyward's first novel and was an immediate success. The story is set on the waterfront of Old Charleston where stands Catfish Row, a venerable Negro tenement whose courtyard swarms with Southern Negro life. There lived Porgy, a black cripple and a beggar, who all day long sat in the sunshine of Charleston's streets and at night joined the wild crap games of the Negro longshoremen in the courtyard. One sultry night the game broke up in a tragic fight and young Croun, a powerful fellow had to flee to the swamps. His girl, Bess, remained behind, and as time went on she brought love and happiness for the first time into Porgy's life. Contributor Bio:  Heyward, Du Bose Heyward was a central figure in both the Charleston and the Southern Renaissance. His influence extended to the Harlem Renaissance as well. However, Heyward is often remembered simply as the author of Porgy.