Authors like as Richard Wright and Gwendolyn Brooks wrote on racial segregation and black nationalism throughout the Civil Rights Movement. African American literature was a mechanism for free blacks in the early Republic to negotiate their identity in an individualized republic. The literature also served to challenge stereotypes about black people. Segregation affected the ability of blacks to move into other areas of life, including higher education, which were reserved for whites only. Blacks had to find ways to communicate their ideas and feelings around race while staying within the law. Literature provided them with a way to express themselves without risking arrest or physical injury. Brooks used her position as editor of the journal that published her work to argue for equal treatment for blacks in schools. She also organized literary events where blacks could meet outside of the home and hear speakers discuss issues related to slavery and racism. Wright traveled across the country giving speeches on behalf of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). He argued that segregation was harmful to black people because it prevented them from achieving economic success or self-determination. Both authors expressed concerns about white supremacy through their works. Wright described how blacks' ability to think for themselves was suppressed under slavery and later during periods of segregation. He wanted readers to understand this so they would not be surprised by racist acts toward blacks.