Native Son contains several allusions to other works that were significant during Wright's time. One of the major works that influenced Native Son was Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), the best-selling novel of the 19th century which also played a major role in the abolitionist movement.Hochman, Barbara. "Uncle Tom's Cabin at the World's Columbian Exposition". Libraries & Culture. Volume 4, Number 1, Winter 2006, pp. 82-108. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2006. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1963.
