The Outsiders

Bismillah, Godspeed," said President Sukarno, at the end of his opening speech at the first Asia-Africa Conference, 60 years ago. Roaring applause and standing ovation from the audience when he stepped down from the podium.

At the balcony, Richard Wright sat along with 376 other journalists163 from around Indonesia and 213 from other countries. As Sukarno walked out of the arena, the American journalist and writer tried to absorb the 40 minute-speech in Javanese-accented English that he had just listened to. Wright had just witnessed the first inter-racial and religious collaboration in Bandung, 17,000 kilometers away from his native Mississippi.

April 21, 2015