Wright was a committed liberal. In 1961, he protested the United States embargo against Cuba and later became an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam War. Though he espoused challenging views in public, in his personal life he did not believe in forcing his views on others and he made it a habit of not giving his opinion unless it was asked of him. He was known to be a reserved and modest person, so much so that his colleagues planned his retirement event to honor his accomplishments in secret. Wright died on January 11, 2000, at the age of 87 from complications with diabetes.