<I>The Third Generation</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1954
name: label: Written by
content: Chester Himes, American, 1909 - 1984
label: Illustrated by
content: Stanley M. Zuckerberg, American, 1919 - 1995
label: Published by
content: The World Syndicate Publishing Company, American, 1908 - 1974
notes: label: Caption
content: Chester Himes’ literary legacy has been largely forgotten, particularly outside literary circles. But before there was Walter Mosley, there was Chester Himes (1909 – 1984), whose seminal mid20th century detective novels laid the foundation for African American urban crime fiction of today. The Third Generation, which examines family life, is Himes’ fourth novel and, like Himes’ first novel, is also scarce. The title refers to being the third generation out of slavery and the implications for family.
label: Description
content: A hardcover first edition of Chester Himes' fourth novel, The Third Generation. The title of the book represents a fictional family three generations post-slavery, whose story unfolds tragically, amidst racism and disenfranchisement. The book is protected by a plastic-covered brown and white dust jacket, which depicts a family of four. The dark-haired father wearing a bright shirt and dark tie, sits at a table with his fists clenched. Eyeglasses rest across from his hands and his expression is anxious. A woman wearing a short sleeve pink dress stands over his proper left shoulder, at the frame of an open door. A light-colored coat hangs over her proper right arm and she holds a suitcase in her proper left hand. Beside her stands a young boy wearing a bright long sleeve shirt and dark pants. Across from the mother stands another young boy wearing a checkered jacket and brown pants. He carries a tan and blue bag in his proper left hand. Mother and sons gaze at the father with mixed expressions. They are flanked by a telephone pole, visible from the open door. The illustrator’s signature [Zuckerberg] is written in the bottom right corner in bright ink. The reverse side of the dust jacket features a black-and-white photograph of Chester Himes wearing a dark jacket, white shirt, and patterned tie. Below the image in black font is: [photography by Michael Low, London / CHESTER HIMES / 1609].
place: label: Place depicted
content: United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Children
label: Topic
content: Literature
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Race relations
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Books and Published Materials
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2018.46.5
objectType: label: Type
content: books
label: Type
content: hardcover books
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Chester Himes
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on wove paper and cardboard
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 8 1/4 × 5 9/16 × 1 3/8 in. (21 × 14.2 × 3.5 cm)