Letter to Charles Chesnutt from W. E. B. Du Bois
date: label: Date
content: July 12, 1903
name: label: Written by
content: W.E.B. Du Bois, American, 1868 - 1963
label: Received by
content: Charles W. Chesnutt, American, 1858 - 1932
label: Subject of
content: Knoxville College, American, founded 1875
notes: label: Caption
content: W.E.B. Du Bois (1868 1963) was the preeminent African American public intellectual/activist of the early 20th century while Charles Chesnutt (1858 1932) was a prominent author of fictional works that dealt with issues facing African Americans of the era. In this letter, Du Bois proposes the creation of a "journal" dealing with African American life. This is likely an early expression of his interest in developing what becomes The Crisis, the official journal of the NAACP.
label: Description
content: A one-sided, single sheet handwritten letter written by W. E. B. Du Bois to Charles Chesnutt. The letter is written on Knoxville College stationery. The letterhead has typewritten text in black that reads [OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, / RALPH W. MCGRANAHAN] at the top left and [KNOXVILLE COLLEGE, / KNOXVILLE, TENN.] at center.
label: Description
content: The letter is handwritten in black ink with the date [July 16, 1903] at the top right. The body of the letter reads: [Dear Mr. Chestnutt: I am going to be in Boston this summer @ 97 Sawyer Ave., Dorchester. It is barely possible that I may get west, if so I’ll let you know. I am rather confident that the right kind of journal could get support and I propose to edit it myself. I have an excellent printer in mind—college bred + expert + full of sacrifice. I hope we can talk this matter over.]. It is signed at bottom right [Very Sincerely / W.E.B. Du Bois].
label: Transcription Center Status
content: Transcribed by digital volunteers
place: label: Place made
content: Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: Correspondence
label: Topic
content: Education
label: Topic
content: HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
label: Topic
content: Literature
label: Topic
content: Social reform
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Documents and Manuscripts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of James Lowell Gibbs, Jr. and Jewelle Taylor Gibbs
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2012.48
objectType: label: Type
content: business letters
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper (fiber product)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 11 x 8 1/2 in. (27.9 x 21.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: framed: 18 1/4 x 15 1/2 x 1 in. (46.4 x 39.4 x 2.5 cm)