(copy of December 12, 1925 letter from Harry Block)

Dear Hughes:--

Many thanks for your letter. I am glad to hear that you are going to start work on the book but I think it would be rather silly to starve to death in order to do it. I met Alain Locke the other day, just before he went back to Washington. He is a very interesting person with one of the most curious minds I have ever known. I wish you would let me know what happens to his row at the University. I am very much interested in the situation down there.

Smertenko's name is spelled as you see. I have been talking to him about your publicity in Washington and we both feel that there has probably been enough done for the present. There is no need, of course, of your side-stepping anything that may come your way, but for the time being, would probably be a good idea not to get any more than you have already. It would be better, on the whole, not to overdo the thing before the book is published. Later on, we can get after these newspaper birds again and see what we can do with them. Of course, if Vachell Lindsay wants to do anything on his own hook, let him go as far as he likes.

I hope you will write and let me know as soon as possible, what you have decided to do about giving the reading in New York. I want to make it clear again that there is no reason in the world for your doing this unless you really want to, but if you think you would like to do it, I shall have to have some time in advance in order to make the best possible arrangements. And write me about anything else that may come up that you think I ought to know about. Miguel asks to be remembered to you.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

June 27, 1930.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Thank you for your list of Negro periodicals and Negro publicists. Your list included 43 names. Obviously it would be impossible for us to send a copy of the book to each one of these besides sending books to our regular (and very long) newspaper and magazine list. For the time being I am picking out those individuals and publications which seem most important.

When Mr. James Weldon Johnson returns to New York, and that will be in the very near future, I shall discuss your list with him and have him give me his opinion regarding the best sources for publicity. I shall then send books to Mr. Johnson's choices. If you still wish to send copies to the remaining names, I am afraid that you will have to be billed for them.

I wish I didn't have to do this but it seems that I have to comply with a budget system. At that, Mrs. Knopf has been kind enough to allow me to double the extreme budget for "Not Without Laughter".

bs:er

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Westfield, New Jersey.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

July 29, 1930.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

You may be interested in the following
comment on "Not Without Laughter" from
Benjamin Brawley.

A few days ago you were so good as to
send me for review "Not Without Laughter",
by Mr. Langston Hughes. I regret after an
examination that I cannot review this book,
at least not without calling attention to its
very unpleasant tone, and that I should prefer
not to do. The book is being returned to-day.
I have sometimes had to wonder how such an
excellent firm as yours brings out such books
as this, but I guess you know best what you
want to publish.

What can we do with a mind like Professor
Brawley's?

bs:er

Langston Hughes, Esq.
P.O.Box 94
Westfield, New Jersey.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

July 29, 1930

Langston Hughes, Esq.
P.O. 94
Westfield, N.J.

Dear Sirs

The Transportation Company has returned to us 1 copy of your book NOT WITHOUT LAUGHTER which you ordered sent to:

Arturo Gonzalez Dorticos
Edificio Abreu
Dept. 310
Mercaderes #8
Habana Cuba

but this book never reached him.

Will you kindly inform us if this is an error of the Transportation Company or if this is an incorrect address.

Yours faithfully,
ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC.

AE:VC

ALFRED·A·KNOPF

INCORPORATED

730 FIFTH AVENUE

New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: CIRCLE 7-7670

March 2, 1931.

Dear Langston Hughes,

This letter is probably an act of impertinence. I can excuse it
only by saying that it is being written at the request of Walter White.

I met White about a week ago at a party. We talked about your work in general and "Not Without Laughter" in particular, and I happened to mention your new volume of poems. Naturally, he wanted to know my opinion of it. I told him, frankly, that I was rather disappointed, and after explaining why, he urged me to write to you about it. This is the result. You will understand that I am doing it only after much hesitation. My opinion will no doubt be of little significance to you, but White evidently thinks otherwise.

There are several poems in your new collection which seem to me to be
among the very best you have ever written. They are all in the section
devoted to racial protest. This fact leads me to conclude that it is not
so much the poetic quality they may possess that gives them value, but
rather their intensity of feeling, their meaning, their strength and vigor.
These latter qualities also characterized your New Masses Christmas poem,
unfortunately omitted from this collection.

The other poems, lyrics of love and loneliness, seem to me to be
neither distinguished nor important. So many poets have treated these
emotions!

It appears that, however intensely you may experience these moods,
in the process of objectifying them into poetry you lose something, because
subconsciously you suspect they are minor. But in the process of rendering
your racial feelings into poetry you lose nothing, because subconsciously
you know they are major.

Finally, with "Not Without Laughter" you entered a new phase. It is
certainly the most important piece of work you have done. To publish this
volume of poems now would be an act of retrogression. There is no need for
it. I am impressed, too, with the fact that the best ingredients in your
new poems can best be put into prose. I think you have, artistically,
intellectually and emotionally, reached a point at which it would be sheer
waste to recall past moods and methods.

Blame this letter on Walter White, if you will, or on my sincere
interest in and appreciation of your work.

<table><tr><td>RED CROSS</td></tr><tr><td>ROLL CALL</td></tr><tr><td>JOIN</td></tr></table>

Mr. Hampton Hughes

of "The Crisis" by Fifth Avenue in New York City

167 Congress
Charleston, South Carolina
1/6 Jan. & broom

ALFRED·A·KNOPF

INCORPORATED

730 FIFTH AVENUE

New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: CIRCLE 7-7670

January 11, 1932

My dear Mr. Hughes,

Mrs. Knopf has asked me to write you in regard to the selection of poems in your book, THE DREAM KEEPER and Other Poems. As Miss Helen Sewell, the artist, is ready to begin work, we have to decide definitely the order of the poems and just what will appear.

As the poems are divided into groups, don't you think that the DREAM KEEPER group and the poem of that name should be first? As the Table of Contents is now arranged the group SEA CHARM comes first.

You know that we are bringing out these poems as definitely for older boys and girls, from twelve years up, and so the little "Play that Might Be True," THE GOLD PIECE, which appeared in the BROWNIES' BOOK first, is too young to be included in this collection. We would rather include a few more of your poems from THE WEARY BLUES and FINE CLOTHES TO THE JEW. We have added the three already, which you suggested - THE WEARY BLUES, THE BOUND NO'T BLUES, and BANJO DANCE. I am not sure in what groups these belong, and tentatively have placed the first two under the section DRESSED UP, as it already contains some "Blues" poems. The third, BANJO DANCE, I have placed with WALKERS WITH THE DAWN. If these do not seem logical to you, please instruct us where you prefer them to be inserted.

In the DREAM KEEPER group, would you mind omitting MARCH MOON ?

Mr. Hughes
- page 2-

Somehow I don't feel that it is in quite the same vein as the others, and
as there is WINTER MOON it would be difficult for the artist to do an illus-
tration for each of them so close together. Under the grouping, FEET
O' JESUS, what do you think of putting in JUDGMENT DAY from FINE CLOTHES
in place of SHOUT? SHOUT is so very short, being only three lines, that
I doubt if it would hold the children's attention.

I am sorry to so besiege you with suggestions and questions which
it would be much easier to settle when you are in New York, but Miss Sewell
has to know the poems and the proper order to plan her designs. I hope
you are still telling all the teachers and students whom you meet on the
tour about the new edition which is coming; especially the secondary schools.
It will mean very valuable publicity and if you keep lists of their names and
addresses we can send them letters next summer.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Fort Valley High and Ind. School
Fort Valley, Georgia

P. S. If you have done any new poems recently which would fit in, do
let us see them.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

Langston Hughes, Esq.
State Teachers College
Montgomery, Alabama

January 21, 1932

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Thank you for your letter of the seventeenth.

It was received yesterday, and I sent for the
manuscript from the artist at once, and have had
it mailed to you by first class special delivery
this morning, to the State Teachers College, c/o
H. C. Trenholm, Montgomery, Alabama.

With the manuscript is the play, The Gold Piece,
which you asked for.

We all think THE DREAM KEEPER an excellent
title. I am glad you do too. I notice that it
was Miss Power's choice.

We shall be glad to have the manuscript back
as soon as you have finished working over it.

h

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

January 30th, 1932

Langston Hughes Esq.,
Lincoln University,
Chester County, Pa.

Dear Sirs:

We are enclosing, herewith, royalty
reports for the royalty period ending
December 31st on THE WEARY BLUES, FINE
CLOTHES TO THE JEW and NOT WITHOUT LAUGHTER.

Your purchases during the period
exceeded royalties earned by $40.99. For
your convenience we have charged these
purchases to your royalty account. As we
prefer to keep these items entirely separate
from royalties we would appreciate your
cooperation by remitting the balance of
$40.99 now due us.

JCL:MM
Enc.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

February 9th, 1932.

Mr. Langston Hughes
% New Orleans University
New Orleans, La.

My Dear Mr. Hughes:

In compliance with a telegram received from you, we are rushing your request to the University and undoubtedly the shipment will arrive there by Thursday.

For the past several weeks we have sent through several shipments totaling almost $200 which had been charged to your account. You understand, of course, that these invoices are due and payable upon the rendering of our formal invoices. To date, no remittance had been received and we are accordingly submitting this respectful reminder to you.

Please, therefore, give this matter your immediate consideration so that we may receive a remittance from you promptly.

ML:em

On tour,
Tougaloo College,
Tougaloo, Mississippi,
February 8, 1932.

My dear Miss Hayes,

The manuscript of THE DREAM KEEPER has been mailed off to you registered special delivery. I am sorry to have had to keep it so long. A very heavy schedule of lectures the last ten days: Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, and the fact that I couldn't get stenographic service anywhere lately have held me up greatly. Several new poems have been inserted, the order revised, a note on Blues included, etc. I hope you will like the present arrangement and additions, and that the book will now be considered complete—except for the introduction which you have in your office. Should the artist need any suggestions or explanations from me in order to complete her drawings, I'd of course be most happy to give them to her. Miss Power writes me that she is highly pleased with the selection of Miss Sewall as the illustrator. I am glad, too...Unfortunately, most of my new unpublished poems I left at home in Jersey, thinking that the manuscript as left with Miss Fiery was completed. But I hope with the present additions, it will be O. K...You may write me at Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, where I'll be on the 13th and 14th.

All good wishes to you with the book,

Sincerely,

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

February 12, 1932

Dear Mr. Hughes,

The manuscript arrived and thank you for
sending it. It is in excellent shape now, and
Miss Sewell is working on it. If you would like
to write Miss Sewell, and I think it would be
very helpful for her, her address is:

Miss Helen Sewell
18 West 16th Street
New York.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Tuskegee Institute
Tuskegee Institute, Alabama

h

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

April 5, 1932

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I should like to know about the
"Acknowledgments" for the poems in THE DREAM
KEEPER. I see that in both FINE CLOTHES and
THE WEARY BLUES you have thanked various
magazines, and we should know which ones
to thank in THE DREAM KEEPER.

Will you please let me know as soon as
you can. Miss Sewell was so pleased that you
like her pictures.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
1216 Dowson Street
c/o R. R. Davenport
San Antonio, Texas.

h P.S. We will send proofs soon to Los Angeles.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

April 12, 1932

Dear Mr. Hughes,

No doubt you have received my letter of
the fifth asking you about the Acknowledgments
for THE DREAM KEEPER, and I hope soon to hear
from you.

Now I would like to know if you wish to
dedicate the book to anyone? I hope you will
let me know as soon as you can.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
837 East 24th Street
c/o Loren Miller
Los Angeles, California.

h

ALFRED · A · KNOPF
INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE
*New York*

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

August 5, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes:

We are sending you a complimentary advance copy of Chester Himes's
LONELY CRUSADE, which we are to publish September 8th. You may remember
Mr. Himes as the author of IF HE HOLLERS LET HIM GO, which created
quite a stir two years ago.

Richard Wright, who has read the advance galleys, writes: "If I had
the power, I'd pass a law requiring that every Liberal, Socialist, and
Communist read and reread Chester Himes's novel, LONELY CRUSADE, for in
this book they can see themselves as Negroes see them....Because Himes
tells the brutal truth, because he has courage, and because of his straight
realism, I say, Long Live Chester Himes!"

We are interested in getting some other reactions to LONELY CRUSADE
and would appreciate your sending us a few lines concerning it which we
might use, with your name subjoined, for promotion and advertising.

el

Langston Hughes, Esq.
634 St. Nicholas Ave.
New York City

August 23, 1947

Mr. Bill Cole,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
New York City.

Dear Bill:

Some publicity notes for possible use in connection
with FIELDS OF WONDER:

In November I begin my twelfth lecture season---
and 1947-48's tour will mark my sixth transcontinental
tour reading my own poems of Negro life to audiences.
(Booked by W. Colston Leigh, Inc.)

I have just written a long BALLAD OF THE FREEDOM
TRAIN especially commissioned by the magazine, OUR WORLD,
to appear in their October issue---double page center
spread---to celebrate the beginning of the year-long
tour of the Freedom Train.

The Fall issue of PHYLON, Atlanta University Quarterly,
will carry a piece on MY ADVENTURES AS A SOCIAL POET. And
the Fall issue of COMMON GROUND carries a series of drafts
showing the progress of a STREET SCENE lyric in various
versions.

Sincerely,

August 23, 1947

Dear Bill:

The Fall issue of PHYLON, Atlanta University Quarterly,
will carry a piece on MY ADVENTURES AS A SOCIAL POET. And
the Fall Issue of COMMON GROUND carries a series of drafts
showing the progress of a STREET SCENE lyric in various
versions.

Sincerely,

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York 22, N.Y.

August 29, 1947

Mr. Langston Hughes
c/o Harper
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York City, New York

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I have received an order from Norway for
one copy each of NEW SONG and DEAR, LOVELY
DEATH.

Although, we have checked through all your
published books, we can find no record of
the above two.

Would you, therefore, be good enough and
give us any information concerning them.

JL/kc

THIS SIDE OF CARD IS FOR ADDRESS

<table><tr><td>SAVE THE EASY WAY</td></tr><tr><td>BUY U.S. BONDS ON</td></tr><tr><td>PAYROLL SAVINGS</td></tr></table>

YONK, NEVADA
SEP 25, 1947
1339

Hughes
Nicholas Ave

60

ALFRED·A·KNOPF·Inc.

BORZOI BOOKS
for Young People

PLaza 3-4761

501 Madison Ave. N.Y.

September 25, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes:

As the new editor of juvenile books at
Knopf, I wish to extend my greetings to you.

You have no doubt heard that in the spring
we are publishing Arna Bontemps' book STORY OF THE NEGRO.
Mr. Bontemps has planned to use your poem "The Negro Speaks
of Rivers" as a follow-up to his dedication of the book to you.
The poem fits in so beautifully that I hope you will grant us
your permission to use it in this way.

Miss Ruth Shair, of this Department, in-
forms me that at one time you had in mind doing the "Ice Cream
Book." It sounds quite intriguing and I am wondering what you
have done about it. In any event, I hope that we will be able
to get together soon.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 30, New York

ml

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

January 15, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I wish to acknowledge your letter of January 12 concerning payment to Mr. Jacob Lawrence for the six black and white illustrations to be supplied for your forthcoming book of poems. I have today taken up with our Business Department question of these payments. I find that it would be extremely difficult for US in the matter of bookkeeping to make these payments. At the present moment, for example, I find that there is only $180.00 in your account, an amount likely to be reduced by further purchases. Under the contract, furthermore, no advance is due you on the new book, but you receive accrued royalties on publication date.

I am afraid, therefore, that you will have to make arrangements directly with Mr. Lawrence for the payments, thus allowing us to continue paying directly to you such sums as become due you.

I trust that this arrangement will meet with your approval.

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 30, N.Y.

f

January 22, 1948

Dear Mr. Weinstock:

I forgot to tell you on the phone today that
I have chosen as a title for the new book of poems,

ONE-WAY TICKET

which I have tried out on a number of people and everyone
seems to like it.

As soon as I receive your letter, regarding
the Jacob Lawrence drawings, I will write his agent bind-
ing the agreement.

All good wishes to you.

Sincerely,

Mr. Herbert Weinstock
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York 22, New York

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

January 29, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I have tried out the title *One-Way Ticket* on our Editorial and Sales Depart-
ments, and can report a favorable reaction. That will be the title.

We have agreed with Mr. Charles Alan, of The Downtown Gallery, to use Mr.
Lawrence's name on the title page of your book and on all advertising and pro-
motional material where there is physical space for such mention. Otherwise,
I have made clear to Mr. Alan that the arrangements about the illustrations are
not in our hands, but are strictly between you and Mr. Lawrence or Mr. Alan, as
Mr. Lawrence's agent. It is my understanding that Mr. Lawrence will submit the
first illustration he finishes so that we may criticize it from the point of view
of reproduceability. We must also, of course, stipulate that the six illustrations
will be used only if you and we find them satisfactory.

I trust that this gives you all the information you need.

f

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

April 9, 1948

Langston Hughes,
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York City, N.Y.

Dear Sir:

A Tax Convention had been signed by
The United States and the United Kingdom which
cancelled the previous withholding regulations
in connection with royalty payments.

We have now received a refund from the
Cashier of the Internal Revenue in Great Britain
for the taxes withheld. Accordingly, we are
pleased to enclose herewith our check for $5.09
which represents your share of the refund.

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

PUBLISHER OF

BORZOI BOOKS

April 20, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Today Mr. Jacob Lawrence has delivered 6 illustrations for your forthcoming book of poems. From a technical point of view they are entirely satisfactory for reproduction. Blanche Knopf has seen them and likes them very much. We are therefore ready to proceed with the manufacturing of the book as soon as you have okayed the illustrations. Please let me know whether or not you wish to hold up sending them to the engraver until you have seen them--and if you do, when you will be in New York.

Please let me have your instructions as soon as is possible.

HW:ls

Langston Hughes, Esq.
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York, New York

Hollow Hills Farm,
Carmel Valley Route,
Monterey, California,
April 23, 1948.

Mr. Herbert Weinstock,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York 22, New York.

Dear Mr. Weinstock,

I am delighted that Jacob Lawrence has delivered the six drawings for ONE-WAY TICKET and that Blanche likes them. Since I will not be returning to New York before June, I authorize you to proceed with the manufacturing of the book and to send the drawings to the engraver. However, if it is possible to send me proofs of the six drawings here within the next three weeks, I would appreciate seeing them. About May 17 I start across country stopping at various points on the way.

Alfred · A · Knopf Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

April 27, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thank you for your letter of April 23rd. With your permission on hand I have started the manufacturing process of *One-Way Ticket*. I am afraid that it will be impossible to send you proofs *within three weeks*. If you let me know when you will be back in New York, it may be possible to have the proofs by the time of your arrival here.

HW:ls

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Hollow Hills Farm
Carmel Valley Route
Monterey, California

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

Notes sent to both,
El Paso,
5/24/48
Alfred · A · Knopf Incorporated

Get ALL assignments
501 Madison Avenue

for SELECTED POEMS.
NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

May 6, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I assume that you are proceeding to obtain
assignments of copyright to cover all the poems
in *One Way Ticket* that have been published pre-
viously in magazines and elsewhere. As you know,
our Mr. William A. Koshland must have these in
hand before he can proceed to arrange for the
copyright of the book. Please communicate with
him about this.

HW:ls

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

June 8, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I am enclosing a copy of a letter
from a Mr. Julio Galer which is self-
explanatory.

We shall, of course, be delighted to
send a photograph and biographical material,
but need a little more information concerning
the books. Which, if any, would you want us
to send him and how should we charge it?

Langston Hughes, Esq.
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 30, N. Y.

r
enc-

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

June 12, 1948

(HEADING)

Dear Editor:

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., is publishing my new book of poems,
ONE WAY TICKET. It will contain:

SOULD BE BLUES

which first appeared in your publication, *Please be so kind as to assign
MILLERSON immediately the copyright on this material to Alfred A. Knopf,
Inc., 501 Madison Avenue, New York 22, New York.*

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

PUBLISHER OF

BORZOI BOOKS

June 25, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

As a result of our conversation regarding certain foreign rights in
your books I have looked into the records and find that we did make a
contract with Éditions de Minuit for THE WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS, but have
not yet received a copy of the book. I will write Mrs. Bradley in
Paris at once to find out if, as you have been informed, the book has
been published, why no copies have been sent to us.

The same holds true of THE BIG SEA which is to be published in Italy
by Einaudi. There is an agent here in New York who acts for that pub-
lisher and I will ask him for the latest dope on that ~~1941~~. I do not
know what your informant in South America means by a Penguin edition of
THE WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS. We have no knowledge of any such edition of
the book. I would appreciate your obtaining further information for us
as to this matter.

The letters of permission are coming in on ONE WAY TICKET, although
there are still several quarters to be heard from. I will, of course,
have to write back to several asking for assignments of copyright, as they
have only sent us the informal letters of permission.

If there is anything else to report to you on the foreign sales, I will
be delighted to let you know. One thing more - we did arrange with Mrs.
Bradley in Paris for a single little volume in German of the story,
"Father and Son" from THE WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS, to be published by the

(over)

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

August 17, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Giulio Einaudi Editore of Turin, Italy,
write as follows:

"Mr. Greenburger writes that Langston Hughes has inquired about THE BIG SEA. You can say him that THE BIG SEA has come out under the title NEL MARE DELLA VITA. We are awaiting for the Banca d'Italia permission to forward you the contract copies."

I trust you will find this information
helpful.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
20 East 127th Street
New York 35, N. Y.

r

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

333

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

September 17, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I have been making a final check on the number of copyright assignments for the poems to appear in ONE WAY TICKET. According to my records we have received assignments or written permission on all of the poems which you listed with the exception of the following:

"Jitney" - Circuit

"Song for Billy Holiday" - Jazz Forum

"Request for Requiems" - ""

"Ballad for Margie Polite" - Amsterdam News

"South Side: Chicago" - Poetry (Australia)

"Migrant" - ""

"Third Degree" - ""

"Interne at Provident" - ""

"Summer Evening: Calumet Avenue" - Poetry Quarterly (London)

I don't anticipate any trouble as far as the Australian and British publications are concerned, but I do think it would be a good idea to get after Circuit, Jazz Forum and Amsterdam News. I am assuming that all the rest of the poems, on which no letters were written, are appearing in print for the first time and will be covered by the copyright of the book as a whole.

One more thing in connection with copyright. For my own information, will you tell me the exact titles of the poems which appeared in Opportunity in 1937 under the title of "Three Poems about Lynching".

Langston Hughes, Esq.

September 17, 1948

I find that I never acknowledged yours of August 30th, but I do so now. Certainly I will make every effort to secure copies of the foreign editions of your books as they are published. You do recall, I hope, that the advances which appear on your royalty report are paid considerably ahead of the book's publication. Just as a matter of policy, we always provide for the advance to be paid on the signing of the contract. This acts as a binder on the publisher in question. Delays abroad are frequent as a general rule and you can pretty well expect that a year, and generally two, will elapse before receipt of the books.

We are in correspondence with Mr. Galer of the Argentine regarding publication of your poems in Spanish and I will keep you advised of what happens.

In her letter of August 17th to you, my secretary merely passed on what
your Italian publisher gave in the way of explanation for the delay in getting their
edition of THE BIG SEA to us. NEL MARE DELLA VITA finally did come in this week
and a copy of it was sent to you on September 13th. I trust it will have reached
you by this time. With kind regards,

r

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

September 24, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Many thanks for yours of September 18th regarding the copyright matter. I rather imagine we will be getting no reply from *Circuit*, but since there has been no word as yet from the *Amsterdam News*, I will appreciate your calling to clear this for me. I honestly don't believe that there is any violation of copyright to be feared, however I do like to clear up these things when I can.

We will write Italy to see if we can get a couple more copies of NEL MARE DELLA VITA.

Our correspondence with the agents of the Argentine publisher, who arranged the contract for the Julio Galer translations of your poems, are proposing a certain portion of the advance previously paid us for SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM by

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

P.T.O.Z

341

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

October 11, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Many thanks for yours of October 6th regarding the excellent translation by Herbert Roch of your poems for a couple of periodicals published in Berlin. There is no serious reason why we should not grant him permission to excerpt a chapter or two from THE BIG SEA in German for inclusion in Ost Und West. There might be some question at a future date should a German publisher be interested in publishing THE BIG SEA as a whole, but I think we can cross that bridge when we come to it. I am sorry but the name Kantorowicz means nothing to me, since I was in no position to know who was or was not with CBS during the war.

Here is the address of the Italian publisher of THE BIG SEA:

Giulio Rinaudi ~~Publishers~~ Editore
5 bis Corso Umberto
Turin, Italy

Its rather exciting news about the new poem which you have just completed, and I most certainly will look forward to reading it when and if you let us see the manuscript. With my usual best regards.

Sincerely,
for ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC.

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS
New York 35, N. Y.

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

PUBLISHER OF

BORZOI BOOKS

October 22, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I would like to write a letter about your new book for the two-
fold purpose of announcing it to your friends and selling it by mail to
people who presumably would be interested in its appearance.

As a nucleus, I find in our files several hundred names that you
supplied for similar work on previous titles.

May I send these lists to you for correction, deletions, and
addition? We have recently received quite good returns from such mailings -
certainly enough to make the work worthwhile.

In addition, I would appreciate your thoughts as to whether it would
not be worthwhile to address this letter to the membership of whatever exist-
ing Poetry Societies you recommend, whose lists we could attempt to get.

And finally, are there any other organizations, clubs, etc., to
which you may or may not belong whose membership lists are available and
whose members you would consider good potential customers?

I would appreciate any suggestions you might care to make.

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 E. 127th St.
New York City 35

fe

ADDRESS LIST FOR APRIL, 1946

Miss Lillian B. Gilkes, Olmstead Lane, Ridgefield, Connecticut

Miss Eleanor Johnson, Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts

E. E. Smeltz, East High School, 1380 E. 82nd St., Cleveland 3, Ohio

Miss Helen Thigpen, 105 Edgecombe Ave., Apt 412, NYC

Mr. J. Edward Lantz, The Methodist Church, 810 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn (2)

Mr. John Gavin Nolan, Religious News, 401 Michigan Ave., NE, Washington 17, DC

Mr. Bob Gwathmey, 1 West 68 St., NY 23, NY

Miss Dorothy A. Bischoff, Perkins Institution, Watertown 72, Mass

Mr. C. Wallace Hawkins, Cedar Ave Branch, 7615 Cedar Ave, Cleveland Ohio.

Miss Marguerite Reid, 10315 Ostend, Cleveland 8, Ohio.

Dr. H. L. Wallace, 8226 Cedar Ave, Cleveland Ohio

Mr. Robert Nolan, 545 East Canfield Ave, Detroit 1, Michigan.

Mr. Eugene Francis Cheeks, Cleveland Guide, 2279 East 90th St, Cleveland, Ohio

Mr. J. E. Gloster, 501 Junill St, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Mrs. Ethel Payton, 2177 East 81st Street, Cleveland, Ohio.

Mrs. Claybomrne George, 2178 East 81st St, Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. Clifford D. Pemberton, 237 East 51st Street, Chicago, Illinois.

Rev. MortinuxVesem Harven, Southern University, Baton Rouge, La.

Mr. John T. Riley, 3815 W. Hancock, Detroit 8, Michigan.

Mrs. Gladys Langston Lattimer, 112 Haviland Street, Roxbury, Miss.

Mr. Jay Looney, 105 Boquet St., Oakland, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Mr. Otho Price, 726 Palmwood, Toledo, Ohio.

Mrs. Ruth Clarks, 1116 Locust Street, McKeesport, Pa.

Mr. Simon Gerson, Irene Kaufman Settlement, 1835 Center Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Miss Janet White, 1242 Hildreth Avenue, Columbus 3, Ohio.

Mrs. Lillian Larvenette, 4328 Indiana Ave, Chicago, Ill.

Mrs. Lucille Goodloe, 635 Palmwood, Toledo 2, Ohio.

Miss Royce Wallace, 469 W. 143rd St., New York X, New York.

Mr. John Velasco, 17 West 106th Street, New York, New York.

Mr. Alfred H. Johnson, 14 & S. Street., N.W., Washington 9, D.C.

ADDRESS LIST: APRIL, 1946

Miss Sulie Herand, 1431 W. Fargo Avenue, Chicago, Illinois (26)

Mrs. Eleanor Trent Wallace, 232 W. Canton Street, Boston, Mass.

Mass Movement League, 457½ Avondale Avenue, Toledo 2, Ohio.

Mrs. Evelyn Heslip, 1323 Waite Avenue, Toledo 7, Ohio,

Miss V. F. Hawkins, 1110 Ewing, Toledo 7, Ohio.

Miss Pearl Finch, XXXXX 2170 Elmore Apt 325, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Squ.

Mr. Rex Goreleigh, Art Center, XXXX 3831 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, Ill.

Mr. Rayner Smith, 3311 East 130th St., Cleveland, Ohio.

Mrs. Jerome Hilton, 35 East 84th Street, New York, New York.

Miss Edna Harrison, 80 Holworthy Street, Roxbury 21, Mass.

Miss H. L. Ferguson, 41 Curve Street, West Newton, Mass.

Mr. Blyden Jackson, Eng. Dept., Fisk University, Nashville 8, Tenn.

Mrs. Mildred Simms, 316 College Street, Dayton, Ohio.

Mr. Richie Coleman, Centre Branch Y, 2621 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Mr. Reuben A. Taylor, 3512 South Western, Los Angeles 7, Calif.

Mr. John Taylor, 328 Locust Street, Lawrence, Kansas.

Mrs. James King, 722 New York Street, Lawrence, Kansas.

Mr. Clarence McFadden, 1056 East 24th Street, Los Angeles, Calif.

Mr. Russell Daville, 1245 S. Arlington, ave, Los Angeles, Calif.

Mr. Paul D. Jones, 3510 S. Gramercy Place, Los Angeles, Calif.

Mr. John Summey, 4218 Zamora Street, Los Angeles, California.

Mrs. Francis Hill, 3692 Fifth Avenue, Los Angeles, Calif.

Mrs. Esther Zinberg, 506 W. 150th Street, New York City.

Mrs. Madge Herndon, 723 St. Nicholas Ave, New York City.

Mr. Edward McGehee, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.

Mrs. C. R. Hollowell, 18 Gramercy Park, New York City.

Mrs. Scott Hathcock, 407 W. 5th Street, Dayton, Ohio.

Mrs. Nona Tatum Zeigler, 454 - 10th Avenue, Salt Lake City, 3, Utah.

Alone XXXXX Feaman, THE CIRCUIT, XX 4729 South State St, Chicago, Ill.

ADDRESS LIST - JUNE, 1946

Embry Bonner, 412 West 129, NYC

Roy DeCoverly, 148 W 111, Apt 8, NYC

Russell Atkins, 7001 Cedar Ave., Apt 12, Cleveland 3, Ohio

Mr. Willie S. Chapman, Jr., Route 5, Box 976, Jacksonville 4, Florida

Chester A. Rentie, 2010 St. Antoine St., Suite 10, Detroit 26, Mich

Oliver Salter, 211 W 133, NYC 30

Rev. Tollie L. Caution, 1274 Fifth Ave - 2D, NYC 29

Monette Moore, 915 S. High St., Albuquerque, New Mexico

Rev. M. F. Johnson, 1301 Morgan, Keokuk, Iowa

Larcye Aileen Lee, Box 374, Benham, Kentucky

Mrs. Hattie L. Ogletree, 4815 Vincennes Ave, Chicago 15, Ill.

Miss L. B. West, 1096 Mississippi Ave, Memphis, 6, Tenn.

Mr. Louis B. Reynolds, Box 59, Nashville 2, Tenn.

Mr. Lane Thomas, 4855 Calumet Ave, Chicago 15, Illinois.

Mr. Mark Harris, 607 West Capitol, Springfield, Illinois.

Mrs. Carrie Turner, Grasselli House, 2275 East 55th St., Cleveland, Ohio

Miss Mary Alice Ryan, 11504 Durant Avenue, Cleveland 8, Ohio.

Miss Ernestine B. Spears, 221 North Geary, Oklahoma City 4, Oklahoma.

Mr. Richard Fried, 316 East 61st Street, New York, N.Y.

Mr. Lance Jeffers, 38 Putnam Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.

Mr. Tomlinson D. Todd, Inst. Race Relations, 1340 Girard St, N.W., Washington, D.C

Mrs. David A. Wiest, 1765 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading, Penna.

Miss Rebecca Stinson, 5709 Thackery Avenue, Cleveland 3, Ohio.

Miss Eve Meidelman, New Century Productions, Inc., 3741 Colingwood, Detroit 6, Mich.

Miss Mayetta Clark, 3146 Shadow Lane, Topeka, Kansas.

Miss Pauline A. Young, 901 French Street, Wilmington, Delaware.

Miss Babette Deutsch, 300 West 108th Street, New York 25, New York.

Dr. Howard D. Gregg, Delaware State College, Dover, Delaware.

Rev. Sidney L. Johnson, 220 Enslie Street, Buffalo 6, New York.

Mr. Norman Buster, 511 West Wilson Street, Gallup, New Mexico.

Mr. Dlaude B. Hall, 1402 N. Missouri St., Indianapolis, Ind.

ADDRESS LIST: APRIL XX 1946

- 3 -

Mrs. Henry Alexander, 1609 South 14th Street, Springfield, Illinois.

Mrs. Helen Wilhoite, Tennessee A & I State College, Nashville, Tenn.

Miss Eliza Winter, 43 Linnacan St., Cambridge 38, Massachusetts

Symeon Shinmen, 125 W 11, NYC

Ora Leak, 415 W 156, NYC 32

Mr. Charles Holland, 315 E 46, NYC

Mrs. Florence D. Brown, Ethical Culture Schools, 33 Central Pk W., NYC 23

Mrs. Irene Hirsch, 1402 E. Boylston St., Milwaukee 2, Wisconsin

Miss Jo-an Greta Kleyanberg, 1333 Washtenaw, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Miss Hilda L. Haynes, 63 W 131, NYC 27

Charles Bertram Harmon, 506 Bridge St., Beverly, NJ

Mrs. B. Kirsch, 5107 N. Central Park Avenue, Chicago 25, Illinois

Miss Ann E dwards, 466 Bowen Avenue, Chicago 15, Illinois

Mr. Symeon Shimin, 125 W 11, NYC

Mr. Lawrence A. Davis, A. M. and N. College, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Mrs. M. H. Spearman, 720 Kentucky Avenue, Fort Worth 3, Texas

Miss Mary Lou Williams, 63 Hamilton Terrace, New York 31, New York

Mr. Harry E. Bonaparte, Cleveland Trust Bank Building, 55 and Woodland Ave
Cleveland, Ohio

Miss Wilda Gunn, 2584 E ast 55, Cleveland 4, Ohio

Mrs. Rayner Smith, 3311 E 130, Cleveland 20, Ohio

Miss Bessie Finberg, 2845 Mayfield Road, Cleveland Heights 18, Ohio

Mrs. J. V. Strela, Shaker High School, Shaker Square Station, Cleveland 20, Ohio

Mr. Paul D. Sissle, 993 Union Avenue, Bronx 59, New York.

Dr. Thomas W. Patrick, Jr., 221 West 139, NYC 30

Mrs. James J. Curtis, 62 Alden Street, Springfield 9, Mass.

Mr. Edward Stewart, 321 Edgecombe Avenue, NYC 31

Dr. Allen Y. King, 1380 E ast 6th Street, Cleveland 14, Ohio

Miss Riva Jean Weintrob, 1703 Avenue H, Brooklyn 30, NY

Miss Elizabeth Baker, 30 Maple Avenue, Montclair, NJ

ADDRESS LIST, May, 1946

Miss Ruth Eastman, 9379 Olymic Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California
Mrs. Hortense Higginbothem, 25 Monson Avenue, Springfield, Mass.
Mrs. Mary McLean, 620 Union St., Springfield, Mass.
The Rev. Albert B. Cleage, Jr., 210 King Street, Springfield, Mass
Mr. and Mrs. Horace Stokien, 95 Oak Street, Springfield, Mass
Mrs. Julius Meltzel, 1387 Main Street, Springfield, Mass
D. MacLean, 5477 Dorchester Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
Mrs. Herman Alofsin, 10 Maple Street, Brooklyn 25, New York
Mrs. R. L. Love, 620 E. Boundary Street, Charlotte, NC
Miss Gloria Siglinger, 5219 Huntington, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Mr. & Mrs. Arpad Elo, 4063 North 7th Street, Milwaukee 12, Wis.
Miss Shirley Andrews, 1085 Parkside Rd., Cleveland 8, Ohio.
Mr. Sidney B. Fink, 1018 Guardian Bldg., Cleveland, Ohio.
Miss Hazel L. Styles, 2268 East 95th St., Cleveland, Ohio.
Miss Bella Taylor McKnight, 9920 North Blvd, Cleveland 8, Ohio.
Miss Dorothy Wahl, 1394 Plainfield Rd., South Euclid, Ohio.
Miss Dorothy Fuldhiem, Station W .J.W., Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio.
Mrs. David A. Wiest, Route 3, Box 42, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Marcus Hall, 894 - 35th Street, Oakland 8, California
Tony Ray, 1933 Goss, Boulder, Colorado
Miss Evelyn Burwell, 2058 South Harvard Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
Miss Vernell Anderson, 529 South Main Street, Decatur 22, Illinois
Mrs. L. B. Hobson, 1120 Pearce Street, Memphis, Tennessee
Miss Bess Finberg, 2845 Mayfield Road, Cleveland 18, Ohio
Rachel Heath, 551 West 148th, NYC
Mr. Tom Scott, 53 W 53, NYC
W. Jay Loftlin, Jr., 2118 South Hobart Blvd., Los Angeles 7, California
Mrs. Florence Cole Talbot McCleaves, 475 Vance Avenue, Memphis 5, Tennessee
MXXX Mrs. Justitia Scott, 894 - 35th Street, Oakland, California
Miss Georgia Freeman, 2222 E. 76, Cleveland, Ohio

ADDRESS LIST, MAY, 1946

Louis Albion Williams, 2457A - E. 40th Street, Cleveland 4, Ohio

Robert Zellner, 2254 E 55th St., Cleveland, Ohio

Elmer Brown, 10213 South Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio

Kenneth Patterson, 3209 East 81, Cleveland, Ohio
Enrique Portes, 601 West 115, NYC

Mrs. Hortense Higginbotham, 25 Morson Avenue, Springfield, Mass.

Mildred Whitney Allen, 14 East 91 Street, Chicago, Illinois

Miss Evelyn Byrd, Smith-Cotton High School, Sedalia, Mo.ouri

Miss Mary K. Wade, 2554 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh 19, Pa.

Miss Carrie Brown, 1917 East Adams, Phoenix, Arizona

Miss Leona Heinle, 216 Delavan Street, Lincoln, Illinois

Mrs. Ronald E.Swank, 1220 E.Altgeld Street, South Bend 14, Indiana

Miss Susan B. MacLocklin, Dyal Upchurch Bldg., Apt 409, Jacksonville 2, Fla.

Theodore R. Pardue, 4746 Vincennes, Chicago, Illinois

C. Christopher, 2640 Indiana Ave., Chicago, Illinois

Miss Thelma White, 120 Homestead Street, S andusky, Ohio

Mrs. Harold Case, 1575 San Pasqual, Pasadena, California

Mr. Charles R. Coleman, 2303 Ninth Avenue, South (Southtown) Birmingham 5, Ala.

Mr. Charles F. McCauley, 303 East Willow St, Carbondale, Illinois

Miss Myrtle Smith, 1410 E. 45, Los Angeles 11, California

Miss Delores Dunlap, Dunlap, 243 West 130, New York City

Dr. T. B. Maston, Box 6464, Seminary Hill, Fort Worth, Texas

Mr. Richard Jones, Jr., 311 Van Buren Street, Amarillo, Texas

Miss Elizabeth Purchase, 728 South Burdick, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Mrs. Eleanor Trent Wallace, 232 W. Canton St., Boston 16, Mass.

Miss Ellen Dix Robinson, 2025 Bedford Street, Los Angeles 34, California

Norman Lewis, 139 W 135, NYC

George H. Walker, 149 Edgecombe, Apt 3-E, NYC

Dr.Errold D. Collymore, 457 S. Lexing Ave., White Plains, NY

Harold R. Stovall, 102-16-27th Ave., E.Elmhurst, IL

ADDRESS LIST --- SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER, 1946

Mr. P. M. Bell, Booklovers Club, 10250 Ohio St., Wichita, Kansas

Mr. James Otis Wyatt, 2nd & Harrison Streets, Amarillo, Texas

Mr. Mark Harris, 607 West Capitol Street, Springfield, Illinois

Mr. T. H. Jackson, 2754 Second Ave., Sacramento 17, California

Mr. Keith Thomas, 227 East 25th St., New York 10, N. Y.

Mr. William H. Johnson, 79 East 10th St., New York 3, N. Y.

Mr. Wallace Thompson, 180 W 135th St., New York 30, N. Y.

Mr. James Malloy, 121 Kossuth St., Trenton 9, New Jersey

Miss Anna Jean Foston, 1060 West Greene St., Piqua, Ohio

Mrs. R. W. Edgar, 1515 S. Farwell St., Eu Claire, Wisconsin

Miss Roberta Bosley, 407 W. 146th St., New York 31, N. Y.

Mr. Bernard C. Powers, 121 South 26th St., Billings, Montana

Mrs. James Boozer, 479 W. 152 St., Apt. 1-E, New York, N. Y.

Miss Mary Alice Ryan, 11504 Durant Ave., Cleveland 8, Ohio

Mr. Lester Bailey, 325 W. 12th St., Cincinnati, Ohio

Miss Norma Thibou, 1359 Lyman Pl., Apt. 2-A, Bronx 59, N.Y.

Mr. Jean Leon, 1893 7th Ave., Apt. 5-A, New York 26, N.Y.

Mrs. Florence Castleman, 185 Winthrop Road, Brookline, Mass.

Mr. Robert Zellner, 2554 East 55th St., Cleveland 4, Ohio

Mr. Dutton Ferguson, 1751 U Street, N.W., Washington 9, D.C.

Mr. Butler Henderson, A.M. and N. College, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Mrs. W.E. O'Bryant, West End Drug Store, 6th & Cypress St., Pine Bluff, Ark.

Mrs. Nan Day Brunner, 1006 E. Pine St., Tulsa, Oklahoma

Mr. Griffith J. Davis, 1410 E. Chase St., Baltimore 13, Maryland

Miss Lydia Augustin, 510 West 144th St., Apt. 55, New York, N.Y.

Sociology Club, Yale University, Graduate School, New Haven, Conn.

Miss Leathe Hemachandra, 112-39 177th St., St. Albans, N.Y.

Mr. H.H. Giles, Bureau for Intercultural Educ., 1697 Broadway, N.Y.C.

Mr. John J. Gaines, 509 You St., N.W., Washington, D.C.

Mr. C. H. Hall, 1402 N. Missouri St., Indianapolis, Indiana

ADDRESS LIST - NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1946

Mr. H. J. Jackson, 349 N. St. Mary Street, Arceola, Arkansas

Mr. Vernal B. Jones, Ancon, P.O., Panama, Canal Zone

JANUARY, 1947

Mrs. Jules Aresty, 17 Kensington Ave., Trenton 8, New Jersey

Miss Shirley Friend, 19 Pearson Street, Chicago, Illinois

Mr. Eugenio Florit, 7 Park Ave., Ne w York 16, N. Y.

Mrs. Ethel Saunders, 4016 Indiana Ave., Chicago, Illinois

Mrs. Faye L. Dinwiddie, 201 Pinewood Avenue, Toledo, Ohio

Miss Helen Boulware, Bethune Branch Y.W.C.A., High Point, N. C.

Miss Myrtle Carden, Hallie Q. Brown House, 553 Aurora Ave., St. Paul 3, Minn.

Miss Clair H. Swartz, 15 Jefferson Ave., Jeffersonville, Norristown, Pa.

Mrs. Verleaner Whitley, 2830-A Gamble Street, St. Louis 16, Missouli.

ADDRESS LIST --------1947

C. C. Hubbard; Hubbard High School; Sedalia, Mo.

Thelma Waide Brown; 1139 West 61st Street; Chicago, Ill.

Louis F. Redmond; 5848 Michigan; Chicago, Ill.

Lillian Lerner; 4748 Ingleside Ave.; Chicago, 15 Ill.

Noble Kreider; 5015 6th Street; Goshen, Ind.

Charles B. E. T. Hart; 5015 6th Street; Goshen, Ind.

Mrs. Katherine Croxell; 110 E. Angela; South Bend, 7 Ind.

Calvin Coolidge Brown; Post Office Box 214; Earle, Arkansas

Helena C. Newlin; 147 Rose Street; Trenton, 8 N. J.

Mrs. Ernest R. Alexander; 2343 West 139th Street; New York City

Dorothy M. Thompson; Industrial Department; Y. W. C. A.; 6 N. 5th Street; Richmond, Virginia

"Saxey" Williams; 763 S. 12th Street; Phila. Pa.

Fred Carlo; 2969 Vernon Avenue, Apt. #204; Chicago, Ill.

Stanley Grizzle; 229 Victoria Park Avenue; Toronto 13, Ontario, Canada

George Andrews; 108 W. 12th Street; New York, N. Y.

Miss Elenora Peters; 2507 Michigan Blvd.; Chicago, Ill.

Miss Nona Gibbs, 120 W Street N. W., Washington, D. C.

Norman Studer, Elisabeth Irwin High School, 40 Charlton St., New York 14, New York

Miss M. Calahan, 7613 Second Blvd., Detroit, Michigan

Mrs. R. K. Beitler, 138 Maple Street, Hinsdale, Illinois

Mr. Robert Taylor, 897 N. 26th Street, Richmond, Virginia

Miss Helen Stewart, 28 - D Daniel Brooks, High Point, N. C.

Mrs. L. B. Haizlip, 212 Vail Street, High Point, N. C.

Miss Anne Polcino, 2010 East Somerset Street, Phila., Pa.

Miss Anne Youngblood, Marygroce College, Detroit, Mich.

Mr. Richard Fury, Iona College, New Rochelle, New York.

ADDRESS LIST ----- March 1947

W. S. Braithwaite, 409 Edgecomb Avenue, New York City

Ralph P. Bridgman, Office of the president, Hampton Institute,
Hampton, Va.

Edward Hawkins, 146 - 40 Glassboro Ave., Jamica 4, New York

Miss Antree Ellis, 213 Dodge Street, Kent, Ohio.

Miss Anna Vivian Brown, 10213 South Boulevard, Cleveland 8, Ohio.

Miss Jane Allen Sexton, 15 Sunnybrook Road, Broxville, New York, c/o M. Robertson-2B

Mrs. Thomas Capek, 3553 - 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, New York

Miss N. M. Jordan, 979 Lena St., NW., Atlanta, Georgia

Mrs. B. R. Brazeal, 193 Ashby Street, EM S.W., Atlanta, Georgia.

Mr. James McClaine, 1124 East 27th Street, Los Angeles 11, Cal.

Mr. Bob Hardwick, M 765 East 9th Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

["ADDRESS LIST---APRIL, 1947 (3)", "Mr. Graham Jackson, Box 320, Atlanta, Georgia", "Mrs. Belle Livingston, 313 East 50th Street, New York 22, New York", "Mr. Frank Harrison, Jr., 591 Auburn Avenue, N.E., Atlanta 5, Georgia", "Mr. Robert L. Jones, 512 Atlantic Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois.", "Miss Nell Chapman, 801 Dielhenn Avenue, Massillon, Ohio.", "Mrs. Velma M. Jeter, 1312 Third Street, Orange, Texas.", "Rev. Rice Arnold, 6301 King Hill Ave., St. Joseph, Mo.", "Mr. Grover I. Jacoby, Jr., MARMARMARMARMARMARMARMARMARMARMARMARMARM

Alfred A Knopf Incorporated

January 7th, 1949

Dear Langston,

You were very sweet to send me
that good-looking anthology, THE POETRY
OF THE NEGRO. Thank you very much for it
and for the inscription.

We will do our very best for ONE-
WAY TICKET.

With kindest regards and every
good wish for the New Year, I am

Langston Hughes, Esq.
20 E. 127th Street
New York City, N.Y.

nl

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

January 13, 1949

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Here are a couple of the letters I mailed
to the following people on Monday:

172 - Presidents & Librarians of Negro Colleges

1150 - Your lists

260 - Negro Study Organizations

500 - "Professional" Negroes (test of rented list)

500 - "Culture" Negroes (test of rented list)

100 - Former buyers of similar Knopf Books

2682

I'll let you know what happens.

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 E. 127 St.
New York City

fe/enc.

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

January 13, 1949

Mr. William Cole
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York 22, New York

Dear Bill:

I forgot to tell you in my last letter that my fraternity, through its local New York chapters, is sponsoring an evening in honor of ONE WAY TICKET at Public School 139, at 140 West 140th Street, New York, N. Y., on Friday, January 28, at 8:15 P.M., to which the public is invited free of charge and at which copies of the book will be sold, the proceeds to go to one of the social service funds of the fraternity.

I am sure that you will collaborate in getting notices of this event to the local press.

The chairman of the program for this event is:

Mr. Charles W. Collins
669 St. Marks Avenue
Brooklyn 16, New York
(Phone: Sterling 3-1248)

and his assistant in the arrangements is:

Mr. Rip Day
220 West 130th Street
New York, New York
RI: 9-7427)

Since the auditorium holds 600 people they are going to have to do quite a little promotion to fill it -- even for free -- and don't let it rain that night!

I trust that Knopf will let the fraternity have about 75 books on consignment. If they have a good crowd, we will probably be able to dispose of at least that many. I suggest that whomever is in charge of selling books get in touch with Mr. Collins.

Sincerely yours,

LH:HHS

January 13, 1949

Dear Bill:

The two Negro History Week engagements that I was speaking to you about on the phone, at which our book, ONE WAY TICKET, may be displayed and sold are:

Friday Poets Festival
February 11 (With Arna Bontemps and Washington Negro poets)
University Library
Howard University
Washington 1, D. C.

The person to contact there is: Mrs. Dorothy Porter, who writes me as follows: "I am certain that a large audience can be secured. A reception or informal gathering could be held in the Library afterwards where books could be purchased and autographed."

The other one is:

February "Some Missing Pages in American History"
11, 12, 13 (With a Span of Progress Exhibits)
Horticultural Hall
Boston, Massachusetts

The person in charge of this is: Miss Anna Bobbitt-Gardner, 3 Claremont Park, Boston 18, Massachusetts. I have spoken for her before at one of these affairs in Symphony Hall and she packs the place. This time she writes me as follows: "At one of our display booths, I am having books by race authors which can be sold, the authors to autograph their books. I prefer your waiting until Sunday to autograph, but you may send your books ahead."

I would like the Knppf office to ascertain how many books each of these
places can handle and see that the matter is taken care of.

Sincerely yours,

Mr. William Cole
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

LHSHS

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

January 27, 1949

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Mr. Levin of our Order Department has turned over to us your letter in regard to your appearance at the Negro History Week Program in Boston. Since Mr. Power, our Sales Manager is away, I wish to tell you for him that copies of ONE-WAY TICKET have already been sent to Miss Anna Bobbitt-Gardner on a consignment basis. Twenty-four copies were sent, and Miss Bobbitt-Gardner has been duly informed.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
20 East 127th St.
New York, N. Y.

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

Alfred·A·Knopf Incorporated

PUBLISHER OF

BORZOI BOOKS

March 3, 1949

Dear Langston,

This is to acknowledge your having sent me Weiskopf's letter
of September 1st to Maxim Lieber, which somehow or other was mislaid
in your desk. We were in correspondence ourselves last Summer with
an agent in Czechoslovakia regarding the possibility of our making
a contract with Svoboda for THE BIG SEA and we hit a snag in the matter
of royalties. A principle was involved in view of the fact that the
Czech publishers had banded together and agreed to pay only blank
royalty per copy with blank royalty as a ceiling. This set a precedent
which we and many other publishers have objected to and, under the
circumstances, we declined to make contracts with the Czech publishers.

If you have particularly strong feelings on the subject, we could,
I suspect, modify our position informing the agent involved that this
constitutes an exception. Will you please let me know how you wish me
to proceed.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
20 East 127th Street
New York, N. Y.

r

NATE---Please make copy of this---4 carbons.
Send one each (Marked COPY) to Mr.
Van Vechten for Yale, and to Arna. Put
extras in our Jamaica file.

L. H.

C O P Y

Also please see if in our
Translation file (or envelop-
pes) there are some French
and Spanish translations of
some of my poems on mimeo-
graphed sheets. If any
extra, send to me. If no
extras, make some copies
and send for teachers here.

April 6, 1949

Mr. Herbert Weinstock,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York, New York.

Dear Mr. Weinstock,

I am delighted at the critical reception accorded
Victor Reid's new novel which you've just published, NEW DAY.
However, I notice that on the inner flap of the dust jacket
you state that "Our attention was called to this remarkable
novel.....in the March 1948 issue of the London monthly, Life
and Letters."

If I remember correctly, when I returned from Jamaica
in November, 1947, no one in the Knopf office had ever heard
of Victor Reid. At that time I told you and others in the office
about him and his work, and about this novel, and suggested that
you write him. At the same time I wrote Mr. Reid suggesting that
he see that his manuscript reach you. And a few weeks later you
told me that you had gotten in touch with him. Subsequent letters
to me from Mr. Reid express his thanks for my having brought his
book to your attention. (All this before the March 1948 issue of
Life and Letters ever appeared.) Not that I wish any particular
credit for this---because my pleasure comes in seeing the work of
a new young Negro writer achieve publication through so excellent
a publisher as is Knopf---but I simply recall the facts to your
attention for the sake of our own memory-records.

At the moment I am "Poet In Residence" here at the
Laboratory School of the University of Chicago, and am enjoying
my seminars with the young people very much.

My continued good wishes to you,

Sincerely,

Langston Hughes

C
O
P
Y

April 6, 1949

Mr. Herbert Weinstock
Alfred A. Knppf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

Dear Mr. Weinstock:

I am delighted at the critical reception accorded Victor Reid's new novel which you've just published, NEW DAY. However, I notice that on the inner flap of the dust jacket you state that "Our attention was called to this remarkable novel....in the March 1948 issue of the London monthly, LIFE AND LETTERS."

If I remember correctly, when I returned from Jamaica in November, 1947, no one in the Knopf office had ever heard of Victor Reid. At that time I told you and others in the office about him and his work, and about this novel, and suggested that you write him. At the same time I wrote Mr. Reid suggesting that he see that his manuscript reached you. And a few weeks later you told me that you had gotten in touch with him. Subsequent letters to me from Mr. Reid expressed his thanks for my having brought his book to your attention. (All this before the March 1948 issue of LIFE AND LETTERS ever appeared.) Not that I wish any particular credit for this---because my pleasure comes in seeing the work of a new young Negro writer achieve publication through so excellent a publisher as is Knopf---but I simply recall the facts to your attention for the sake of our own memory-records.

At the moment I am "Poet in Residence" here at the Laboratory School of the University of Chicago, and am enjoying my seminars with the young people very much.

C
O
P
Y

August 26, 1949

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue
New York 22, New York

Gentlemen:

Kindly send, billing to me at the regular author's discount,
the following order of my books:

To: Mr. Joes Spector
71 West 96th Street 2 copies THE WAYS OF WHITE
Apartment 1
New York 1, New York FOLKS

Also send to me at the above address 2 additional copies of:
THE WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS

Thanking you in advance, I am,

Very truly yours,

501 Madison Avenue

NEW YORK (22), N.Y.

November 18, 1949

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I have looked into the matter of the
Meyerowitz-Smith entanglement and find, as
I told you, that there really is nothing we
can do about the composer's not having re-
ceived credit on the program. If your name
had not been mentioned, then of course we would
go into it full blast. However, as things stand
you will have to inform Mr. Meyerowitz that
this firm can, in no way, force her to put
his name down on the program with yours.

If there is anything further you wish
us to do, please do not hesitate to let us
know.

PUBLISHER OF BORZOI BOOKS

November 29, 1949

Mr. Bob Cole,
Publicity Department,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York 22, New York.

Dear Bob,

Perhaps your publicity department could use this item:

OPERA DERIVED FROM POEM

On January 13th at the Brander Matthews Theatre, Columbia University, the Columbia Theatre Associates are presenting the world premiere of "The Barrier", a new American opera, libretto by Langston Hughes, score by Jan Meyerowitz, with Muriel Rahn in the leading role. The germ idea of this musical tragedy of miscegnation derives from the poem, "Cross" by Langston Hughes in the Knopf book, "The Weary Blues":

My old man's a white old man

And my old mother's black.........

The twelve lines of this poem developed into the play, "Mulatto" that ran for a year on Broadway, into the short story, "Father And Son" in the book, "The Ways Of White Folks" (Knopf), and now into the lyrical libretto of "The Barrier", three quite different variations of a poetic theme.

########

Hey, now! How's that for "milking" an idea, as they say in show business, heh, Bill?

Sincerely,

December 3, 1949

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
Order Department,
Att: Joe Levin,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York 22, New York.

Dear Mr. Levin,

Kindly send me to the above address the following
order of my books:

4 WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS

6 THE WEARY BLUES

I need them as presentation copies for the cast
and production staff of "The Barrier", my opera by Jan Meyerowitz
based on my old Broadway play "Mulatto", the story of which is in
"Father And Son" in THE WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS, all derived from the
germ idea of the poem "Cross" in THE WEARY BLUES. "The Barrier"
is now in rehearsal at Columbia University to be presented for ten
performances at the Brander Matthews Theatre beginning January 18th.
Such another singing as you never heard!

Sincerely yours,

December 4, 1949

Mrs. Blanche Knopf,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York 22, New York.

Dear Blanche,

At the Brander Matthews Theatre on January 18th the Columbia Theatre Associates are presenting the world premiere of my opera, "The Barrier" for ten performances, score by Jan Meyerowitz, and starring Muriel Rahn. Since this opera is based on my old play, "Mulatto", the germ idea of which is found in my book, "The Weary Blues" and in the story, "Father And Son" in "The Ways Of White Folks", (the poem in "The Weary Blues" is "Cross") it might be wise to see if we could not get the campus bookshops at Columbia University, and those catering to students in the neighborhood, to stock some of my books during the run of this play. Would you kindly turn this suggestion over to your sales department?

Also this event might serve as a publicity note for Bill Cole.

Your charming looking invitation to luncheon at the Harmonie Club on Wednesday, December 21st has reached me. I am delighted to accept. And shall see you then.

With my continued good wishes to you, as ever,

Sincerely yours,

December 7, 1949

Mr. William Koshland,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York 22, New York.

Dear Mr. Koshland,

On January 18th at Columbia University's Brander Matthews Theatre, the Columbia Associates are presenting my opera, "The Barrier" made from my old play "Mulatto", with a score by Jan Meyerowita.

In connection with the original production of the play about twelve years ago, the Knopf office granted me the use of my poem "Cross" from THE WEARY BLUES (where the general theme of the play is expressed) and it was carried in the program during its year's run at the Vanderbilt Theatre.

At the moment THE MUSIC FORUM & DIGEST, Joseph A. Ballew, Editor, 55 West 42nd Street, New York 18, New York, wishes to do a piece about "The Barrier" and would like to quote this poem, "Cross". It is, I understand, a small "art" magazine circulating almost entirely among musical people, and does not pay for material. Would you be so kind as to grant them permission to use "Cross" in their article about "The Barrier", and, if so, to so advise Mr. Ballew?

My thanks to you and, as ever,

Sincerely yours,