ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

730 FIFTH AVENUE
New York

April 26, 1932

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Thank you for the corrected proofs
and manuscript.

Also for the acknowledgment and dedication. We will have a dummy soon and I shall send you one. The page proofs will have the drawings with the poems, but the pictures will not be completed until the middle of May, so I do not expect to have page proofs until the end of May. You will see them as soon as they are made.

Miss Sewell is delighted that you like
her work.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
837 East 24th Street
Los Angeles, California.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

April 30th, 1937

Langston Hughes Esq.,
2256 East 86th St.,
Cleveland, Ohio

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We enclose, herewith, a statement of
your 1937 purchases amounting to $128.95.
Your royalties as of December 31, 1936 in
accordance with the enclosed royalty remit-
tance report, the original of which was
sent to you on February 1st, totaled
$126.28. There is, therefore, due us the
sum of $2.67.

Rather than carry this small balance
over to your next report, we believe you
will wish to send us your check for that
amount to balance your account.

mm
enc.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

January 26, 1938

Langston Hughes Esq.,
634 St. Nicholas Ave., Apt. 1 B,
New York City

Dear Mr. Hughes:

We enclose, herewith, our royalty report
for the six months ending December 31, 1937.

You will note that your purchases
exceeded royalties by $4.28. If you will
be good enough to send us your check for
that amount, your account will be in
balance.

mm
enc.

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE

New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

I am sending you a copy of the March-April Horn Book thinking you will be interested to see the two of your poems from THE DREAM KEEPER which are quoted there.

March 24th, 1938

Dear Mr. Hughes:

As this magazine goes almost entirely to children's librarians and others who are particularly interested in children's books I think it is quite good for the book to have it quoted in such a place as it will call attention again to its fineness, in the exact quarters where we would like to have it kept in mind.

I believe in this particular case we are making a nominal charge of $5.00 for the permission to quote the two poems (though in such cases we sometimes make no charge if we feel that the quotation really serves us as a good advertisement.) Whatever charge we do make on permissions is divided equally with the author and is added to his royalty echeck.

We were glad to have you? recent order for copies of the book. I am only now becoming acquainted with our back list and your poems are one of my pleasant discoveries there. I hope that we may be able to keep them publicized in a way which will keep the demand for them opened.

With very best wishes, I am,

Langston Hughes
Grand Hotel
South Parkway Near 51st Street
Chicago, Ill.

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE

New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

June 28th, 1938

Dear Miss Mavor:

Thank you for letting us have the opportunity of
seeing Mr. Langston Hughes' manuscript SWEET AND SOUR ANIMAL BOOK.

Mr. Hughes brought this in and talked to me about it sometime
ago, but as I explained to him then I feel the material is a little
slight and ~~temporary~~ in its interest for such a list as ours.
The poetry of his which we published in his book THE DREAM KEEPER
deals with more fundamental and important ideas and therefore seems
to me to be of more lasting interest.

My own opinion is that these particular verses would be more
suitable for use in such books as are sold in department store toy
departments than in the more permanent book forms produced by pub-
lishing houses who sell to book stores and libraries.

Thank you nevertheless for letting us see this. I hope you
will send us other things in the future when you have things which
might interest us. We are returning the manuscript to you. With
best wishes,

Miss Geraldine Mavor
Maxim Lieber
545 Fifth Ave
New York City

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

February 21st, 1939

Langston Hughes, Esq.
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
Apt. 1 D
New York City

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We acknowledge receipt of Mr. Derry's
letter of February 13th, enclosing your
report of consignment sales and request-
ing that we send you a statement of your
account.

We are enclosing herewith an itemized
bill listing the books you have sold
from consignment, together with a state-
ment of your account.

We would appreciate receiving your check
by return mail.

RM: em
enc.

On lecture tour,
Bluefield, W. Ky.,
April 6, 1940.

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

Gentlemen:

Kindly send me immediately

10 THE DREAM KEEPER
10 THE WEARY BLUES

addressed to me at

West Virginia State College,
Institute, West Virginia

where I am appearing for a return engagement on Wednesday.

NOTE FOR PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT: I'm just completing a ten day tour of the high schools of West Virginia under the auspices of the State Department of Education, through the coal and steel regions and into the mountains reading my poems. On April 18th and 19th I appear for the Kentucky Negro Education Association state-wide teachers' meeting in Louisville, Ky. (Kindly advise the bookshops there.) And on May 12 (Mother's Day) at the Plymouth Congregational Church (closing their Winter Lecture Series) in Detroit.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

May 27th, 1940

Dear Langston,

Mrs. Knopf tells me that you are interested in seeing the copy we will use on the jacket of THE BIG SEA. I am sending you herewith proof of our catalogue copy, which is the same copy that will be used on the jacket.

If you have any corrections to make, please let me know immediately.

With best personal wishes, I am

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Hotel Grand
5044 S. Parkway
Chicago, Illinois

b

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

June 3, 1940.

Dear Langston,

Thanks for your note of May 29th. I am chang-
ing the phrase in the catalogue copy.

It will certainly be possible to gether to-
gether good material for the display of THE BIG
SEA at your Exposition. Just as soon as possible
I will ship out to you a set of proofs, a copy of
the unbound book, a copy of the bound book, original
jacket sketch, the final jacket drawing, a couple of
finished jackets. As soon as you see the material,
please let me know whether there would be anything
else you would like to have.

Lengston Hughes, Esq.
Hotel Grand
5044 S. Parkway
Chicago, Illinois

t

Hotel Grand,
5044 South Parkway,
Chicago, Illinois,
June 17, 1940.

Mr. Sidney R. Jacobs,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York, New York.

Dear Mr. Jacobs,

I have just finished reading the last of the proof of THE BIG SEA and have returned it to you today by express, special delivery. It is indeed an excellent set of galleys with very few mistakes. There are however one or two little things I would like to take up with you.

1. In a few instances I have changed back to the colloquial one or two revisions of English made, evidently, by whoever styled the book. Such as "barn of a gymnasium" which is what I wished in the Lincoln chapter.

2. On Page 4 of the galleys, the correct title according to the BRITANICA of the book refered to by Francis Quarles is "The Feast Of Wormes" and not "A Feast For Wormes" as someone in the office changed it. Kindly check on this again to be sure, as I haven't access to a BRITANICA here, so I did not rechange it on the proofs.

3. The little motto at the front of the book about the big sea, etc., I do not like as now set with border. Could it not be styled differently, perhaps *without* the border and in italics? In any case it should be printed so as to suggest the sea flowing on, life flowing on---and NOT bound and bordered off that way. Get me?

4. At the very end of the book I have added a new line to take the place of those cut at the suggestion of Mrs. Knopf, as the ending seemed to me a bit abrupt in its present form. The new line, which should be paragraphed is:

I'm still pulling.

5. There is an additional chapter to be listed in the index (not found in the listing with the original manuscript). That chapter is:

## 66. EXTRA PAGE

following the chapter, ALMA MATER. You did not send me proofs of the index---which I would like to see.

6. QUERY: Will there be an index of names and places, etc. at the back of the book? I forgot to take this up with Mrs. Knopf when I was in New York.

7. The didication should read TO EMERSON AND TOY HARPER. T for TOY, as I indicated in correction.

-2-

8. I am willing to waive seeing page proofs for corrections, but would like very much to have a set for my own files.

9. When I was in New York we discussed with Mr. Strauss as to whether or not to use the capital R in the phrase Negro Rennaissance. And at that time, I think he thought not. However, whoever styled the book, I notice, sometimes has a small r and sometimes a capital. Not knowing which styling was finally chosen, I did not touch it on the proofs, but that should be checked over.

Everything else seems to be O.K. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Langston Hughes

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

August 5, 1940

Dear Langston,

Pretty soon we will be shipping
THE BIG SEA to Marshall Field. They would be
glad to have you come in and autograph some
books for them.

The head of the book department is
Mrs. Hahner; if she isn't there you want to see
either John Scheele or Miss Rose Oller. It's
one of the biggest book departments in the
country and they can sell a lot of THE BIG SEA,
if they want to. I suggest you go in to see
them around the 22nd.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Hotel Grand
5044 S. Parkway
Chicago, Ill.

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE

New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

August 8, 1940.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

This is just to thank you for the address list
received a couple of days ago. We are very glad to have it and
are getting out the notices promptly. I am enclosing a copy of
the notice we will send; you will observe that it is very formal,
and in no sense a sales talk.

Incidentally, Mr. Smith showed me the letter he had
from you last week, pointing out particularly that information about
Negro newspapers. The list we used was one found in Ayer's Guide to
Periodical Literature, totalling about two hundred publications alto-
gether. Presumably it differs but little, if at all, from that in
the Negro yearbook.

Langston Hughes Esq.
Hotel Grand
5044 S. Parkway
Chicago, Ill.

S

Dear Bernard,

Just this week did the Hollywood Theatre Alliance finally make up its mind not to have me come out just now for their proposed Negro revue---so I am coming to New York this week. On the way, if you desired (since I expect to stop in Cleveland on Thursday or Friday anyhow) I could drop into one of the shops there and sign some books. Air-mail me which one, if you think I should.

I've written Lawrence Hill of The Book Shop in Washington confirming September 20th there.

Ben Abramson is having an autographing party here in Chicago for me on September 28th. And on the 1st of October I appear on John T. Frederick's OF MEN AND BOOKS radio hour, national hook-up.

So: between Washington on the 20th and Chicago on the 28th, if your office cares to put in any way stations that will be profitable from a book sales (or paid lecture) stand point, go to it. How about Pittsburgh or Cincinnati or Zinkin's in Indianapolis?

From Chicago on October 2nd or 3rd I expect to go on West to San Francisco and the coast for the winter. I don't like cold weather. So we could do some book signing out there then.

From September 3 to 19th, any appearances you'd care to arrange in and around New York or Philly or Boston (as far afield as you choose to roam per railroad mileage) I'd be happy to show up, because I do hope this book sells a little bit.

With very best regards,

THE BIG SEA
by Langston Hughes

from office of THE PUBLISHER of Borzoi Books
ALFRED · A · KNOPF
501 Madison Avenue · New York

I believe you will be interested

IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED BOOK AND SUGGEST

THAT YOU ASK YOUR BOOKSELLER FOR FULL

DETAILS NOW, SO THAT IF YOU DECIDE TO

ORDER IT YOU MAY BE ASSURED A FIRST EDITION

COPY PROMPTLY ON DAY OF PUBLICATION.

Publication date: August 26

Price: $3.00

Hollow Hills Farm,
Monterey, California,
December 27, 1940.

Dear Mr. Hoffman,

Thank you for your letter in which you outlined the various
suggestions for revising my book of poems. I have deleted
all but three of the poems listed, keeping those three be-
cause in readings people seemed to have liked them, and be-
cause they seem to fit into the general mood of the book.
I shortened the ballad sequence by several because, since
they were all in the same form, too many seemed monotonous.
So I left only the best of them.

Yesterday I sent off to Blanche Knopf the new index which the
book is to follow now that the deletions are made. I also
sent her the revised versions of several poems to be inserted,
and one new poem, DAYBREAK IN ALABAMA.

Do you like the title, SEVEN MOMENTS OF LOVE, for the book? I
have not, as yet, been able to think of a better one.

When is the book slated for publication? I would like to see
both page and galley proofs this time, please.

You will notice that the dialect spelling is not always the
same in each section, especially in regard to dropping the g
in ing. In most cases I have tried to keep it as simple as
possible to make it easy reading.

Thanks for the nice words about the BIG SEA. I though NEWS-
WEEK was mighty kind to it in its listing recently as, "About
the most readable book of the year." I'm still getting sweat
letters from stragge readers about it.

With best regards and a Happy New Year to you,

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

January 22, 1941

Dear Langston:

I think I told you when I last saw you that I am preparing a book to be called THE DEMOCRATIC SPIRIT, which Knopf will publish early this fall. It is to be a huge anthology of American writings, from the 17th century to the present day, which reflect or express the democratic spirit.

I want to represent you with one short story and some poetry. And I would like you to have the opportunity to express your own preferences. Which of the things among your own writings would you like to see included in my book? I would be grateful for a prompt reply, as I am now getting up to the contemporary period. And by the way, when you make your suggestions, please tell me where I can find the materials if they are not included in your published works, and also, if you can, tell me in what year each of the stories or poems was first published.

Langston Hughes
Hollow Hills Farm
Monterey, California

ALFRED·A·KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

January 28, 1941.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I am sending you herewith ten sketches prepared by E. McKnight Kauffer for SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM. These, of course, are only sketches and will be finished up more in the execution, but I am very much pleased with what Mr. Kauffer has done. In explanation of his approach to the illustration of your poems, Mr. Kauffer makes the following comments:

"With reference to the rough notes I brought to you this morning for "Shakespeare in Harlem" I feel that a few words on my approach to this problem will make up a little for the roughness of the penline notes.

"These songs to me represent the very simplicity of the Negro's reaction to environment. But his reaction is not 'sold out' against his great racial character. To me he is not sentimental but he has strong sentiments. There is an inherent richness in his reverie and a close attachment to simple things.

"I would like therefore to try and express this feeling of his character by simple situations, simple objects, and in any portrait drawings to give that nostalgic quality that is so distinctive in the Negro's face in repose."

Will you please return these sketches and let me know how you feel about them as soon as you possibly can? I am anxious to get production started as soon as possible. Before the nature of the illustrations is determined, it is impossible to plan typography because there must obviously be a sense of affiliation between type and illustration.

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

Hollow Hills Farm
Carmel Valley
Monterey, California

February 6, 1941

Mr. Sidney Jacobs
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Jacobs:

For the past three weeks I have been ill in
the hospital and did not receive my mail; which accounts for
this late answer to you regarding the drawings of Mr. Kauffer
that I find awaiting me on my return home. I have just written
my general comments to Mrs. Knopf, as follows:

'In brief, I like them on the whole and think that they have
a distinct charm of their own; but I feel that some of them
are slightly old fashioned insofar as the clothes of the
characters are concerned, and since the poems are modern folk-
poems of today, the atmosphere of the drawings should be up-to-
date, I think. For instance, very few men, if any, wear arm
bands now. Also, in regard to the women Mr. Kauffer has drawn:
most negro women now have quite long and well kept hair -
since the advent of the many new beauty shops and beauty
systems. This applies even to working women, and I think Mr.
Kauffer should be advised of these things, since perhaps, due
to the fact that hd is English, he is not well acquainted with
the American negro types.'

Taking the drawings one by one in the order in which they
are clipped and as I have numbered them, my brief comments
would be,

1. Very good.

2. Good. Excellent for a poem like BEALE STREET, if it were still included in the book.

3. This is distinctly the least good of the lot.

4. Amusing type.

5. Excellent. I like this one very much.

6-7-8. All right.

9. Very good.

10. Good.

A further comment might be that we must include one or
two strong working types, since many of these poems are about
men who work with their hands, and in the drawings the hands
shown should be strong hands of the sort that have done work.

-2-

We do not want to give entirely the impression in our decorations (an impression that is too current) that all negro types are of the nightclub and the careless world. As many of my poems show, these people work, and work hard, for a living and most of their problems are concerned with jobs or the loss of jobs or the difficulty of finding jobs.

I would appreciate it very much if you would pass these comments on to Mr. Kauffer.

Thank you for sending me the drawings and I hope that my slight delay in returning them did not hold you up too much.

With sincere regards,

Langston Hughes

LH-K

P.S. TWO IMPORTANT CHANGES in the manuscript: Kindly omit the poem, RED SUN BLUES on page 23, and the poem, DAYBREAK IN ALABAMA on page 41. In the place of RED SUN BLUES insert the enclosed new poem, IN A TROUBLED KEY. But insert it after Mississippi Levee so that the pageation will be as follows:

Morning After........22
Mississippi Levee.....23
Troubled Key...........24
Hey-Hey Blues.........25

In Hey-Hey Blues kindly make the following slight change for me. In third verse, omit And from beginning of first line. Place And in front of third line. Thus:

While you play 'em,
I will sing 'em, too.

And while you play 'em, etc......

On page 49, BALLAD OF MAN WHO'S GONE, please delete the word 'em in fifth verse, second line. Also delete the word I in last verse, first line, to read simply:

Wonder what makes

On page 53, MIDNIGHT CHIPPIE'S LAMENT, please delete the word I'll in third verse, fifth line, to read: Buy you, etc. And in last line change can to can't to read:

So nobody can't low-rate you.

(Absolutely the last changes in script. All O.K. now.)
I discover that part of RED SUN BLUES has already been used in my novel. Also in re-reading the manuscript, DAYBREAK IN ALABAMA seems entirely out of mood with the other poems.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

March 5, 1941

Dear Langston:

Thank you for your note of March 1.

I would indeed like to see your story ONE FRIDAY MORNING. Send it on to me.

SHAKESEEARE IN HARLEM has been de-
layed by the artist who is working on the designs.

He has unfortunately been ill. I think he is
about ready now however and so it is probable that
you will get your proofs in a couple of weeks.

Langston Hughes, Esq.

Hollow Hills Farm

Monterey, California

Hollow Hills Farm,
Monterey, California,
March 22, 1941.

Dear Mr. Bueno,

Yes, I had a very nice letter from Mr. Percy down in Greenville.
It would be kind of nice if all reactionaries were at least gentle-
men. One could bear with them a little better.

I've just had a letter from Mr. Roy Wilkins, editor of the CRISIS,
saying that they hope to make something of the June-twenty-years-
since-I've-been-publishing business. And since we could tie it all
up for publicity advantage to SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM which will just
about be getting under way at that time, I've written the enclosed
note on THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS from which you might be able to
derive some publicity material. Perhaps you might phone Mr. Wilkins
and see what plans he has, and therefrom make a release in advance
of publication to all the Negro papers, later sending them a canned
review---which most of them will print. Also if a mat could be made
of the prettiest and most complimentary of the drawings of Mr. Muffee
Kauffee-r---provided there is one that doesn't look too nappy-headed
and hard (since the race likes good-looking pictures of itself in a
fresh and golder early-sunrise manner) the colored papers and magazines
would certainly reproduce it. Lacking such a complimentary drawing,
you better send a mat of me!

ADDITIONAL PUBLICITY NOTE: I have recently written, with Music by Elliott Carpenter, a Negro patriotic song called AMERICA'S YOUNG BLACK JOE, setting forth the modern Negro, which is having great success at the various southern schools, including Tuskegee, as sung by their glee clubs and on various programs and commencement exercises. (Not for publication until it materializes: Robbins have expressed an interested in publishing the song, and Columbia in recording it.)

My best to you,

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE

New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

March 24, 1941

My dear Mr. Hughes:

Thanks for your letter of March 21st, with the corrections to be made in the manuscript of SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM. The details of the layout have now been worked out, and I expect to have the manuscript back from Mr. Kauffer tomorrow, so that we can start setting very shortly.

I know that you are anxious to see proofs, and I shall send them to you just as quickly as you possibly can.

srj;clc

ALFRED·A·KNOPF
INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

June 6, 1941

Dear Langston,

Thanks for your nice letter of May 30. I did receive
your story "One Friday Morning" but I decided against that and
instead am using a story you had in _Esquire_ entitled, "On The Road."

I have seen the poem "Proud Day" by Genevieve Taggard. I
have seen something better by her.

I am afraid I cannot tell you now when we will publish
SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM. We have been held up by the illustrator's
serious illness. Certainly we will not be able to get it out in
August. I will let you know just as soon as we know.

With best regards as always.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Carmel Valley
Jamesburg Route
Monterey, Calif.

W

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

July 7, 1941

Dear Langston,

Thanks for your note of July 3.

I can't use your poem as my anthology has
now been completely set up and is going
on press. Nothing else can go into it.

I am glad to send you herewith our
style sheet.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Monterey, Calif.
(Hollow Hills Farm)

W

Hollow Hills Farm,
Monterey, California,
October 13, 1941.

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

Dear Mr. Koshland,

I'm just back from Los Angeles where I've been confering
with Harold Clurman about a possible picture for Robeson,
and doing some librettos for the Katherine Dunham Dancers.

About Harper's Bazaar, unfortunately just about everything
in SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM has been published in one form or
another. So far as I know,

FREE MAN
IN A TROUBLED KEY

are the only poems that haven't been published at all. And
to be absolutely sure, you should check with my agent, Mr.
maxim L. Ieber, 545 Fifth Avenue, on that.

However, if Harper's Bazaar doesn't mind reprinting from ob-
scure publications that practically nobody has read then:

EVIL          PRESENT          WAKE
HOPE           IF.ING           LOVE
DECLARATION   ASPIRATION       SHAKS. IN HARLEM

all appeared in either THE CARMEL PINE CONE, which has a pure-
ly local circulation, or even smaller Negro publications. All
the BALLADS (except GYPSY which was in "Poetry") ap eared in
the little Negro weeklies of the Associated Negro Press. For
any of these I could secure publication to reprint.

DEATH IN HARLEM appeared in a magazine that was called, I believe,
"Metropolitan" that went bankrupt after one issue and so far as I
know, never reached the news stands at all---so that poem is prac-
tically new.

My agent, Mr. Lieber, has a number of new poems of mine which
might be sent to Harper's Bazaar, if you'd care to get in touch
with him. If SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM is being held up much longer,
maybe we could put some of the new ones into it. Any chance?

I've just written Mrs. Knopf asking her to write Mr. Ribeiro
Couto, Rua Senador Vergueiro, 92, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who is
an admirer and translator of my work down there, and see if he
might possibly be interesting in putting THE BIG SEA into Portu-
gese for the Latin American market.

And do you-all give away to contributors a copy of whatever an-
thologies they're in? As I'm anxious to know what of mine is in-
cluded in THE DEMOCRATIC SPIRIT I've been reading about.

Sincerely,

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

October 15, 1941

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Your note and the new list is here. Thank you.

There still isn't any definite date for SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM but we haven't given up hope!

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Hollow Hills Farm
Monterey, Calif.

f

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

October 17, 1941.

Dear Langston Hughes,

Thanks very much for your letter of
October 13th and the information regarding the
poem appearing in SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM. I
have passed this on to Mr. Lieber who will do
what he can with Harper's Bazaar.

Mrs. Knopf told me about the Brazilian
translator and we have written him to see if we
can get THE BIG SEA translated into Portuguese.

I will look forward to seeing any of the
dances you have helped with for Katherine Dunham.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Hollow Hills Farm
Montereye, Calif.

r

ALFRED·A·KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

November 7, 1941.

Dear Langston Hughes,

Thanks for your letter of
October 31st and the suggestions regarding the
copy to appear in ads, announcements, blurbs and
such for SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM. I will pass this
information on to Mr. Bueno who is in charge of
all such copy and I hope will not be guilty of
any of the cliches.

Langston Hughes, E q.
Hollow Hills Farm
Jamesburg Route
Monterey, Calif.

r

ALFRED·A·KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

December 4, 1941

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Under separate cover, I have sent you complete pages, galleys, and manuscript for SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM. I have also sent you all the front and back matter.

Please read, correct, and OK all author's proofs and return them to me at this office as soon as you conveniently can, together with the corresponding manuscript copy.

Retain the duplicate sets of proofs for your own needs.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
c/o Arna Bontemps
703 East 50th Place
Chicago, Illinois

sb/

501 MADISON AVENUE
*New York*

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

Re: SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM

December 15, 1941

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I regret that I was not able to answer your
letter of December 8th until now. Unfortunately, I was swamped with too
much work.

Many thanks for returning the corrected page
proofs and front matter. I have made the corrections you suggested and we
can now go ahead and cast and print the book.

I regret that I have only one duplicate set of
incomplete galley proofs. I don't see any point in sending these proofs to
Mr. Gordon Parks unless you think this duplicate, incomplete set will be
sufficient. If he needs a complete set, I'm afraid you have the only duplicate
set available -- and you might send your duplicate set to him.

I'm sure it was worth waiting all this time for
McKnight Kauffer to come through with his plans and illustrations. It's going
to be a very swell book!

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

srj;sb

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE
*New York*

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

February 20th, 1942

Langston Hughes, Esq.
% Arna Bontemps
703 E. 50th Street
Chicago, Ill.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We are writing this letter to inform you that we have obtained
permission from the United States government to change our ac-
counting period from the calendar year to a fiscal year ending
April 30th.

Henceforth semi-annual statements of account will be rendered
to the first day of May and the first day of November; statements
will be forwarded on or before the first day of July and the first
day of January following; and payment will be made in accordance
with the said statements subject to adjustments for returns, if
any, within said period, on the first day of September and the first
day of March, respectively.

Since this arrangement differs from that provided for in our con-
tract with you, we are sending you this letter in duplicate with
the request that you return one copy to us signed, retaining the
other for your own files.

JCL: em

Accepted:

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

March 5th, 1942

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Good Shepherd Community Center
5120 South Parkway
Chicago, Ill.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

The advance royalty check for pre-publication orders on SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM was mailed to you on March 2nd, care of Arna Bontemps, 703 East 50th Street, Chicago, Ill. and no doubt it will be forwarded to you.

We note your new address for the next few weeks. Please be sure to keep the office informed of your whereabouts so that we can forward mail promptly.

JCL:em

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

July 6, 1942.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I have yours of July 4th and want to thank you very much
for the invitation to the private presentation of "Death in Harlem", which
I will do my damndest to get to. We are rather pressed here since most of
the office is out on vacation. Nevertheless many thanks for remembering me.

Incidentally, Bill Bueno has asked me to do what I can in
bringing the performance to the attention of the various ballet theatres in
the city. We have no direct contact with any of them but we will do what
we can to urge them to attend.

As for the music publishing houses, I think a letter directly
from you would carry more weight than one from us, especially if you give them
all the details as you have done in your letter to me. If I can do anything
specifically to supplement your letter, I would be glad to do so but frankly
we have no "direct" contacts with these publishers.

Would you please let the office know how long you intend to
be in New York so that we may forward correspondence accordingly.

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

r

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

August 20, 1942

Dear Langston,

Thanks very much for the note. I am interested to hear of
the "Go-and-Get-The-Enemy Blues". Can you tell me anything else about it?
Has it been published or it is to be published? Has it been aired on the
radio or anything of that sort? I would very much like to see it or hear
it, or preferably both.

If Keyes is still around, please give him my best regards.
Also to anyone else at Yaddo that I know. It seems that there is always
someone there each summer whom I know, but curiously I have never been
acquainted with anybody who went to the McDowell Colony.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
Yaddo
Saratoga Springs, N. Y.

f

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

September 1, 1942.

Dear Langston,

Thanks for yours of August 28th.

I have taken care of the permission for the poem
"Dreams" with Professor Cross. Certainly we have no
objection to your releasing "Merry-Go-Round" with
credit to SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM to the ANP for the
colored newspapers.

With best regards,

Langston Hughes, Esq.

Yaddo

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

r

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

September 9, 1942.

Dear Langston Hughes,

Thanks for yours of September 4th about Sr. Figueira and THE BIG SEA. I will write him at once though I recall at the time of the book's publication you had me write to another individual in Montevideo -- I think a Sr. Valdes. In any event granting the right of translation to an individual is more or less putting the cart before the horse. Until a contract can be arranged with a specific publisher, there doesn't seem to be much sense in having the book translated. You can rest assured, however, that I will see what can be done.

I passed on to Mr. Bueno the information about your song "That Eagle" which is being used in the Stage Door Canteen show. I hope it will be a hit. Best regards,

r

Yaddo,
Saratoga Springs, N. Y.,
October 24, 1942.

Mr. J. R. de la Torre Bueno, Jr.,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
New York, New York.

Dear Bill,

Thanks for your nice letter. In November I am making a month's
lecture tour into the Mid-West. It begins at Stowe Teachers
College in St. Louis on November 18th, so would you care to no-
tify the St. Louis bookshops of my coming, and also the press
there? It might be a good idea to send mats to the local Negro
papers, too---one is THE ST. LOUIS AFGUS, and I forget the name
of the other one. Also a mat might go directly to the lecture
folks:

Miss Blanche L. Hayes,
Activity Committee,
Stowe Teachers College,
St. Louis, Mo.

The same material might also go to:

Mr. Horace Cayton,
Good Shepherd Community Center,
5120 South Parkway,
Chicago, Illinois,

where I am speaking later in the same month, exact date still
to be set, with a couple of other Chicago engagements pending.

As you know, I usually sell quite a few books myself at these
engagements. Unfortunately, Negroes do not like the jacket of
SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM. (Did you see the razz it got in the last
issue of THE NEGRO QUARTERLY where the guy paid no attention to
the contents---and reviewed the cover?) So---could you-all by any
chance put a couple of dozen or so copies for me into plain cello-
phane covers, or anything but dice and wishbones---so I can sell
them the better? See what can be done, will you, kindly please?

I'll be seeing you in town in about a week.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York
November 4, 1942

Langston Hughes
Yaddo
Saratoga Springs
New York

Dear Langston:

Thanks very much for the dope about the lecture
tour. Have you any further definite dates to
give us? The only one mentioned so far is that
of Stowe Teachers College on November 18. I will
get some stuff out for them for publicity, and
am asking Smith of the sales department to do
the right thing about copies for display and sale.
If you can give us the other dates, we can fol-
low the tour right through.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

November 5, 1942

Dear Langston,

Bill Bueno has passed on to me your
request for a couple of dozen copies of your book,
SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM, for you to sell at your
lecture at Stowe Teachers College.

Twenty-four copies are being shipped to you, at Yaddo, immediately. They will be without the objectionable jackets.

With best personal regards as always.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
C/O Yaddo
Saratoga Springs, N. Y.

BS:ek

Chicago, Illinois
December 5, 1942

Alfred A. Knoff, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York City, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Levin:

Kindly post to me, in care of Miss Geneva Mercomes, 5141 Milford Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, the following books:

5 SHAKESPEAR IN HARLEM
3 BIG SEA
3 THE DREAM KEEPER
2 WEARY BLUES
2 NOT WITHOUT LAUGHTER
2 WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS

All my past orders have arrived safely. Thank you very much. I think perhaps I had better have a few more for my Chicago engagement on Friday. So kindly send the following order to me at the above Chicago address:

5 SHAKESPEAR IN HARLEM
3 BIG SEA
2 THE DREAM KEEPER

These orders now cover my entire tour. I expect to be back in New York about December 16.

LH:mjs

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

March 1, 1943

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

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We are herewith enclosing your report of royalties
earned to October 31, 1942. We have deducted addi-
tional purchases from November 1, 1942 to January
31, 1943 totaling $296.74, resulting in a balance
in our favor of $256.08.

We should appreciate receiving your check for
$256.08 to balance your account with us.

PB:eb

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

May 10th, 1943

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

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We had arranged with the Harlem Book Company to take over part of our inventory of THE BIG SEA with the understanding that should they do well with the 500 copies they would release a reprint edition and pay us the usual reprint royalties. It is still too early for them to determine whether the book is sufficiently active for reprint.

I understand that you are interested in purchasing a small quantity of this edition. Harlem informs me that they have on hand a sufficient number of copies to meet their immediate requirements. Their price to wholesalers is 90¢ per copy F.O.B. New York. If you want any copies from their supply, I suggest you send me your check for the number of copies you require. Make your check payable to the Harlem Book Company or to Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. The Harlem Book Company obviously cannot open individual accounts on their books. Theirs must be purely a cash transaction. I shall be glad to order the books for you and arrange for their delivery.

JCL:em

<table><tr><td>CLASS OF SERVICE</td></tr><tr><td>This is a full-rate Telegram or Cable-gram unless its de-ferred character is in-dicated by a suitable symbol above or pre-ceding the address.</td></tr></table>

WESTERN
UNION

A. N. WILLIAMS
PRESIDENT

1201

<table><tr><td colspan="2">SYMBOLS</td></tr><tr><td>DL</td><td>= Day Letter</td></tr><tr><td>NL</td><td>= Night Letter</td></tr><tr><td>LC</td><td>= Deferred Cable</td></tr><tr><td>NLT</td><td>= Cable Night Letter</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Ship Radiogram</td></tr></table>

The filing time shown in the date line on telegrams and day letters is STANDARD TIME at point of origin. Time of receipt is STANDARD TIME at point of destination

WUG.PZNC434

NYJ662 7=PZNY KSP NEWYORK NY 3 531P=
LANGSTON HUGHES=

1944 MAR 3 PM 6 03

CARE URBAN LEAGUE 1300 FIFTH AVENUE PITTSBURGH PA=

ALL BOOKS ORDERED SHIPPED PARCELPOST FEBRUARY 28TH=
ALFRED A KNOPF INC.

28TH.

NO 5561 AT 7
BY AT TO BE
CALLS Ga-6388 P aus6430

THE COMPANY WILL APPRECIATE SUGGESTIONS FROM ITS PATRONS CONCERNING ITS SERVICE

GRAND CENTRAL
ANNEX

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

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Office of the Vice-President

July 14, 1944

Dear Mr. Hughes,

At Mrs. Knopf's request, Mr. Lesser tried to reach you by telephone and found that you were away. Would you be good enough to telephone him the first thing Monday morning as he would like to discuss the question of your nine poems being set to music.

With many thanks, I am

rn

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

501 Madison Ave., N. Y. 22

9/1/44

Dear Sir:

With reference to your letter of Aug. 23rd, this is to report that the package containing a copy of THE BIG SEA was returned to us from the post office addressed to MR. HARRY SHEER, 109 N. 5TH ST. CAMDEN, N.J., and we have already sent him another copy correctly addressed to 109 N. 5TH ST. CAMDEN, N.J.

ORDER D EPT.

AS A WAR MEASURE WE USE THIS POSTCARD FOR BRIEF MESSAGES.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York 22, N.Y.

September 5, 1944

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

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I have just returned from my holiday to find your letter of August 24, wherein you advise us that Asch Records wishes to release this fall arecorded album of your poems in a limited edition. I note that Mr. Moe Asch in charge of recording is to communicate with us with respect to the use of these poems. My secretary tells me that he has not as yet phoned us.

I shall communicate with you again by Friday of this week in the event Mr. Asch has not phoned me by that date.

I assume now that Miss Marks of Decca has returned from her vacation and that the Decca contract will be shortly forthcoming.

JCL: em

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

November 1, 1944

Dear Langston,

Dr. O. W. Buschgen, Minister of the West-
minster Presbyterian Church in Elizabeth writes to
say that he would like to buy one copy of a book
by you to be autographed by you. If you will tell
me what to have ready for you and when you will be
able to come in, I will have it here for you.

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

mm

November 29, 1944

Dear Bernard:

I am sorry not to have answered your letter for so long but I have been out of town doing five weeks of high school assemblies for the magazine *Common Ground*.

I would suggest that we send Dr. Buschgen of Elizabeth a copy of my *Big Sea*, so if you will drop me a card when it is in the office, I will stop by and autograph it for him.

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

January 10, 1945

Order Department
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York City

Attention: Mr. Levin

Dear Mr. Levin:

During the next two weeks I shall be lecturing in the following
places to which kindly send the following book orders addressed to:

Langston Hughes
C/o Pres. W. R. Davies
State Teachers College
Eau Claire, Wisconsin

10 - "Dream Keeper"
5 "Weary Blues"
5 "Shakespeare in Harlem"
3 "The Big Sea"
3 "Ways of White Folks"

Please address the same order to:

Langston Hughes
C/o Miss Elizabeth Johnson
520 Douglass Avenue
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Since I am spending an entire week in Milwaukee speaking at dif-
ferent high schools and colleges every day, you had better send a
larger order to:

Langston Hughes
C/o Mr. Maurice H. Terry
National Conference of
Christians and Jews, Inc.
759 N. Milwaukee Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2)

20 - "Dream Keeper"
6 "Weary Blues"
6 "Shakespeare in Harlem"
4 "The Big Sea"
2 "Ways of White Folks"

These orders need not go special delivery, but they should be
posted as soon as it is convenient this week.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

April 4, 1945

Langston Hughes
c/o Sister Mary Francis
Xavier University
Washington and Pine Streets
New Orleans, Louisiana

Dear Mr. Hughes:

When you were in the office autographing copies of your DREAMKEEPER for Milwaukee Downer College, you also recall autographing a copy of THE DREAMKEEPER which the boys in the mail room sent direct to: Mr. Peter Crabtree, c/o Mrs. Mary Rathner, 327 W. 11th Street, New York City. We wish, however, to inform you that this package has just been returned to us by the postmaster, due to the fact that you had given us an incorrect address.

If it is at all possible, would you kindly advise me as to the correct address, and we shall be pleased to reship the book at once.

jl/jk

April 4, 1945

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Order Department

jl/jk

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

April 16th, 1945

VIA AIR MAIL

Mr. Langston Hughes
c/o Mr. A.E. Holland
Box 121
Wichita Falls, Texas

Dear Mr. Hughes:

This is with further reference to our telegram regarding your New Orleans and Houston orders. We really do not understand why both these orders were not on hand when you reached these cities. Our shipping records definitely disclose the fact that shipments were made early enough so that there would be no delay in having books on hand for your lecture.

As per your request, we have duplicated your New Orleans order and have shipped same to you, c/o Morland Branch YMCA, 2700 Flora Street, Dallas, Texas--and also, we have doubled the number of books for Oklahoma City which is being shipped at once.

Finally, as per your request, we shall fill the balance of your orders immediately.

jl/jk

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York 22, N. Y.

July 13, 1945

Dear Mr. Hughes:

The contract for the Spanish edition of
THE BIG SEA with Editorial Lautaro was made
December 31, 1943, and called for publication
within eighteen months; that is, by June 31,
1945. The books have therefore come
out only recently, and copies must be on their
way to us. However, I am writing to the agent
in Buenos Aires who handled this matter.

Thank you for calling this to my
attention.

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

October 25, 1945.

Dear Mr. Levin,

Please duplicate my last book order to:

Langston Hughes,
c/o Robert Wilkerson,
Colored Community Center,
1100 West 14th Street,
Anderson, Indiana

billing to me. This makes the last order for the present
tour. You might also send to me:

Langston Hughes,
Hotel Grand,
5044 South Parkway,
Chicago, Illinois

one copy of each of my books, since I am speaking to the
Conference of Club Women there and can use them for display
purposes.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

October 26, 1945.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We have received a request from
Professor Harvey Curtis Webster of Fisk
University for one of your autographed
pictures, which they hope to place in a
writing room soon to be opened at the
University.

We wonder if you wish to send them
one which you may have at hand, or whether
you prefer us to send one from here without
your signature.

If you wish them to have an
autographed picture but do not have one
available, will you let us know so that we
may send one to you?

LFT:es

December 1, 1945

Attention: Mr. Levin

Gentlemen:

Please send to me six copies of my *Big Sea* to
my address here in New York. Also, send immediately
the following lecture orders for me:

12 Dream Keeper

1 Weary Blues

1 Shakespeare in Harlem

1 Not Without Laughter

1 Ways of White Folks

2 Big Sea.

Address them to me in care of the following; duplicating each order to each address:

Mr. Burton P. Fowler
Germantown Friends School
Greene and Coulter Streets
Philadelphia 44, Pennsylvania

Dean Joseph N. Shane
George School
Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Kindly mark "Rush", as I speak in both of these
places this week-end, December 7 and 8. Please bill
me.

Sincerely yours,

December 8, 1945

Dear Bernard:

I have just received three copies of The Big Sea in Spanish as published by Lautaro in Buenos Aires in 1944 under the title of El Inmenso Mar. The translation seems to be a very good one indeed.

A few weeks ago I also received one copy of the Portuguese translation (or rather the Brazilian one in that language), published by Editorial Vitoria in Rio de Janeiro in 1944 under the title O Inmenso Mar. I know that the Lautaro edition is one for which your office contracted, but I do not recall having had any information regarding the Brazilian edition of Editorial Vitoria. Would you have whoever is in charge of translations at Knopf find out if it is a regular one or a pirated one, and if we have received our proper remuneration?

Now that I am back in New York again from my recent Middle Western tour, and before I go to the Coast for a six weeks lecture trip at the end of this month, I shall try to contact the Lorca family here and straighten out the matter of rights in relation to my translation of his poems.

I have just purchased your new edition of poems of Walt Whitman. Your preface is a very good one indeed, and I am glad this handy pocket-size edition of Whitman has been published. I think he has one of the great poets of all time.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

December 21, 1945

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

Dear Sir:

The portion of your letter addressed to Mr. Levin requesting an itemization of your purchases to date, has been forwarded to me. We have already set up your royalty figures for the six month period ended October 31, 1945 and we have charged your account since your last settlement, with purchases amounting to $92.46. We are planning to send you a check for $327.77 on January 2, 1946 in accordance with royalty statement which will accompany it. We would prefer to let our accounting record stand as is. However, if you prefer, you may send us your check for $92.46.

With best wishes for the New Year,

PB:RR

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

February 1, 1946

Langston Hughes
% Mr. Hobart L. LaGrone
NAACP
P. O. Box 212
Albuquerque, N. M.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

This is with reference to your letter of
December 20th together with your long list of various
addresses where copies of your books were to be
shipped.

We find that unfortunately, that you failed to
give us a complete address for your stop at Greeley,
Colorado. The only information we have is as
follows: Langston Hughes, % , Greeley, Colorado.

Although shipment was made addressed as listed
above, the package has now been returned to us. We
shall, of course, cancel our charge against your
account for this return, but we shall be pleased to
send you a duplicate shipment upon receipt of a
corrected address for your stop at Greeley.

With all best wishes and trusting that you are
having a successful tour,

JL:MW

March 3, 1946

Dear Bernard:

In case you would like to notify the book shops in
the following cities of my coming poetry programs there,
I am sending you my itinerary for the coming weeks:

Westover School, Middlebury, Conn., Friday, March 15
The Community Church, Boston Mass., Sunday, March 17
KAM Temple, Chicago, Ill., Tuesday, March 19
American Jewish Congress, Chicago, Ill., Wednesday, March 20
Morgan Park High School, Chicago, Ill., Thursday, March 21
Mrs. Hallie D. Wright, Dayton, Ohio, Friday, March 22
YMCA, Toledo, Ohio, Sunday, March 24
YMCA, Pittsburgh, Penna., Friday, March 29
Outlines Gallery, Pittsburgh, Penna., Saturday, March 30
St. James Literary Forum, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunday, March 31
Unity Church, Montclair, N. J., Sunday, April 7
Brooklyn Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y., Friday, April 26
St. John Congregational Church, Springfield, Mass.

Sunday, April 28

During my January-February tour, I found my books on
sale in the bookshops of a number of cities, but others did
not have them at all. At my lectures proper, I myself sold
more than three hundred copies of my books during this
period, and have brought back to New York with me orders for
about fifty autographed copies which I will send from the
office this week.

With all good wishes, I am

Sincerely yours,

Mr. Bernard Smith
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

March 21, 1946

Mr. Langston Hughes
% Mr. R. T. Davis
St. James Literary Forum
8401 Cedar Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio

Dear Mr. Hughes:

We were very surprised to receive your telegram regarding the books which you claim had not arrived addressed to you, % Rabbi Jacob Weinstein.

All your orders including the one in question were definitely shipped by parcel post on March 14, and we were sure that they would have arrived at their destination in ample time before your visit.

We shall write direct to Rabbi Weinstein regarding this matter and ask him, of course, to return the books to us for full credit inasmuch as we believe that they will be of no use to him since they were not there when you reached Chicago.

JL:MW

June 18, 1946

Dear Mr. Weinstock:

This is my book of lyric poems, concerning
which I spoke to you over the phone. It is,
of course, subject to editorial revision, and
perhaps a half-dozen or so poems might be
omitted. I would appreciate the suggestions of
your office on this.

As I told you, I have more than enough
poems for a book largely Negro in theme, poems
of both a humorous and a serious nature. We
might follow this volume with such a book about
a year later. And then I think it would be time
to put together a larger volume of my selected
poems, as people very often ask me now if they
can get a complete collection of my poems in one
volume. We might plan this for about 1949 or
1950 to celebrate a quarter of a century of my
publishing of poetry.

As to the Lorca book, I will try to con-
tact his brother within the next week or so.

Sincerely yours,

Mr. Herbert Weinstock
Alfred A. Knopf, Incorporated

June 27, 1946

Mr. Levin
Order Department
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York City

Dear Mr. Levin:

Kindly send to me at the above address
six copies of my book SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM,
and three copies of THE WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS,
also, three copies of THE BIG SEA.

Please send one copy of THE WEARY BLUES,
one SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM and one WAYS OF

WHITE FOLKS To: Sr. Domingos Carvalho Da Silva
Rua Barao de Paranapiacaba #61
Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Also, one copy of THE BIG SEA to:

M. George Adam
19, Villa Leandre
Paris 18e, France.

Bill these to me.

Very truly yours,

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

June 28, 1946

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We have given careful consideration to your
manuscript of poems, *Fields of Wonder*. I think that
we want to publish it, and if you give me the word to
go ahead, I shall draw up a contract for it on the same
terms as for your preceding book of poems, *Shakespeare
In Harlem*.

As you know, Mr. and Mrs. Knopf are at present
out of the country. I discussed with Mr. Knopf the idea
of the Lorca book, and I found him cold to the idea. I
myself, while an admirer of Lorca, Hughes, and Uovarrubias,
have little enthusiasm for this particular project. I
think, therefore, that we had perhaps better drop the
idea altogether.

As I am leaving the city myself for several weeks
after the close of business on July 3, I shall hope to hear
from you on July 1 with regard to a contract for *Fields of
Wonder*. I should certainly like to meet you, and hope you
find it possible to stop in at this office.

hw;jc

7/3/46

MEMO TO: LANGSTON HUGHES
RE: FIELDS OF WONDER

I feel that the following four pieces
could be omitted without too much loss:

Gypsy Melodies

Moon-Colored Nymph - omitted
Rememberance (Query: Should this
be "Remembrance"?)

Faithful One

Wouldn't Songs (p. 40) and Sleep (p. 41)
be more appropriate in the section entitled
"Desire"?

The title "Tearless" seemed awkward to me.

I liked "Trumpet Player" but for once I
think you have overloaded a poem with adjectives.

M. Rugoff

ALFRED·A·KNOPF·Inc.

BORZOI BOOKS
for Young People
PLaza 3-4761

501 Madison Ave . N . Y.

July 17, 1946

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We are sending you, under separate
cover, THE ADVENTURES OF DON QUIXOTE and JAVA HEAD.

Many thanks for your part in the
July issue of the Battledore. I am most grateful
to you for your help and shall be very happy to
call on you again at some future date for another
piece from your pen.

I know you will enjoy owning both
of the above books.

With all good wishes,

ag

August 8, 1946

Dear Mr. Rugoff,

Thank you very much for giving me your comments and sug-
gestions on FIELDS OF WONDER. I've made a few slight re-
visions and am returning the manuscript to you herewith.
I am enclosing, too, all the sources of previous publica-
tion that I can trace. In some cases I do not have the
dates. I would suggest that from all these magazines you
get clearance on ALB poems of mine that they may have pub-
lished (as your files show was done in the case of OPPORTU-
NITY magazine once, then we would not have to go through all
this with these particular magazines when we get ready in a
couple of years or so to publish my COLLECTED POEMS.) I
would appreciate your letting me know approximately when the
book may be published. If your publicity department is
sending out a notice of acceptance now, they might mention
that I am doing the lyrics for the forthcoming (December)
production of Elmer Rice's musical version of STREET SCENE,
the music by Kurt Weill, Dwight Deere Wiman & The Playwrights
producing.

Sent to Milton Rugoff, Knopf,
August 9, 1946, with revised
manuscript.

FIELDS OF WONDER
by
Langston Hughes

POEMS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN
MAGAZINES AND ANTHOLOGIES

CARMEL PINE CONE, Carmel, California:

BIG SUR and MOONLIGHT NIGHT: CARMEL

POETRY QUARTERLY, Baltimore:

SNAKE---Spring 1931

POETRY:

DUSTBOWL---May, 1941

HARPER'S BAZAAR:

DESERT---

OPPORTUNITY:

GIRL---June 1927 (Under the title MONA) The Knopf office already has clearance on this.

PRIZE POEMS: A paper-bound anthology published, I believe, by

Boni:

A HOUSE IN TAOS

NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE BOOKS:

STRANGE HURT

SEVEN POETS IN SEARCH OF AN ANSWER: An anthology published by

Bernard Ackerman, Inc., 1944:

DIMOUT IN HARLEM

THE CRISIS:

MIGRATION

THE SATURDAY EVENING POST:

REFUGEE IN AMERICA---February 6, 1943

WISDOM---January 30, 1943

CONTENTS---2

DESIRE

<table><tr><td>DESIRE</td><td>41</td></tr><tr><td>DREAM</td><td>42</td></tr><tr><td>JULIET</td><td>43</td></tr><tr><td>MAN</td><td>44</td></tr></table>

TEARLESS

<table><tr><td>VAGABONDS</td><td>46</td></tr><tr><td>LUCK</td><td>47</td></tr><tr><td>EXITS</td><td>48</td></tr><tr><td>WALLS</td><td>49</td></tr><tr><td>CHIPPY</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td>DANCERS</td><td>51</td></tr><tr><td>GRIEF</td><td>52</td></tr><tr><td>PRAYER</td><td>53</td></tr></table>

MORTAL STORM

<table><tr><td>A HOUSE IN TAOS</td><td>55</td></tr><tr><td>OLD SAILOR</td><td>57</td></tr><tr><td>GENIUS CHILD</td><td>58</td></tr><tr><td>DREAM DUST</td><td>59</td></tr><tr><td>STRANGE HURT</td><td>60</td></tr><tr><td>LITTLE SONG</td><td>61</td></tr><tr><td>PERSONAL</td><td>62</td></tr><tr><td>JAIME</td><td>63</td></tr><tr><td>FAITHFUL ONE</td><td>64</td></tr><tr><td>SAILING DATE</td><td>65</td></tr><tr><td>THERE</td><td>66</td></tr></table>

STARS OVER HARLEM

<table><tr><td>TRUMPET PLAYER</td><td>71</td></tr><tr><td>DIMOUT IN HARLEM</td><td>72</td></tr><tr><td>MOTHERLAND</td><td>73</td></tr><tr><td>COMMUNION</td><td>74</td></tr><tr><td>MIGRATION</td><td>75</td></tr><tr><td>STARS</td><td>76</td></tr></table>

WORDS LIKE FREEDOM

<table><tr><td>REFUGEE IN AMERICA</td><td>77</td></tr><tr><td>EARTH SONG</td><td>78</td></tr><tr><td>WISDOM</td><td>79</td></tr><tr><td>DUSK</td><td>80</td></tr><tr><td>WHEN THE ARMIES PASSED</td><td>81</td></tr><tr><td>TODAY</td><td>82</td></tr><tr><td>OPPRESSION</td><td>83</td></tr><tr><td>SPIRITUALS</td><td>84</td></tr><tr><td>REPRISE</td><td>85</td></tr></table>

November 9, 1946

Mr. Milton Rugoff,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
New York City.

Dear Mr. Rugoff,

I think your comment on TRUMPET PLAYER, when you first read
it, had a lot of truth in it. So I've remedied it a bit by
deleting the last four lines. There is also another little
change on it's second page. So would you kindly insert that
page (enclosed) with the new changes, into the manuscript,
destroying the present Page 69.

If you know now the approximate publication date for the book,
I would appreciate your letting me know.

The Dwight Deere Wiman---Playwrights production of STREET
SCENE goes into rehearsal this Thursday, November 14. The
book is by Elmer Rice and, as you know, I have done the lyrics
to music by Kurt Weill. Anne Jeffreys, Norman Cordon, and
Palyna Stoska have the leading roles. We open in Philadelphia
in December, and in New York about mid-January. Perhaps this
information may be of interest to your publicity department.
The show is best described as "a dramatic musical."

I'm thinking of compiling an anthology of Negro poetry (since
there is no up-to-date one) and am writing Blanche about it
today.

With all good wishes,

Sincerely,

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE
*New York*

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

November 12, 1946

Dear Langston Hughes:

Naturally I like the slight change in TRUMPET PLAYER
and have arranged to have the new page 69 substituted for the
original.

The publication date for FIELDS OF WONDER has just
been set for March 20th.

The news about STREET SCENE sounds very promising.
I am sure all will go well with it and I'll pass along the infor-
mation to Publicity at once.

The anthology of Negro poetry should fill a gap and
if anyone is in a position to do it well, it is you.

MR/g

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

November 14, 1946

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I have checked through our records and find that a copy of SHINING TRUMPETS by Rudi Blesh was sent you care of the *Chicago Defender* about a month ago. I guess it wasn't forwarded to you. (I hope somebody in Chicago is putting it to good use). I am sending you another copy today.

Mr. Weinstock has already given me the information on STREET SCENE, and I am planning a publicity release on it.

I will get in touch with you before FIELDS OF WONDER is published, and we will talk over the publicity for it.

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas Ave.
New York City

Alfred A. Knopf, Ind.
Attention Mr. Levin

January 6, 1947

Page -2-

Mr. Langston Hughes
c/o President Bluford
A. & T. College
Greensboro, North Carolina
(February 11, 1947)

Mr. Langston Hughes
Department of English
Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia
(January 20, 1947)

The following order is to be sent to each of the above places:

12................DREAMKEEPER

4..................WEARY BLUES

4..................SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM

4..................BIG SEA

2..................WAYS OF WHITE FOLK

The following order is to be shipped to me as follows:

6................DREAMKEEPER

2..................WEARY BLUES

2..................SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM

2..................BIG SEA

1..................WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS

Ship the order immediately above to:

Mr. Langston Hughes
Grand Hotel
5044 South Parkway
Chicago, Illinois
(January 12, 1947)

Very truly yours,

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

January 10, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Irving Astrachan of Radio Station WEVD has asked me to pass on to you an invitation to take part in a radio discussion over WEVD on February 18. The program will be in honor of Countee Cullen, and there will be one or two other guests on it. I have worked with Mr. Astrachan often, and know that his programs are intelligent, informal, and quite painless.

Would you give me a phone call or
drop me a note about this?

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas Ave
New York 30, NY

<table><thead><tr><th colspan="2">CLASS OF SERVICE DESIRED</th></tr><tr><th>DOMESTIC</th><th>CABLE</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>TELEGRAM</td><td>ORDINARY</td></tr><tr><td>DAY LETTER</td><td>URGENT RATE</td></tr><tr><td>SERIAL</td><td>'DEFERRED</td></tr><tr><td>NIGHT LETTER</td><td>NIGHT LETTER</td></tr></tbody></table>

Patrons should check class of service desired; otherwise the message will be transmitted as a telegram or ordinary cablegram.

WESTERN
UNION

1207

A. N. WILLIAMS, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

JOSEPH L. EGAN, PRESIDENT

$

S

F

<table><tr><td>CHECK</td></tr><tr><td>ACCOUNTING INFORMATION</td></tr><tr><td>TIME FILED</td></tr></table>

Send the following telegram, subject to the terms on back hereof, which are hereby agreed to

FEBRUARY 4 1947

To ALFRED A. KNOPF INCORPORATED

Care of or Apt. No. ORDER DEPT.

Street and No. 501 MADISON AVENUE

Place NEW YORK CITY

KINDLY SEND IMMEDIATELY CUSTOMARY BOOK ORDER ADDRESSED
TO ME CARE OF THE PRESIDENT AT NORTH CAROLINA COLLEGE
FOR NEGROES AT DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA. ALSO AGRICULTURAL
AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE AT GREENSBORO NORTH CAROLINA.
ALSO MILES COLLEGE AT BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA. ALSO PALMER
MEMORIAL INSTITUTE AT SEDALIA NORTH CAROLINA. ALSO
CARE OF DOROTHY THOMPSON YWCA INDUSTRIAL DEPT. 6 N.
FIFTH STREET AT RICHMOND VIRGINIA.

Sender's name and address
(For reference only)

Sender's telephone
number

February 7, 1947

Mr. Joe Levin
Alfred A. Knopf
501 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

Dear Mr. Levin:

Two of my lecture stops of ten days or so ago I could not permit books to be sold at their school assemblies, but my books were left with their book shop which promised to remit directly to you and to return any left-over books to you. These schools are Menyon College; Gambier, Ohio and Girls' Latin School; Chicago, Illinois. Kindly credit their remittance directly to my account with you.

On February 4 I sent you a wire asking you to send out several book orders for me.

At the moment I have remaining lecture engagement to which I would like our customary book order sent to reach me by March 4:

Langston Hughes
o/o Miss Lillian P. Jones
Derricotte Branch YWCA
Mobile 13, Alabama

Also kindly send to me at the above address Atlanta University five copies of THE WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS. And if NOT WITHOUT LAUGHTER has been reprinted, please send five copies of it also.

I shall be here at Atlanta University giving seminars in Creative Writing until June, but with my snow, "Street Scene", such a big hit I sort of wish I was back in New York.

With all good wishes to you, and my best regards to all the girls on your staff, I am

January 6, 1947

Page -2-

12................DREAMKEEPER
4................WEARY BLUES
4................SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM
4................BIG SEA
2................WAYS OF WHITE FOLK

6................DREAMKEEPER
2................WEARY BLUES
2................SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM
2................BIG SEA
1................WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS

Very truly yours,

ALFRED · A · KNOPF

INCORPORATED

501 MADISON AVENUE
New York

Cables: KNOPF NEW YORK

Telephones: PLAZA 3-4761

February 10, 1947

Mr. Langston Hughes
Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia

Dear Mr. Hughes:

We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 7th.

We note what you say with reference to two of your orders which
have been left with the book shops covering shipments originally
mailed you in care of Kenyon College and Girls' Latin School.

Your telegram order of February 4th was received and shipment made
promptly covering each and every order.

Unfortunately, we were able to ship you only one complete order which included the two copies of WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS. This book is now out of stock with us at present, and also NOT WITHOUT LAUGHTER is not as yet available in the new edition. As per your request we are sending your customary order with the exception of THE WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS to you addressed at Mobile, Alabama.

I wish to extend my personal good wishes on the success of the
show STREET SCENE which is really one of the biggest hits in New
York.

JL:EL

February 13, 1947

Mr. Joseph Levin
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
501 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

Dear Mr. Levin;

I thank you very much for your letter of February 10. I hope that both *The Ways of White Folk* and *Not Without Laughter* will soon be available again.

I am just back from my lecture dates in New York City, and I am back in Richmond. I do not know why but I found that at both Durham and Greensboro, your office had sent two boxes of books instead of one. So I returned to you the two boxes which came to Greensboro, since I had more than I could sell there.

At Richmond the few books that were not sold, I left with the YWCA since they felt that they could sell them within a few days. However if they return any to you kindly credit them to my account.

With all good wishes to you,

February 21, 1947

Order Department,
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York, New York.

Dear Mr. Levin,

Please send me to the above address, billing to me,
the following of my books:

12 DREAM KEEPER
12 SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM
6 THE BIG SEA

AND 8 copies of NOT WITHOUT LAUGHTER if it is re-
issued before May 15.

P.M. Don't forget my previous order for Mobile
where I speak in early March.

February 25, 1947

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
Order Department,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York 22, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Levin,

Mrs. Knopf writes me that FIELDS OF WONDER is ready. I haven't seen it yet, but trust my copies are on the way here.....Anyhow, since I won't be in New York to autograph any for my various assorted cousins and relatives and friends, better send me 50 copies to above address.

Also, if the Mobile book order has not gone off, please include a half dozen copies in it. If it has gone, please send six copies there anyhow.

With all good wishes,

March 2, 1947

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

Dear Mr. Cole,

I trust the Mary Margaret McBride program is all set for Friday, March 21st? I shall arrive in New York by air the day before and will phone your office in the late afternoon. I shall be in town Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Perhaps some other publicity ideas could be worked out for that period---maybe something in conjunction with the Playwrights Office (co-producers of STREET SCENE). The men to contact are William Fields or Jack Toohey.

Review copies of FIELDS OF WONDER should go to the larger Negro newspapers and magazines, also the Associated Negro Press which services some two hundred smaller papers. The two book clubs specializing in Negro or interracial books should also have copies. I am enclosing a list for you.

The other day I send your department some new photographs of myself taken here. Prints might also go to these publications.

Dr. Alain Locke and Ralph Ellison, our leading critics, who are always doing pieces for both Negro and general magazines, should each have a copy of the book, too. They are on the enclosed list.

Some of the publishers send out announcements of a new book (such as the enclosed from Harpers). Does the Knopf office do this? If so, let me know, and I can send you an excellent address list from lecture sponsors, fan letters, and other sources that have expressed interest in my work during the past two years.

FROM: Langston Hughes
TO: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Re: Review copies of
FIELDS OF WONDER
to:

## NEGRO MAGAZINES

THE CRISIS, 20 West 40th Street, New York, N. Y.

OPPORTUNITY, 1133 Broadway, New York, N. Y.

OUR WORLD, 1440 Broadway, New York, N. Y.

NEGRO DIGEST, 5125 South Calumet Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

CIRCUIT, 4729 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois.

PHYLON, Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia.

## NEGRO NEWSPAPERS

ATLANTA DAILY WORLD, 216 Auburn Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia.

AMSTERDAM NEWS, 2340 Eighth Avenue, New York, N. Y.

BOSTON CHRONICLE, 794 Tremont Street, Boston, Mass.

CHICAGO DEFENDER, 3435 Indiana Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

BALTIMORE AFRO-AMERICAN, N. Eutaw Street, Baltimore, Maryland.

PITTSBURGH COURIER, 2628 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

PEOPLE'S VOICE, 210 West 125th Street, New York, N. Y.

LOS ANGELES TRIBUNE, 4225 South Central Avenue, Los Angeles, Cal.

## PRESS SERVICES

ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS, 3507 South Parkway, Chicago, Illinois.

CALVIN NEWS SERVICE, (Consult Phone Book) New York, N. Y.

## BOOK CLUBS

ONE WORLD BOOK CLUB, 227 West 13th Street, New York 13, N. Y.

NEGRO BOOK CLUB, 501 West 147th Street, New York 31, N. Y.

## FREE LANCE CRITICS

DR. ALAIN LOCKE, Howard University, Washington, D. C.

RALPH ELLISON, 749 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York 31, N. Y.

J. SAUNDERS REDDING, Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia.

March 2, 1947

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

Dear Mr. Weinstock,

Thank you for your recent letter. I had a note from Mrs. Knopf about ten days ago saying that copies of FIELDS OF WONDER were on the way to me, but they have not arrived here as yet, so I am anxiously awaiting them.

I am flying up to New York on March 20, so will be there in plenty of time for the Mary Margaret McBride program on the 21st. That morning I am to read my poems to the Sixth Grade classes at the Ethical Culture School, a long ago promise to fullfill.

Now that STREET SCENE is making money, I can, after June, have some free time to work on two or three prose projects that I have had in mind for a long time.

With all good wishes to you,

March 7, 1947

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
Order Dept.
501 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

Dear Mr. Levin:

Please send me to the above address, billing to me,
as soon as possible thirty (30) copies of my new book
FIELDS OF WONDER.

Also please send ten (10) copies addressed to me
at my New York address, PO BOX 634 St. Nicholas Ave.,
New York 30, New York, so that they will be there when I
come up to New York on the 20th.

With best regards to you,

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

March 10, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes,

I have sent review copies of
FIELDS OF WONDER to the names you sent me. To
the best of my knowledge the Mary Margaret show
is on for March 21 -- I remember her telling me
about it a few weeks ago. I have been trying to
get her on the phone all day with no luck. When
I do get her, if I should find that the show isn't
all set I'll let you know. If you don't hear
from me assume that everything is under control.

I would like you to have lunch
with me and Roger Linscott of the Herald Tribune
Book Section after the McBride show. He would
like to interview you for his column "On the
Books."

Our promotion department would
appreciate having the list for circularization.
Send it to me as soon as possible and I'll pass
it on.

I'll see you at the McBride pro-
gram March 21.

Mr. Langston Hughes
English Department
Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia

March 12, 1947

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
Publicity Department,
501 Madison Avenue,
New York, New York.

Gentlemen,

Today under separate cover I am sending you a photograph of myself taken by Clarence Jefferson of Chicago, at the typewriter, which might be suitable for magazine or newspaper use in connection with the publication of FIELDS OF WONDER. In any case, it has not been released to anyone else, so could be an "exclusive" with whatever publication you can place it.

About ten days ago I sent you other photos, and also wrote Mr. Cole that I would be in New York on the 20th for the Mary Margaret McBride program. I also asked if your firm sent out individual notices of a new book. If so I have a splendid address list I could send you. I have not received an answer to this letter, so if you can use such a list, please let me know at once.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

March 14, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Hold everything -- Mary Margaret McBride can't have any guests on her March 21 program. It's to be a special program in a series called "salute your neighbours", and will be originating from White Plains, New York on that day. She wants me to explain to you that the whole idea isn't hers, but the brainstorm of some NBC executive. If it would be possible for you to come up to New York later, she said that Friday, April 11, would be OK.

I had a chat with Jack Toohey of the Playwright's Office, and he said that you are coming to New York to speak at the Ethical Culture School on the 21. Will you be able to come to lunch with Roger Linscott and me? It would be most convenient if you would meet us atKnopf at about 12:30.

Sorry about the McBride show. Please let me know about lunch, and if you can make an appearance on the McBride show at a later date.

ATLANTA UNIVERSITY
ATLANTA, GEORGIA

May 23, 1947

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

Dear Mr. Levin:

The Skyloft Players, a dramatic group which I founded some years ago at the Parkway Community Center in Chicago, one of the largest settlement houses in the world, are planning a public autograph party for me there on June 8 to help promote my new book of poems.

They feel that they can dispose of about 100 copies, so would you kindly send 100 copies of *Fields of Wonder* to:

Mrs. Helen Spaulding
The Skyloft Players
Parkway Community House
Chicago 15, Illinois

Please bill these books to the Skyloft Players, but I will be personally responsible for seeing that the amount is sent you immediately after the sale and that any unsold copies are returned to you in case there are any left. Kindly send these books immediately since they wish to have an advance display.

LH:wmb

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

April 10, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes:

We have your letter of April 7th regarding the
two defective copies of FIELDS OF WONDER.

We are sending you at once two copies no charge
to replace those which you returned to us.

We have checked with our Manufacturing Department,
and wish to state that in almost any edition
of any book, there are bound to be several copies
manufactured, ie: pages missing, title pages
up-side-down, etc..

JL:EL

April 13, 1947

Dear Mr. Cole,

Did anything ever come of our interview in New York? And have
there been any ads announcing FIELDS OF WONDER? I haven't seen
nary one! How will folks know it is published? Huh?

Here's a list of new names for April for notices.

Did you see the Cleveland NEWS BOOKS front page review? It is
the only one other than the Negro papers that I have seen so far,
except for a little one here in the Atlanta JOURNAL.

Don't forget my Covarrubias MEXICO book. I might go down there
this summer.

Just back from reading poetry in
Pine Bluff and Little Rock, Arkansas.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

April 17th, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We have a request from a Miss Gloria Siglinger, who was one of the individuals whose names you sent us, for an autographed copy of FIELDS OF WONDER.

Believing that you will not mind, we are taking the liberty of sending you a copy of the book under separate cover, and enclosed is postage and a label for your convenience in returning the book to us after you have autographed it.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

Langston Hughes, Esq.
English Department
Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia

ek-gk
encl.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

April 18, 1947

Dear Langston Hughes,

I do not, thank God, have anything
to do with the advertising department, but by
snooping around I have found that until now two
ads have appeared in the Saturday Review, and one
in the Partisan (I believe these ads also mentioned
two other poetry hooks of ours), and an ad in the
New York Times Book Review for April 13.

I have seen four or five reviews
from papers outside of New York, and the Times has
their review set up in proof -- dumno when they'll
run it. I called Roger Linscott -- he'll be running
something in his column as a result of that interview
shortly. By the way, that was a nice interview in
the New York Post.

MEXICO SOUTH should be back in
stock very shortly, and I'll see that you get one.

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

P. S. I almost forgot... I was talking to
Mary Margaret McBride and she would like to know
if you could be the guest on her program June
24. If you figure on being available in New
York at that date, let me know and I'll have
her schedule the broadcast.

BC

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

April 29, 1947

Dear Langston,

I have notified Mary Margaret concerning June 24. Keep it in mind and let me know when you arrive in New York.

I am enclosing the review of FIELDS OF WONDER from next Sunday's *Times*.

Professor Warren Bower, who runs the WNYC radio interview program, "The Reader's Almanac," is interested in having you as his guest some Monday evening in June. You may recall having been guest on his program when SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM was published. It is a fifteen-minute program, and is reputed to have a good-sized listening audience. If you would care to go on, I would appreciate it if you could give me two possible dates, and we will decide on the one most convenient to Professor Bower.

Incidentally, aren't you on the editorial advisory staff of some poetry magazine? I want to be sure I've covered them with a review copy.

May 8, 1947

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

Dear Bill:

I expect to go from here to Chicago for an autographing party which a dramatic group that I founded wish to hold for me - the Skyloft Players of the Parkway Community Center. This will be the second week in June. I will probably come on to New York about the 20th in plenty of time for the Mary Margaret McBride program.

I could appear on the Warren Bower program, "The Reader's Almanac," on either Monday, June 23 or the 30th, if that would be agreeable.

I am not on the editorial advisory staff of any poetry magazines so far as I know. But I am one of the editorial advisors for the magazine, "Common Ground," of which Margaret Anderson is the editor. The address is 20 W. 40th Street, New York 18, and I trust that you have sent them a review copy of *Fields of Wonder*.

You have no doubt received by now my letter telling you that Arna Bontemps is willing to review the book if you can place such a review in one of the magazines. His address is Fisk University Library, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee.

Thank you very much for sending me the "Time's" review.

LH:wmb

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

June 20th, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Another one of the people we circularized
on FIELDS OF WONDER, Mrs. Eleanor Trent Wallace
of Boston, has written us to know if you would
agree to autograph her copy of the book. If
this would be agreeable to you, please let me
know, and I will forward her copy of the book
to you.

gk

ALFRED A. KNOPF, Inc.

June 30th, 1947

Dear Mr. Hughes,

Thank you for your cooperation in
autographing books.

I am sending the copy of FIELDS OF
WONDER and a return label to you under separate
cover. Enclosed is postage, which you may
use in returning the book.

gk