189 Chauncey St.

Brooklyn, N.Y.

June 8, 1930

My dear Mr. Johnson:

I hope that I am not too late with the material
that I promised you in Springfield relative to my poetry.

The things that have been printed and received
some notice are:

LETTERS FOUND NEAR A SUICIDE--Prize poem, CRISIS

Contest, 1925--in Braithwaite

MORE LETTERS FOUND NEAR A SUICIDE--Crisis, 1930

TWO BROWN BOYS--Opportunity, Braithwaite

YOUTH and ARABESQUE--Ebony and Topaz, and translation
in German "Afrika Singt"

NIGGER*A CHANT FOR CHILDREN---Caroling Dusk and in
Calverton's Negro lit., Modern Library Ser.

There are two little bits, one-MY WORDS-and the other,
HE KNOWS LIFE-both of which were at one time printed in the
Crisis but I have somehow lost track of them.

I am enclosing for you some pieces which have never
been offered for publication, with the exception of TO A PERSISTENT
PHANTOM, which received honorable mention in the Opportunity
Contest of 1926.

In Springfield, you advised that I make an effort
to get out a book of poems, though it might be very slim. I wish
you might find time to write me something further about this--
some advice as to where and how to proceed. You understand of
course that I am under no illusions as to the quality of my
poetry, but getting out something of this nature may help some
in seeking later and wider publication of prose, in which I am
more interested.

Accept my kindest wishes for a pleasant vacation;
extend my regards to Mrs. Johnson.

Fort Valley, Georgia

August 1, 1933

Dear Mr. Johnson:

Today I am submitting to Mr. John D. Chase of Harcourt, Brace
and Company a manuscript of my poems to be considered for
publication.

You may recall that you were kind enough to submit a manuscript
to him for me in 1931. You indicated that you had spoken personally
to Mr. Chase and that his decision not to publish at that time
was, to a large degree, influenced by business conditions.
His letter to you, which you very kindly sent me, stated that
he should like to see the book that I could offer in a year.

It has been two years since, but I am taking him at his word.
I have gone over the entire manuscript in the interim, discarding
a number of the poems, revising and reworking others, adding
new ones.

I am conscious, too, that business conditions are still exceedingly
unsettled but a definite swing of the "NIRA" eagle seems to
be indicated so that I thought it might be a good idea to get
the manuscript into a publisher's hands for consideration just
as the tide seems to be turning.

Although I realize that the work must stand on its own merit,
I should appreciate your writing Mr. Chase a word in my behalf.
At least it might help him recall your initial recommendation.

I plan to leave Fort Valley for New York on August 5th, to stay
until September. I sincerely hope I shall have the pleasure of
seeing you and Mrs. Johnson.

I thank you again for your kindly interest in my work and for
anything you are able to do to assist me in finding a publisher
for my book.

Mr. James Weldon Johnson
Fisk University
Nashville, Tenn.