2

Tuskegee Institute, Ala.

May 18, 1930

Dear Langston,

First thanks, and thanks again; and then con-
gratulations. Thank you very much for "Four Lincoln
University Poets". I have enjoyed reading the poems
in this collection, many of which I have read before
but which I am happy to get in this autographed pam-
phlet. Lincoln may well be proud of having nurtured
four such poets as you, Cuney, Hill and Silvera.

I am more than happy to get "Alabama Earth"
which I shall publish in an early edition of The
Messenger, copies of which I shall forward to you.
I have read a number of poems on Booker T. Washington
but none of them have interpreted the soul of
the man with the simplicity and directness that you
have achieved in "Alabama Earth". It is as if you had
caught something spiritual coming out of that tomb
and linked it with the prosaic clay of Alabama. It
is a beautiful expression which I am proud to be
privileged to publish first.

I showed "Alabama Earth" to Mr. Imes (whom you
recall as a Tuskegee worker and a fellow Lincoln alum-
nus). He, too, is enraptured and holds with me that
it is the best verse that has been done on Booker T.
Washington. Mr. Imes, however, makes the following
suggestions which I pass on to you for whatever eval-
uation you care to make; that line 4 be concluded with
a colon (:) to read - "And taller than the skies;";
that a comma (,) be used at the end of line 7 which
would read - "The truth a simple heart has held,"; that
the first word be deleted from line 8 which would then
read- "The strength a strong hand knows;" concluding
with the semicolon (;); that in line 9 "while" be chang-
ed to "and" to read - "And over Alabama Earth"; that a
comma(,) be used at the end of line 11 instead of a
period (·).

-3

I was talking with Mr. T. M. Campbell of the agri-cultural extension service. He has not forgotten the article on the Movable School which you promised. But, of course, he understands as do I that you have been under pressure and that in time the article will be forthcoming.

You are still well remembered here by the many friends you made while visiting. They often speak of you. I am hoping that you will again visit us here at Tuskegee.

Always sincerely yours,

-2

Mr. Imes believes that the third quatrain is in apposition with the second and as such is more fittingly introduced by the conjunctive "and" than by "while"; and that the deletion of "And" in line 8 will give full measure to the article "the" instead of the present half measures for each. He is now in the east and hopes to see you before returning. Needless to say, I shall make no changes in the copy without your written consent. If I do not hear from you soon I shall understand that you #**# wish the poem to be published unchanged. I shall then publish it as is."

And now, "I offer you congratulations" ( isn't that the way the song goes?) on the successful completion of your first novel. I shall look eagerly forward to its publication and hope to be among the first to read it. The locale you have chosen is no doubt more difficult to treat than Harlem. But perhaps it remains for you to popularize the small town Negro family life as Sinclair Lewis and Sherwood Anderson have done it for white America. The average life of the Negro in the small town, either north or south, is a rather drab sort of thing. I frequently wonder how they endure it. I think some time ago I told you that I like your prose quite as much as your verse. I am sure that your success with the novel will be no less than that with poetry. And let me know something of your second work.

I was over in Memphis last week, which accounts for my delay in writing you, and I was impressed with the possibilities which that city offers for the locale of drama and novel of Negro life. You have been there and you know it to be a raw city having the features of a frontier town. Its homicide figures are, I believe, the highest in the world. There is constant conflict. And despite many reversals Negroes there seem more aggressive than they do in many another city. I should like to see black Memphis done in a novel.

How are Dr. Locke and Sue? I have not seen him since he was here about three years ago. I saw Sue last fall in Atlanta. She was as exquisite and captivating in her brown beauty as when I first knew her. But, it seemed to me, a bit sharper in her discontent with the status quo. She tried to prod me out of my lethargy. Since then I think she has given the job up as hopeless.

-2

an entire volume devoted to this theme, for I believe it is one of the most important disadvantages which we face. An approach to the problem through fiction I am sure could be made very effective. Of course, I realize that you are interested primarily in art; and the matter of jobs belongs to the field of economics and propaganda. *** I join with those who are already asking a sequel to "Not Without Laughter". Until them: what becomes of Sandy remains unanswered. *** I have asked Henry Marion McMorris of our English department to review the book for The Messenger. I shall of course forward copies of the issue in which the review is published, *** Enclosed is check for Two Dollars and Sixty-two cents ($2.62) for which sum I am asking that you send an autographed copy to Miss Gertrude Gamlin, Phyllis Wheatley Branch, Y.W.C.A., Indianapolis, Ind. *** Hoping that your new work will be a financial success as well as an artistic one, I remain

Sincerely yours,

P.S. I like best DANCE and BEYOND THE JORDAN. These chapters are real, very real; and they seem to me to express that fundamental kinship between the blues and the spirituals. You have breathed life into these scenes -joy and forgetfulness of all other things into the dance; sorrow and eternal hope into the funeral. These chapters I shall reread many times. *** Miss Gamlin's address is 653 North West Street. For the moment I forgot that these "Y" secretaries have a certain horror of having their mail addressed YWCA.

H.L.M.

940 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 32, N. Y.

October 1, 1943

Mr. Langston Hughes
Yaddo
Saratoga Springs
New York

Dear Lang:

Many thanks for "Black and White" and the "Ballad
of Margie Polite." I have taken great pleasure
in showing both the card and the poem to friends.
J. Jackson certainly knows how to depict the
curvacious form.

We have missed you here this summer and are hoping
that you will soon be with us again. Alma and
Deaver Jefferson were in, and I spent a pleasant
evening with them. Mollie, who has met neither of
them, was unfortunately in Chicago during their
visit. I have seen Margaret Walker a couple of times
and she told us how much she enjoyed Yaddo, and
how helpful you were to her. Louise was also in,
but I saw her only briefly.

Give us a ring as soon as you get back to the city.

WESTERN
UNION

JOSEPH L. EGAN
PRESIDENT

1201

SYMBOLS

DL = Day Letter

NL = Night Letter

LC = Deferred Cable

NLT = Cable Night Letter

Ship Radiogram:

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.

• N106 PD=WUX NEWYORK NY 12 123P=

10.11 AUG 12 PM ! 52

:MR LANGSTON HUGHES,

C/O HARPER=20 EAST 127 ST=

PLEASE CALL ME AT OFFICE OR HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
CONCERNING A RADIO PROPOSAL=

:HENRY LEE MOON DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS=

The sender of this message

like many other large telegraph users

has a direct wire to Western Union

When telegraphing him

Use WESTERN UNION for
SPEEDY HANDLING

4170

THE COMPANY WILL APPRECIATE SUGGESTIONS FROM ITS PATRONS CONCERNING ITS SERVICE

9

NATIONAL OFFICERS

President
Arthur B. Spingarn
Chairman of the Board
Dr. Louis T. Wright

Vice-Presidents

Mary McLeod Bethune
Nannie H. Burroughs
Godfrey Lowell Cabot
Hon. Arthur Copper
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Douglas P. Falconer
Bishop John A. Gregg
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
Dr. William Lloyd Imes
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Isadore Martin
T. G. Nutter
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
A. Phillip Randolph
Oswald Garrison Villard
Bishop W. J. Walls

Treasurer

Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers
Assistant Treasurer
Dr. Channing H. Tobias

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Atlanta, Ga.      Eugene B. Martin
Baltimore, Md.    Lillie M. Jackson
Carl Murphy
Berkeley, Calif.   Dr. Buell G. Gallagher
Birmingham, Ala.   Dr. E. W. Taggart
Cincinnati, Ohio   Earl B. Dickerson
Cleveland, Ohio    Theodore M. Berry
Des Moines, Ia.    Dr. Nathan K. Christopher
Detroit, Mich.     Ike Smalls
Eugene, Ore.       Dr. James J. McClendon
Ft. Worth, Tex.    Hon. Wayne Morse
Greenwich, Conn.   Dr. George D. Flemmings
Hartford, Conn.    Alfred Baker Lewis
Hyde Park, N. Y.   Dr. Allen F. Jackson
Lawrence, N. Y.    Eleanor Roosevelt
Los Angeles, Calif. Grace B. Fenderson
Newark, N. J.     Lilliam A. Alexander
Errol Johnston
New York, N. Y.    Hon. Jane M. Bollin
Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers
Marion Cathbert
Hon. Hubert T. Delany
Lewis S. Gannett
John Hammond
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
Dr. O. Clay Maxwell
Hon. Newbold Morris
Mary White Ovington
Reverend James H. Robinson
Amy E. Spingarn
Arthur B. Spingarn
Dr. Channing H. Tobias
Hon. Charles E. Toney
Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass. S. Ralph Harlow
Oklahoma City, Okla. Roscoe Dunlee
Philadelphia, Pa.  Theodore Spaulding
Pittsburgh, Pa.    Jessie M. Vann
Richmond, Va.       Dr. J. M. Tinsley
Statesville, N. C.   T. V. Mangum
Topeka, Kans.        Hon. Arthur Copper
Washington, D. C.    William H. Hattle
Charles H. Houston
Eric Johnston
Philip Murray
Palmer Weber

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Charles H. Houston, Washington, D. C., Chairman

Atlanta, Ga.      A. T. Walden
Birmingham, Ala.  Arthur D. Shores
Cambridge, Mass.   Benjamin Kaplan
Charleston, W. Va. T. G. Nutter
Chattanooga, Tenn. Maurice M. Weaver
Chicago, Ill.      Sidney A. Jones, Jr.
Cincinnati, Ohio   W. Robert Ming, Jr.
Dallas, Texas      Theodore M. Berry
Erie, Pa.         W. J. Durham
Houston, Texas     William F. Illig
Ithaca, N. Y.      Arthur J. Mandell
Los Angeles, Calif. Milton R. Konvitz
Louisville, Ky.    Thomas L. Griffith, Jr.
Madison, Wis.      Robert W. Kenny
Nashville, Tenn.   Loren Miller
                     Charles W. Anderson
                     Lloyd Garrison
                     Z. Alexander Looby

New York, N. Y.

Harry Braga      Karl N. Llewellyn
Donald Crichton  James Marshall
Morris L. Ernst   Irvin C. Mollison
Osmond K. Fraenkel Shad Poller
Arthur Garfield Hays Hope Stevens
Paul Kern         Charles H. Studin
Andrew D. Weinberger
Pittsburgh, Pa.  Homer S. Brown
Raleigh, N. C.    Herman L. Taylor
Richmond, Va.     Oliver W. Hill
San Francisco, Calif. Spottswood W. Robinson, III.
Tulsa, Okla.      Bartley C. Crum
Washington, D. C.  Amos T. Hall
                     William H. Hattle
                     Edward P. Lovett
                     Leon A. Ransom
                     Frank D. Reeves
                     Ruth Weyand
                     Louis L. Redding
Wilmington, Del.
Winston-Salem, N.C. Curtiss Todd

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE

20 WEST 40TH STREET, NEW YORK 18, N. Y.

LONGACRE 3-6890

Official Organ: The Crisis

September 21, 1948

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Walter White
Roy Wilkins
Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Editor, The Crisis

Madison S. Jones, Jr.
Administrative Assistant

Thurgood Marshall
Special Counsel
Edward R. Dudley
Marian Wynn Perry
Franklin H. Williams
Robert L. Carter (on leave)

Assistant Special Counsel
Leslie S. Perry Administrative Assistant
Washington Bureau

W. E. B. Du Bois
Director, Special Research
Daisy E. Lampkin
Gloster B. Current
Field Secretary

LeRoy E. Carter
Rufus W. Smith
Marlon O. Bond
Daniel E. Byrd

Director of Branches

Donald Jones
Southwest Regional Secretary
N. W. Griffin

West Coast Regional Secretary
Lucille Black
Membership Secretary
Ruby Hurley
Youth Secretary
Jesse O. Dedmon, Jr.

Secretary, Veterans' Affairs
Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr.
Labor Secretary

Walter P. Offutt, Jr.
Church Secretary
Henry Lee Moon

Director of Public Relations

Dear Langston:

I am sorry to have missed your call yes-
terday and expected that you would call back.

Everything seems to have gone awry. Mr. McCray of NBC called while I was away on Friday to say that they were unable to allot us time for this particular program. I was not here to receive the message directly, but I gathered from my previous talk with him that radio, at the moment, hesitates to put on any such program. I am sure the decision was not based upon the quality of your script, which has been praised by practically everyone who has read it. It was too late to do anything with CBS. So, for the moment, we have dropped the program. There is a possibility that we may revive it for New Year's day.

Meanwhile, I want to take care of our
obligation to you and to talk further about the
possibility of publishing your work in pamphlet
form. I would appreciate it if you would give
me a ring soon so that we could get together
on the proposed publication.

Thanks a million for the work you did
in connection with this program which I sincerely
hope that we will be able to broadcast at some
later date.

Sincerely yours,

Henry Lee Moon
Director, Public Relations

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th Street
New York City

HLM:RJW

25

["12", "NATIONAL OFFICERS", "President", "Arthur B. Spingarn", "Chairman of the Board", "Dr. Louis T. Wright", "Vice-Presidents", "Mary McLeod Bethune", "Nannie H. Burroughs", "Godfrey Lowell Cabot", "Hon. Arthur Capper", "Hon. Harry E. Davis", "Douglas P. Falconer", "Bishop John A. Gregg", "Rev. John Haynes Holmes", "Dr. William Lloyd Imes", "Hon. Ira W. Jayne", "Isadoc Martin", "T. G. Nutter", "Rev. A. Clayton Powell", "A. Phillip Randolph", "Oswald Garrison Villard", "Bishop W. J. Walls", "Treasurer", "Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers", "Assistant Treasurer", "Dr. Channing H. Tobias", "BOARD OF DIRECTORS", "Atlanta, Ga.", "Eugene M. Martin", "Baltimore, Md.", "Lillie M. Jackson", "Berkeley, Calif.", "Carl Murphy", "Birmingham, Ala.", "Dr. Buell G. Gallagher", "Chicago, Ill.", "Dr. E. W. Taggart", "Cincinnati, Ohio", "Earl B. Dickerson", "Cleveland, Ohio", "Theodore M. Berry", "Des Moines, Ia.", "Dr. Nathan K. Christopher", "Detroit, Mich.", "Ike Smalls", "Eugene, Ore.", "Dr. James J. McClendon", "Ft. Worth, Tex.", "Hon. Wayne Morse", "Greenwich, Conn.", "Dr. George D. Flemmings", "Hartford, Conn.", "Alfred Baker Lewis", "Hyde Park, N. Y.", "Dr. Allen F. Jackson", "Lawrence, N. Y.", "Eleanor Roosevelt", "Los Angeles, Calif.", "Rabbi Judah Cahn", "Newark, N. J.", "Norman O. Houston", "New York, N. Y.", "Grace B. Fenderson", "Lillian A. Alexander", "Hon. Jane M. Bolin", "Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers", "Marlon Cuthbert", "Hon. Hubert T. Delany", "Lewis S. Gannett", "John Hammond", "Rev. John Haynes Holmes", "Hon. Herbert H. Lehman", "Dr. O. Clay Maxwell", "Hon. Newbold Morris", "Mary White Ovington", "Rev. James H. Robinson", "Amy E. Spingarn", "Arthur B. Spingarn", "Dr. Channing H. Tobias", "Hon. Charles E. Toney", "Dr. Louis T. Wright", "Northampton, Mass.", "S. Ralph Harlow", "Oklahoma City, Okla.", "Roscoe Dunlee", "Philadelphia, Pa.", "Theodore Spaulding", "Pittsburgh, Pa.", "Jessie M. Yann", "Richmond, Va.", "Dr. J. M. Tinsley", "Statesville, N. C.", "T. V. Mangum", "Topeka, Kans.", "Hon. Arthur Capper", "Washington, D. C.", "William H. Hastie", "Charles H. Houston", "Eric Johnston", "Philip Murray", "Palmer Weber", "NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE", "Charles H. Houston, Washington, D. C., Chairman", "Atlanta, Ga.", "A. T. Walden", "Birmingham, Ala.", "Arthur D. Shores", "Cambridge, Mass.", "Benjamin Kaplan", "Charleston, W. Va.", "T. G. Nutter", "Chattanooga, Tenn.", "Maurice M. Weaver", "Chicago, Ill.", "Sidney A. Jones, Jr.", "Cincinnati, Ohio", "W. Robert Ming, Jr.", "Dallas, Texas", "Theodore M. Berry", "Erie, Pa.", "W. J. Durham", "Houston, Texas", "William F. Illig", "Ithaca, N. Y.", "Arthur J. Mandell", "Los Angeles, Calif.", "Milton R. Konvitz", "Thomas L. Griffith, Jr.", "Robert W. Kenny", "Louisville, Ky.", "Loren Miller", "Madison, Wis.", "Charles W. Anderson", "Nashville, Tenn.", "Lloyd Garrison", "Z. Alexander Looby", "New York, N. Y.", "Harry Bragg", "Karl N. Llewellyn", "Donald Crichton", "James Marshall", "Morris L. Ernst", "Irvin C. Mollison", {"bbox": [59, 12

14

January 13, 1949

Dear Henry:

I guess that you noticed that THE NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE, Sunday, January 9, devoted more than half of its "A Week of Verse" column to lines from our "Ballad of the Seven Songs".

Since the NAACP did not use this as an Emancipation Day program, perhaps it could be aired on the networks during Negro History Week when I am sure that they would be amenable to race material.

It was very nice seeing you at the Schomburg Collection evening, and wonderful to lay eyes on Molly after all of these months at my party at the Downtown Galleries the other day.

I will be away on tour during Negro History Week in North Carolina the early part of the week, at a Poets Festival at Howard University in honor of THE POETRY OF THE NEGRO, on Friday, February 11, and close the week on Sunday, February 13, at Horticultural Hall in Boston. Arna expects to come to New York for a few days following the Howard University program. Santa Claus and his seven children prevented his appearance here on the date that the anthropology was published.

All my good wishes to you.

Sincerely,

Mr. Henry Lee Moon
20 West 40th Street
New York 18; New York

LH:HES

FOUNDED 1909

LONGACRE 3-6890

20 WEST 40TH STREET NEW YORK 18, N. Y.

September 8, 1949

Dear Langston:

I returned to the office this week to find
your letter of August 15th together with the excerpt
from your forthcoming volume entitled SIMPLE. Thank
you for the privilege of reading this chapter which
I found entertaining and enlightening.

I have been wondering, however, whether the
general public, that is white readers, would catch
the humor and irony of SIMPLE. I have a feeling--
quite untested--that white readers fail to catch
and appreciate the significance of such humor as
your SIMPLE and Ol Harrington's BOOTSIE. I hope
that I am wrong about this and that SIMPLE will
find wide reading among whites who certainly need
the benefit of your conversations with your old pal
and friend, SIMPLE.

Shall be looking forward to your formal call
in the near future. Mollie is out in Denver but ex-
pects to be back next week.

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th Street
New York 35, New York

HLM:RWR

Official Organ: The Crisis

25

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
402 Dolphin Street Baltimore 17, Maryland

September 11, 1950

Mr. Walter White
Executive Secretary, NAACP
20 West 40th Street
New York 18, New York

Dear Walter:

The Baltimore Branch has been fighting segregation in legitimate theatres here for some time. In the past you have rendered valuable assistance in this fight. I have just been notified that "The Barrier", a musical drama by Jan Meyerowitz and Langston Hughes, will open at Ford Theatre in Baltimore on October 9th, and then to Broadway.

The Ford Theatre is the only legitimate theatre that practices segregation here. Negroes are seated only in the "Buzzards' Roost". Will you please do everything possible to have the authors of the play register a strong protest, and if they can be so influenced, to withhold permission for their play to appear where the seating arrangement in the theatre is segregated because of race.

DEB/ecf

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM

9/30/50

HENRY LEE MOON
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ADVANCEMENT COLORED PEOPLE
WILKIE MEMORIAL BUILDING
20 WEST 30TH 40th Street,
New York City

BALTIMORE DEFINITELY CANCELLED AND COMPANY WILL RETURNING TO
NEW YORK SUNDAY

LANGSTON HGUEHS

CABLE ADDRESS: NACAPEOPLE, N. Y.

LONGACRE 3-6890

April 7, 1951

Dear Lang:

The nation-wide membership campaign of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People--a drive for 250,000 members in 1951--begins on April 1 and culminates at the 42nd annual NAACP convention in Atlanta during the last week in June.

Surely we do not need to point out to you the urgent need in these troubled times for strengthening the NAACP through increased membership and financial support. The NAACP, fighting vigorously and relentlessly to remove the scourge of Jim Crow from American life, is today performing a vitally important task in combating the evils which lay our democracy open to attack by Communist propagandists.

In Thurgood Marshall's expedition to the Far East alone, we have a dramatic example of this significant role of the NAACP. By unearthing evidences of flagrant discrimination against Negro GIs and demonstrating that this discrimination has its root in the segregated system of the United States Army, the Association has impressed upon the American conscience an awareness of this wrong and a determination to correct it. Constant hammering of this kind by the NAACP has resulted in a series of tremendous strides forward in the all-out fight against race bias.

May we enlist your editorial support for our 1951 membership drive? The Association would benefit appreciatively from any assistance you can give, in the way of mentioning its campaign and urging your readers to support this campaign. We should also like to suggest that for the three month period of of the membership drive, you carry bold face or italicized captions between paragraphs in your columns. These captions might read "Join the NAACP," "Support the NAACP 1951 Nation-wide Membership Campaign," "Back the NAACP in its Fight Against Jim Crow," "250,000 NAACP Members in 1951," "NAACP--A Vital Program in a Decisive Year," "Help the NAACP Strengthen Our Democracy," or might express some similar idea.

We shall be sincerely grateful for any cooperation and help you can give.

Thank you.

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

HIM:1mn

Official Organ: The Crisis

25

P.S. Also some music publisher
might bring it out in sheet
music—but hardly by march 6th.

30

January 3, 1952

Mr. Henry Lee Moon,
N. A. A. C. P.,
20 West 40th Street,
New York, New York.

Dear Henry,

I trust the "BALLAD OF HARRY MOORE" reached you in the morning's mail. Sammy Heyward was here today and says he'd be delighted to set it to music, depending of course upon your confirmation. So, if you like it and want him to do the music, I suggest you phone or write him today!

Mr. Sammy Heyward,
2265 Fifth Avenue,
New York 37, N. Y.
(Ad. 4-9214)

He's a folk singer himself, guitarist, and composer, and so could help teach the song to whomever is chosen to sing it, and I've explained all my production ideas to him.

Probably the most effective way to do it would be with a Narrator and a singing guitarist. If both of them are singers, too, all the better. An ideal combination might be:

WILLIAM WARFIELD & JOSH WHITE

Or FRED O'MORE or CANADA LEE or SIDNEY POITIER or SAM GARY with a singer-guitarist or a singer and guitarist. If a Narrator, Singer, and Guitarist (three people) are used, Sammy Heyward himself could play the guitar.

Or it might be done by a single singer like HARRY BELFONTE and his own guitarist. But I think an older, more rugged, and more Negroid and less charming performer than Harry might be better for this particular "heroic" ballad. At any rate, I send along these various suggestions, and the addressee of those whose numbers I have, on separate sheet enclosed.

If you wish, the poem alone might be published in "The Crisis" next issue to appear about the time of the Garden meeting. And if the recording could be ready by March 6th, you'd probably sell quite a few at the Garden. The words alone might be published on a Broadside, single sheet with maybe a decorative drawing, for mass sale at perhaps a quarter, or a dime, as I used to do with "The Negro Mother" and other race-appeal verses. Also it could be distributed to branches through the country—even before your big New York meeting—since won't many of those hinterland folks be here.

For recording, the poem may have to be cut some. But for publication and Garden performance, I'd keep it as is, I think. Gimme your reaction.

Sincerely,

35

September 21, 1955

Mr. Henry Lee Moon,
Mr. A. A. C. P.,
20 West 40th Street,
New York 18, New York.

Dear Henry,

I'm glad you like the poem
about MISSISSIPPI, 1955, Year of Our Lord.

Certainly you may use it in
any way that will be helpful.

The Ellisons are taking off for
Rome on the Constitution tomorrow.

Best regards ever,

Sincerely,

October 20, 1956

Dear Henry:

Advance copies of I WONDER AS I WANDER are due any moment now, and you're down on my list to receive one directly from Rinehart (with your famous line therein), but if it doesn't come within a week or so, let me know and I'll see that you get a copy my own self out of my allotted six.

The other book, PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE NEGRO IN AMERICA, comes out November 18, and we're all delighted Mollie is helping on it. Crown finds her charming.

Best ever,

to the NAACP, not only because the pages of the CRISIS were
over the years,
open to me for publication, but because of the numerous
opportunities given me by various branches of the NAACP to
read my poems in cities throughout the country, the latest
such reading having been in December, 1958, for the Palo
Alto, California, branch, a few weeks ago.

for the record
Because of these things, I send you this information this month preceding the publication of my 10th and most comprehensive volume of poetry, MM/SELECTED POEMS, since it was the NAACP that gave me my first printed encouragement.

With cordial regards,

Copy to:

James W. Ivy
Arthur Spingarn
Roy Wilkins
Loren Miller
Wesley Law
Mrs. Jackson
Amy Spingarn

Aerien
ordered

March 6, 1959

Mr. Henry Lee Moon
Publicity Director
N. A. A. C. P.
20 West 40 Street
New York 18, New York

Dear Henry:

Since my published career as a poet first began in the CRISIS, the official organ of the NAACP, and since on March 23rd Alfred A. Knopf is bringing out my SELECTED POEMS which contains many poems originally printed in the CRISIS, I think perhaps the following facts might be of interest to your publicity department:

1. My very first poem to be accepted for national publication was "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" which appeared in the CRISIS, Vol. 22, No. 2, June, 1921.

2. Since 1921, and for more than 35 years, I have been a regular contributor to the CRISIS, my latest group, "Four Christmas Poems" being in the December, 1958, issue.

3. A bibliography of my writing extracted a few years ago from the index of the bound volumes of the CRISIS shows more than 100 listings of my work published therein since 1921.

4. The best known of my poems, those most often anthologized and widely translated into various languages, originally appeared in the CRISIS; THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS, MOTHER TO SON, CROSS, THE SOUTH, WHEN SUE WEARS RED, NOTE ON COMMERCIAL THEATRE, and AFRICA, among others. All of these poems from the CRISIS are included in my SELECTED POEMS, along with a number of others first published in its pages.

5. I feel that I owe a great debt of gratitude to the NAACP, not only because the pages of the CRISIS were open to me for publication over the years, but because of the numerous opportunities given me by various branches of the NAACP to read my poems in cities throughout the country, the latest such reading having been for the Palo Alto, California, branch a few weeks ago.

Because of these things, for the record I send you this information preceding the publication this month of the 10th and most comprehensive volume of my poetry, the SELECTED POEMS--since it was the NAACP that gave me my first printed encouragement.

With cordial regards.

Mr. Henry Lee Moon, Director of Public Relations,
NAACP National Office,
120 West 40th Street,
New York 18, N. Y.

Dear Henry:

Norton's tell me the publication date of our FIGHT FOR
FREEDOM is Monday, August 27. I already have a request for
a radio interview from Gene Barnes, producer of FAMILY,
and have told Alma John that I would appear on
her show when the book comes out.

As you know, there has usually been in Harlem on the
publication of each of my books (in the past) an autographing
party given sometimes by the publisher, sometimes a bookshop,
or club, or studio. The sale of books at such a party has
always been sufficient to defray the modest costs, not counting
the extra pay-off in publicity, besides being fun. For FIGHT
FOR FREEDOM, since it is a special book designed to readh a
wide public, I suggest THREE autographing parties, each to
appeal to a different type of mmnmnm buying public:

1. An NAACP "TWIST FOR FREEDOM" party, possibly to be held at Small's Paradise, the $4.50 price of the book to include admission, one cocktail and dancing. Invitations to be mailed out, but anybody admitted. Appeal to socialites, (since the Small's Twist Sessions are "the thing" right now) summer visitors, youth groups, theatre folks, and Twist contextants.

2. An NAACP "SHOUT FOR FREEDOM" church evening, inviting the leading gospel singing groups to donate their services, to be held at a church like Bishop Lawson's or Bishop Childs, which would attract the type of church folks who would hardly go to a literary book party. If the Harlem Branch NAACP would sponsor this, both soft and hard cover books could be sold, and I would autograph one and all.

3. An NAACP "SING FOR FREEDOM" autographing party, perhaps involving some De Vere's VOICES, INC., group and maybe a large church choir, to be held in a church like that of the Rev. Shelby Rooks, or in his Community Center, designed to reach the more conservative church folks. (Perhaps at Church of the Master, or Abyssinian on a Sunday afternoon, or St. Philips).

4. Also, join the NEGRO BOOK CLUB, 120 West 85th Street, New York 24, N. Y. (EN. 2-8349---William Windom) might take FIGHT FOR FREEDOM as its Book of the Month, and give an autographing party as it did for my last Simple book. This club also does a very good mailing and door-to-door sales campaign, too.

I trust that you will confer with Norton's on these suggestions
and perhaps be able to carry one, or all of them into being.

With cordial regards, // Sincerely yours, // Langston Hughes

Henry Lee Moon - 2

August 2, 1962

Also, the NEGRO BOOK CLUB, 160 West 85th Street, New York 24, New York (SN 2-8349---William Windom) might take FIGHT FOR FREEDOM as its Book of the Month, and give an autographing party--as it did for my last "Simple" book. This club does a very good mailing and door-to-door sales campaign, too.

I trust that you will confer with Norton's promotion people on these suggestions and perhaps be able to carry one, or all of them into being.

With cordial regards,

August 2, 1962

Mr. Henry Lee Moon,
Director of Public Relations,
NAACP National Office,
20 West 40th Street,
New York 18, New York

Dear Henry!

Norton's tell me the publication date of our PIGHT FOR FREEDOM
is Monday, August 27. I already have a request for a radio inter-
view from Gene Barnes, NBC producer of FAMILY; and have also told
Alma John that I would appear on her show when the book comes out.

As you know, in the past, there has usually been in Harlem on the
publication of each of my books an autographing party given some-
times by the publisher, sometimes by a bookshop, or club, or studio.
The sale of books at such a party has always been sufficient to
defray the modest costs, not counting the extra pay-off in publicity,
besides being fun. For PIGHT FOR FREEDOM, since it is a special
book designed to reach a wide public, I suggest THREE autographing
parties, each to appeal to a different type of buying public:

1. An NAACP "TWIST FOR FREEDOM" party on publication date, possibly to be held at Small's Paradise, the $4.50 price of the book to include admission, one cocktail and dancing. Invitations to be mailed out, but anybody admitted. Appeal to socialites, (since the Small's Twist Sessions are "the thing" right now) summer visitors, youth groups, theatre folks, and Twist contestants.

2. An NAACP "SHOUT FOR FREEDOM" church evening, inviting the leading gospel singing groups to donate their services, to be held at a church like Bishop Lawson's or Bishop Childs, which would attract the type of non-orthodox church-folks who would hardly go to a literary book party. If the Harlem Branch NAACP might sponsor this, both soft and hard cover books could be sold, and I would autograph one and all.

3. An NAACP "SING FOR FREEDOM" autographing party, perhaps involving VOICES, INC., and maybe a large church choir, to be held in a church like that of the Rev. Shelby Rocks, or in his Community Center, designed to reach the more conservative church folks. (Perhaps at Church of the Master, or Abyssinian on a Sunday afternoon, or St. Philips).

Henry Lee Moon - 2

August 2, 1962

Also, the NEGRO BOOK CLUB, 160 West 85th Street, New York 24, New York (MN 2-8349)---William Windom) might take FIGHT FOR FREEDOM as its Back of the Month, and give an autographing party---as it did for my last "Simple" book. This club does a very good mailing and door-to-door sales campaign, too.

With cordial regards,

COPY: Sent---TOM DARDIS
EUGENE HEALEY
ARTHUR SPINGARN
ROY WILKINS

August 2, 1962

Dear Henry:

Norton's tell me the publication date of our PIGHT FOR FREEDOM
is Monday, August 27. I already have a request for a radio inter-
view from Gene Barnes, NBC producer of FAMILY; and have also told
Alvin John that I would appear on her show when the book comes out.

1. An NAACP "TWIST FOR FREEDOM" party on publication date, possibly to be held at Small's Paradise, the 94.50 price of the book to include admission, one cocktail and dancing. Invitations to be mailed out, but anybody admitted. Appeal to socialites, (since the Small's Twist Sessions are "the thing" right now) summer visitors, youth groups, theatre folks, and Twist contestants.

2. An NAACP "SHOUT FOR FREEDOM" church evening, inviting the lending gospel singing groups to donate their services, to be held at a church like Bishop Lawson's or Bishop Childs, which would attract the type of non-orthodox church-folks who would hardly go to a literary book party. If the Harlem Branch NAACP might sponsor this, both soft and hard cover books could be sold, and I would autograph one and all.

Henry Lee Room - 2

August 2, 1962

4. Also, the NEGRO BOOK CLUB, 160 West 85th Street, New York 24, New York (MN 2-8349)---Willies Windows) might take FIGHT FOR FREEDOM as its Book of the Month, and give an autographing party--as it did for my last "Simple" book. This club does a very good mailing and door-to-door sales campaign, too.

With cordial regards,

November 8, 1962

Mr. Henry Lee Moon,
N. A. A. C. P.,
20 West 40th Street,
New York 18, N. Y.

Dear Henry!

United Airlines has just mailed me my ticket to Cleveland and return and billed me for $60.95---Tourist out, First Class return to New York, since it seems Tourist flights East then are at the moment all booked up.

Please be so kind as to send me a letter stating exactly who will pay me this expense money---two days per diem: $40.00 plus air fare---and even $100.00 (to make it easy) would be O. K. to cover all. But I need it in black and white---integrated---for the record. I shall be leaving for Cleveland on Friday, so would appreciate prompt attention to this matter.

There is an excellent review of FIGHT FOR FREEDOM in the current AFRO-AMERICAN, November 10th issue. Also a big and very good one in STRAY NOTES, Brooklyn's Catholic Interracial Monthly, by Father McGroarty. I trust your clipping bureau supplies you with all these.

BLACK NATIVITY, the producers tell me, is flying home in December to do CHRISTMAS WEEK at the new Lincoln Center---the first attraction to perform for a whole week there. It will also be on ABC-TV Christmas Eve in a very beautiful filmed version made in Loflo which I've just seen. A letter from Copenhagen today says it received an ovation there Amen! Tell Ted, amen!

Sent to HENRY LEE MOON & JESSE DeVORE

C O P Y

November 14, 1962

Mr. Harold B. Williams,
Cleveland NAACP,
9223 Cedar Avenue,
Cleveland 6, Ohio.

Dear Mr. Williams:

Thank you very much for the check
for $77.76 toward my expenses for the
NAACP book party on November 18th at
Karamu House. I had written Mr. Moon
at the National Office and it was also
agreed by phone that since total expen-
ses would come to about $100, we would
settle on that amount. There would
therefore be $22.24 still forthcoming.
This may be given me in Cleveland, or
through the National Office, or posted
to me at the above address, as you wish.

With cordial regards, and looking
forward to seeing you on the weekend,