New York, July 10, 1947.

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

Dear Mr. Hughes:

In the spring of 1945, if my memory is correct, Miss
Elaine L. Lewis, the vice-president of the New York Folklore
Society, invited me to a broadcast of the program "Poets are
people" in which you were to speak about a Haitian musical play
which you were preparing then. Miss Lewis thought to avail her-
self of the opportunity to introduce me to you. Unfortunately
I could not honor her invitation. This I regretted very much,
for I would have been very happy to meet you.

The other evening I heard that you were now translating
the Gouverneur de la rosée, by Jacques Roumain, and I decided
this time to take the liberty of writing you. As a Haitian I
am grateful to you for the genuine interest you have shown for
the pure and true art of Haiti while others are concerned about
advertising Haitian voodoo practices and zombie tales. For your
spirit of African solidarity and faithfulness, and in the name of
Haiti I thank you.

May I take this opportunity to tell you about my own
efforts toward bringing to light the genuine native music of Haiti?
I have prepared an album of more than one hundred pre-1915 Haitian
Creole songs and melodies which covers every folk activity in
Haiti and reflects every aspect of the Haitian soul. Some of
these pieces are very old, two of them belong in the colonial
epoch. Mr. Bruce Wendell, the pianist, knows about this album.
Actually this work is a denunciation of the fallacy of the voo-
doo practices peddlers. Of course, for this very reason this
work will meet obstruction from certain quarters. I wonder whether
you would find it convenient to take a look at it and make sug-
gestions about it? There still is a few gaps to be filled in it,
and the translation in poetic English of the Haitian Creole words
of the songs remains to be made, but the work is advanced enough
to give a good idea of its importance.

With my thanks and my compliments, I am

Brooklyn, February 8, 1964.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

"Mieux vaut tard que jamais." So a week later here I am wishing you a happy birthday and thanking you for the wonderful evening I spent at the Sanctuary last Saturday listening to Jericho--Jim Crow. But is not too bad that such a threat should be enjoyed only by a limited audience?

I am not quite unknown to you. In 1947 I wrote you about your translation of Jacques Roumain's "Master of the Dew" and also about my collection of old (pre-1915) folk songs and music of Haiti. You were kind enough to write me back--Aug. 7, 1947--a very nice letter which included some suggestions about my musical album and "the hope that we may meet in the near future."

Since then everything has happened to this album--except publication. First, our friend Elaine L. Lewis, the former emcee of the program "Poets are People" (remember?), suggested that I presented this material in a book form. I agreed. I endeavored to restore each musical section to its ambiance, to the folk activity which inspired it. I did it in French, and Miss Lewis was kind enough to translate a few sections for me. Then, as you know, she got married, became a mother and went to live in Ireland with her husband. But I managed to complete the manuscript in English-- only to lose it with the album and all through a Jesuit priest to whom I had been introduced in 1951.

After much labor and heartache I reconstructed the entire work. The few persons who have seen it found it very nice, fascinating, etc. But each one suggested a different way to arrange the sections. Finally last year someone connected with the Young People's Audience assured me that he had a plan for the publication of the entire work. But after a while he informed me that he had a ready publisher only for the children's section and the singing folk tales. Now, after I had reluctantly spent my time preparing this new work a misunderstanding developed between him and me and the matter fell through, it seems.

So here am I right back where I was in 1947 with a precious, indeed a priceless, material in my hands but without what it takes to push it through.

N.B. This letter mailed to you at The above address was returned to me.