Mae V. Cowdery

ARMSTRONG ASSOCIATION OF PHILADELPHIA

1434 LOMBARD STREET

PHILADELPHIA, PA.

6-

Please Forward

Mr. Langston Hughes
180 West 135th Street
Y.M.C.A
New York City
New York

JUN 18 1936

INCORPORATED 1918

PRESIDENT:
JOHN T. EMLEN,
LAND TITLE BUILDING

VICE-PRESIDENTS:
J. BRUCE BYALL
DR. C. E. GRAMMER, S.T.D.
J. RODMAN PAUL
DR. JOHN P. TURNER

TREASURER:
WM. EDWARD CADBURY
1420 WALNUT STREET

SOLICITOR:
HENRY N. PAUL, JR.

INDUSTRIAL AND RESEARCH
SECRETARY:
DONALD W. WYATT

PLACEMENT SECRETARY:
M. MARGUERITE DAVENPORT

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
SECRETARY:
MISS CLOTILD S. FERGUSON

MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY FUND OF PHILADELPHIA AND VICINITY

Armstrong Association of Philadelphia

AFFILIATED WITH NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

1434 LOMBARD STREET
PHILADELPHIA, PA.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
WAYNE L. HOPKINS

June 16th, 1936

TELEPHONE: KINGSLEY 1743

BOARD OF MANAGERS

MRS. SADIE T. M. ALEXANDER
REV. GEORGE EMERSON BARNES
C. WALTER BORTON
DR. CHARLES W. DORSEY
EVERETT S. ELWOOD
JOHN T. EMLEN
WILLIAM R. FOGG
EDW. W. HENRY
LESLIE PINCKNEY HILL
DR. DE HAVEN HINKSON
MRS. WILLIAM I. HULL
PAUL F. KEENE
REV. JOHN R. LOGAN
DR. HENRY M. MINTON
DR. JOSEPH G. MOORE
MISS HARRIET E. NORRIS
REV. ELIM. A. E. PALMQUIST
SAMUEL H. PATTERSON
MISS DOROTHEA S. PAUL
J. RODMAN PAUL
CHARLES W. SUMMERFIELD
MRS. PHOEBE H. VALENTINE
CLARENCE R. WHYTE

Dear Lang:

First of all - how are you? Next- when, if ever, are you coming to Philadelphia? It would be grand to see you after so many years. There's not much need to ask you what are you doing, for I've been reading and enjoying your various articles, poems, and stories, and I'm still hoping I can get to New York to see "Mulatto". I even know how you look, as I have a swell picture I clipped from a "New Theater" mag.

Elmer Carter was kind enough to send me your address, so now I'll get down to the reason for this unexpected letter.

Langston I'm actually going to have a book of my poems published - the mss. is in the hands of the publishers now. Would you - could you, spare the time to write a brief foreword for me and my 'brain-child' ? I'd rather have you write it, for you were my first critic, and you certainly gave me all the encouragement and inspiration any struggling writer could ask for. Then too it's always been a favorite dream of mine to have a book of poems published with your foreword; and last but not least, to be quite candid - your name will give me a bit of prestige.

The book is not to come out until fall and I will send you a copy of the mss. as soon as the final selection is made.

At any rate whether you can or cannot - let me hear from you. It's been 'so long' since I've seen your familiar scrawl.

As ever,

P.S. I'm the Librarian at the Armstrong Ass'n Library of Negro Works-hence the stationery. It's a nice job and I like it lots, but here comes the boss and more anon.