NLVC

67 W. 125 St.

NYC

STATION J

Please Forward
important

Mr. Langston Hughes
% Harper
634 St. Nicholas Ave.
New York, N.Y.

Negro Labor Victory Committee of Greater New York

Affiliations: CIO, AFL, and INDEPENDENT TRADE UNIONS

67 WEST 125th STREET, NEW YORK, N. Y.

ATwater 9-4670

FERDINAND C. SMITH, Co-Chair.
Secy., Natl. Maritime Union, CIO

GEORGE E. BROWN. Co-Chair.
Int'l Vice-Pres., Hotel and Rest
Emp. Int'l Alliance, AFL

ADELAIDE LOCKHART,
1st Vice-Chairman
Ladies Aux., Loc. 370,
Dining Car Employees Union, AFL
Intl. Alliance, AFL

ROGER STRAUGHN, 2nd Vice-Chr.
Harlem Labor Union

CHARLES A. COLLINS, Exec.-Secy.
Hotel Club Emp. Union, Loc. 6, AFL

DOROTHY K. FUNN, Adm.-Secy.
Teachers Union

ARTHUR GARVIN, Treas.
Hotel Front Service Union,
Local 144, AFL

JAMES ALSTON, Fin.-Secy.
Amal. Meat Cutters, Loc. 623, AFL

THOMAS JASPER, Org. Secy.
Fur, Floor & Shipping
Clerks Union, Loc. 125, CIO

THEODORE A. JACKSON, Pres.
Dining Car Emp. Un., Loc. 370, AFL
Secy., Sub-Committee on R.R. Emp.

March 4, 1943.

Dear Langston,

When are you getting back to the
city? I 'phoned your aunt's last night but she
could not give me any information as to your plans.
A mass meeting scheduled by the Negro Labor Victory
Committee for May 24th will feature a pageant en-
titled the Negro Reports to the Nation. It will
demonstrate the Negro's parts in the war effort.
The pageant will present on a high level the cul-
tural achievements of the Negro people. As one of
the members of the pageant committee,..I should like
to know if you could submit a script for it for
consideration. It would show historical background,
present-day, etc. We are hoping that Dean Dixon
will conduct the choir which we expect to be of 500
voices. It couldn't be longer than 50 minutes, choir
and all and it is to be staged at Madison Square
Garden. Can you at least submit an outline within
a week? As plans stand it is not yet known whether
the entire script of one writer will be used or whether
certain parts must be assigned to several writers. If,
however, you would assist, we would like to know your
pleasure.

Direct your reply to the Pageant Committee
at above address.

Personal regards.

for the Committee

SPONSORS

JENNIE ALLEN, Ex. Bd., Loc. 70, SCMWA, CIO.

JAMES ALSTON, Bus. Rep., Amal. Meat Cutters, Loc. 623, AFL

THOMAS ASTWOOD, V.-P., Caf. Emp. Union, Loc. 302, AFL

WM. BASSETTE, V.-P., Cooks Union, Loc. 89, AFL

AL BEMKNOPF, Secy., Whlse. & Wrhse. Wkrs Un., Loc. 65, CIO

HELEN BLANCHARD, V.-P., Wmns. Tr. Un. League

AL BLAND, Fur Floor & Ship. Clrks, Un., Loc. 125, CIO

GEORGE BROWN, Intl. V.-P., Hotel & Rest. Emp. Intl. Alliance, AFL

RUTH MAY BUSHONG, Leg. Comm., UOPWA, No. 16, CIO

LEON M. BUTTS, Bus. Rep., Amal. Meat Cutters Un. of Bk., Q. & L. I., AFL

ALICE CITRON, Harlem Committee, Teachers Union

MARTIN CODY, Secy.-Treas., Hotel & Club Emp. Un., Loc. 6, AFL

CHARLES A. COLLINS, Bus. Agt., Hotel & Club Emp. Un., Loc. 6, AFL

SYLVESTER L. CORROTHERS, Gen. Org., Un. Trans. Ser. Emp. of A.

CARL DENNIS, Hotel & Club Emp. Un., Loc. 6, AFL

DR. BELLA V. DODD, Leg. Rep., Teachers Union

JOHN DORCHER, Bus. Agt., Bakers Union, Loc. 3, AFL

WM. H. DOVER, Ex. Bd., SCMWA, Loc. 40, CIO

RICARDO D'OYEN, Ret. Wine & Liq. Clerks Un., Loc. 906A, AFL

ABRAM FLAXER, Pres., SCMWA, CIO

H. V. FRIEDMAN, N. Y. College Teachers Union

DOROTHY FUNN, Teachers Union

ARTHUR GARVIN, Org., Hotel Front Serv. Emp. Un., Loc. 144, AFL

LEILA GAULDEN, Ex. Bd., Nurses Union, CIO

DAISY GEORGE, Chrmn., Mil. Serv. Comm., Hotel & Club Emp. Un., Loc. 6, AFL

ADELE GLASGOW, Secy., Amst. Star-News Unit, Newspaper Gld., CIO

ELEANOR GODING, Educ. Dir., SCMWA, Loc. 1, CIO

JOHN GOODMAN, Secy.-Treas., Hotel Front Serv., Emp. Un., Loc. 144, AFL

JUDY E. GRIFFITHS, Unit Chrmn., UOPWA, Loc. 16, CIO

EWART G. GUINIER, Pres., N. Y. Dist., SCMWA, CIO

ANDREW HANNIBAL, Secy.-Treas., BSEIU, Loc. 32A, AFL

SOLOMON HARPER, Prod. Comm., FAECT, CIO

ELIZABETH ROSS HAYNES

GENE HELBIG, Pres., SCMWA, Loc. 70, CIO

LYNDON HENRY, Mgr., Fur Dressers & Dyers Un., Loc. 88, CIO

JAMES H. HOLBROOK, Technical Guild

T. A. JACKSON, Pres., Dining Car Emp. Un., Loc. 370, AFL

THOMAS JASPER, Asst. Mgr., Fur Fl. & Ship. Clrks. Un., Loc. 125, CIO

DORA JONES, Org., Domestic Wrkrs. Un., Loc. 149, AFL

VEIOLA JONES, Ex. Bd. Chap. 26, SCMWA, Loc. 1, CIO

THOMAS JORDAN, Ex. Bd., SCMWA, Loc. 70, CIO

CONRAD KAYE, Secy.-Mgr., Amal. Meat Cutters Un., Loc. 623, AFL

SAM KRAMBERG, Secy.-Treas., Caf. Emp. Un., Loc. 302, AFL

FRED LARK, Org., Cleaners & Dyers Un., ACWA, CIO

CARL LAWRENCE, Ex. Bd., N. Y. Newspaper Guild, CIO

CURTIS LEE, Ex. Bd., Bakers Un., Loc. 3, AFL

RICHARD LE MONIER, Bank & Brokerage Emp. Un., UOPWA, CIO

WM. AUGUST LE MONIER

HELEN D. LOGAN, ILGWU, AFL

CLIFFORD T. McAVOY, Leg. Rep., Gr. N. Y. Ind. Un. Council, CIO

HENRY MCGREGOR, Ex. Bd., Hod Carriers, Loc. 147, AFL

LEWIS MANNING, Ex. Bd., TWU, Loc. 100, CIO

MALCOLM MARTIN, SCMWA, CIO

CLAUDE H. MASON, Secy.-Treas., Dining Car Emp. Un., Loc. 370, AFL

FRED NANN, Pres. Bakery & Conf. Wkers. Int. of A., Loc. 3, AFL

WINIFRED NORMAN, Natl. Chr., Natl. Conf. of Negro Youth

MICHAEL J. OBERMEIER, Pres., Hotel & Club Emp. Un., Loc. 6, AFL

PETER OTTLEY, V.-P., BSEIU Loc. 32A, AFL

SAMUEL PATTERSON, Ex. Secy., Harlem Community Council, IWO

WM. PEASE, V.-P., Hotel Front Serv. Emp. Un., Loc. 144, AFL

ANN PETRY, Chr., People's Voice Unit, N. Y. Newspaper Gld., CIO

A. CLAYTON POWELL, Jr., City Councilman

EMIL RAMIREZ, Ex. Bd., Cooks Un., Loc. 89, AFL

J. CASWELL REID, Org., United Trans. Serv. Emp. of Am.

CRESSIE ROBERTS, Ex. Bd., Bakers Un., Loc. 3, AFL

ADOLPH ROSENBAUM, Secy.-Treas., Loc. 1, Barbers & Beauty Cult. Un. of A., CIO

ALEX SIROTA, Mgr., Un. Furn. Wkers. of A., Bed. Loc. 140, CIO

FERDINAND C. SMITH, Secy., Natl. Maritime Un., CIO

SAMUEL SORKIN, Mgr., SCMWA, Loc. 1, CIO

ALBERT SPIVEY, Ex. Bd., Hotel & Club Emp. Un., Loc. 6, AFL

SIDNEY STEINBERG, Ex. Bd., Amal. Meat Cutters Un., Loc. 623, AFL

CHARLOTTE STERN, Welf. Div., Hotel & Club Emp. Un., Loc. 6, AFL

HOPE R. STEVENS, Labor Atty.

ROGER STRAUGHN, Pres., Harlem Labor Union

LEON STRAUS, Mgr., Fur Fl. & Ship. Clrks. Un., Loc. 125, CIO

VIRGINIA SYDNOR, SCMWA, Chap. 41, Loc. 1, CIO

ERNEST THOMPSON, Pres., Am. Radiator, Loc. 446, UER & MWA, CIO

H. B. WARNER, Patrolman, Natl. Maritime Un., CIO

LARRY WASHINGTON, Fur Dressers & Dyers Un., Loc. 88, CIO

AMY WHITE, Fin. Dept., Un. Wh. & Whse. Emp. Un., Loc. 65, CIO

ESSIE WILLIAMS, Ex. Bd., Harlem Chap. Nurses Un., CIO

WILLIS WILLIAMS, Secy., SCMWA, Loc. 119, CIO

WALTER WIPPRECHT, Ex. Bd., Bakers Un., Loc. 3, AFL

NATHAN WITT, Labor Atty.

3

September 28, 1943.

Dear Lang,

My Free French have departed. As a
matter of fact they didn't even get to the party.
I received letters from them en route and one of
them sent the following little note about you
which I quote:

"Maintenant dis pour moi a M. Langstown
s'il voudrait tenir une correspondence avec moi
et comme J'aime beaucoup sa poesie, sa litterature
s'il pouvait m'expedier son 2 romans parlant des
nations negres, et j'aurai retourner le montant des
frais, le prix des exemplaires."

He also said: Je t'envoie une photo pour
toi, une pour lui....

So enclosed is the photo.

Saw Louise. She's so happy and proud
of Mary Lou.

Jo the Syrian friend of Jacques returned
from Mexico a week ago with news of J. He might be-
come the Ambassador (maybe) as the legation is raised
to an embassy. J is in Haiti recuperating and Jo says
that he lives in a charming house with all the surround-
ings of real diplomacy and he behaves as if he was born
to everything around him.

Well so long until you put in an appearance.

STATIC

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

Carver School
57 West 125 St.
New York 27

BRONX CENTRAL
STATION

BRONX CENTRAL STATION

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 31, N. Y.

STATION

Mr. Langston Hughes
% Harper
634 St. Nicholas Ave
New York 31

Apr 120
408 W 128 St
New York 27

9

BRONX

S

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

MANHATTAN
STATION

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

MANHATTAN
STATION

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127 Street
New York, NY

Please Read
Immediately

BRONX CENTRAL

3 CENTS 3

March 29

1 9 4 9

Dear Hermie:

As I believe you know, I am now "writer in residence" as the University of Chicago Laboratory School for the spring quarter, but had to fly back for a couple of days this week for rehearsals of my opera, TROUBLED ISLAND. I am returning to Chicago tonight. I tried to get you on the phone several times to tell you that Nicolas Guillen is in town. He is now at the Governor Clinton Hotel, 7th Avenue at 31st Street, Room 420 (Phone PE. 6 - 3400). He would like to meet you while you are here.

But the main question is that the Negro (Cuban though he be) wants to remain in New York for the duration of his immigration permission, which will be about two weeks more. Like most colored folks, he has very little money. If Aunt Toy's nephew had not just arrived from California, we could put him up here for ten days or so, but at the moment all of our accommodations are filled. If you would like to have a distinguished Cuban house guest, amiable and with a sense of humor, just get in touch with Nicolas.

If he should move from the hotel, a letter or wire addressed to him: Cultural and Scientific Conference for World Peace, 19 West 44th Street, would reach him.

I will be flying back to town next Thursday for the opening of TROUBLED ISLAND at the City Center. This is my first and only opera to date. It looks very good in rehearsal and the premiere bids fair to be a real occasion. At least a large number of high notes will be made!

With every good wish, I am

Miss Hermie Dumont
408 W. 128th Street, Apt. 20
New York, New York

LH:HHS

September 25, 1950

Mrs. Hermie Dumont Huiswoud
Sloestraat 3 II
Amsterdam (Buid) Holland

Dear Mrs. Huiswoud:

Unfortunately, your letter of September 22nd arrived just one day too late to catch Mr. Hughes in town. He left for Washington, D.C. Sunday for the opening at the Gayety Theatre in Washington of his music-drama, THE BARRIER, starring Lawrence Tibbett and Muriel Raim. It opens on the 26th of September, tomorrow, and plays the Gayety for two weeks. Then it goes to Baltimore and Boston for several weeks and opens in New York sometime in November.

I know you will understand immediately why you haven't heard from Mr. Hughes in such a long time when I tell you that this, undoubtedly, has been one of the busiest years of his career. He has been working simultaneously on two books and three musical shows. JUST ABLE THE CORNER, a lighter musical was done for two weeks in Ogunquit, Maine, and now there are phans afire to bring it to Broadway. THE BARRIER is already on its way. The third musical show is still in the works. I suppose you already know that TROUBLED ISLAND has been produced by the New York City Center Opera Company. A libretto of the musical has been published by Leeds Music Corporation, but not a musical score as yet. He has also had several songs recorded by Burl Ives, Juanita Hall, The Striders (quartette), Nellie Lutcher etc. These are just a few of the literary chores which have been sandwiched into his schedule along with lectures, autograph parties, radio broadcasts, rehearsals, weekly column, short stories, songs, and Lord knows what else. So you see this has left little time for correspondence other than the most businesslike.

But I know he will be happy to hear from one of his good friends and to hear the news you send of others of his friends in Europe. We recently had a letter from Mrs. Gitlin in Rome.

I am holding your letter for his attention when he returns two weeks hence. I feel sure that you will be hearing from him sometime soon. For Mr. Hughes, best wishes to you.

Amsterdam 24/9/63

Hi!

Langston all along I've been searching for
a definition. Now I know; it's mistletoe.
I, too, pinned a sprig on my skirt. But
not to Harlem, USA, nor to those white
Americans who cast their lot with the Harlems.
Excellent Harlem number of Freedomways!

Great work, that march and all the other big
and little demonstrations, bombs and police
dogs, notwithstanding.

I was on holiday in Italy so that I could not
participate in the demonstration held here. I
arrived just that same afternoon and didn't
even know there was one. That evening I saw
the demonstration on TV (the D.C. event).
Do you know Paul Harrison? I've spoken to him
on the telephone. He wrote a very moving open
letter to Kennedy which was read (in Dutch
translation) on TV. Conrad Kent Rivers telephoned
me the one day he was in Amsterdam.

Nice to know you were "in Europe, Tel Aviv
and round about." Do I live in Asia?

Fondly,

P.S. duplicated your article and passed it
on to people who, otherwise, would not
see it.

December 6, 1965

Dear Hermie:

I hear my show, THE PRODIGAL SON,
is due in Holland this week---another gospel
song-play not unlike BLACK NATIVITY, with
Marion Williams. If you see any clippings
or reviews about it, please send them to me,
as no one in the company ever does.

I'm working HARD as usual. Just
finished a Belafonte TV, the music of the 20s
in Harlem, filmed for release in February.
Another SIMPLE book is just out, and I've
posted you a copy.

Best ever and Happy Holidays,

Comme toujours,

Langston Hughes

January 22, 1966

Dear Hermie:

Absolutely WONDERFUL of you to send me all the Dutch write-ups and the big posters of PRODIGAL SON which I never would have seen otherwise. Thanks immensely! You probably read where the show ended with a sit-in on stage in Paris and a near riot over back salaries, police, arrests, and Marion Williams herself trying to choak the producer with her bare hands, so they tell me. (I don't blame her. He owes me eight weeks back royalties, too. My advice to you: NEVER go in show biz!)

I'm stuck on a deadline due February 1, a whole book I'm just starting today. So forgive this hasty note. More in anon, whatever anon means. But soon. And maybe in the Spring I'll be your way.

Sincerely,

85

I, TOO

By Langston Hughes
(translated into Surinamse (language of Dutch Guiana))

Translator E. Bruma

Mie na na blaka-wan na din miendrie;
Botrie na mie tan-pe
Te din matie kon.
Ma m'e lafoe, da'm'e njan,
da' m'e tranga ...

Tamara sa sie mie siedon
Na na tafra...
No wan man sa kan jagie mie
Go na koekroe, dan ...

Boitdatie da' d'o sjin
Te din sa sie na moi foe mie..
Din sa ferstan, mie toe na Amerkan.

Easter Sunday,

1967

Dear Hermie!

Loved your letter....Reason I can't
write much is sometimes I get a thousand
or more letters in one month---from all
over the world---and have only one part time
secretary. During the week I was away, Negro
History Week at UCLA, 185 letters arrived
all of them
and almost/need answers in one way or another
That week the AMSAC story broke while I was
in Hollywood. All I know is (like you) what
I read in the papers. But I've always been a
good Race man---believing that cullud should
be in on everything everybody else is in on!

I'm sending you some clippings and
things via boat mail.....I might go to Africa
again this Spring---the P.E.N. is meeting in
Abidjan.....Right now my Aunt is seriously
ill in the hospital, her husband ailing, and
the house all torn up with plumbers, etc., to
meet the new housing codes updating old house

Leimuidenstraat, 19
Amsterdam (W) Nederland

Dear Langston,

It's terrible that it should take me almost
a year to acknowledge "Sweet Flypaper" which I appreciated
very much and found very novel. Perhaps it would please
you to know that I used it as a textbook for some of my
English lessons. Among those who enjoyed it immensely
were a teacher - grade school, and a social worker with
delinquent children. In book week, which we have annually,
it was prominently displayed in a bookshop near to the
Concert Hall on one of the main thoroughfares. So you see
how the Flypaper stuck!

I had been planning - but never ever have
time these days what with working part-time on a regular
job, teaching at night and trying to keep house and be a
wife all at the same time - to write you about a TV script.
There's an actor here - Otto Sterman - who plays everything
when the opportunity arises. He uses your poems and folk
tales to fill an evening and now has launched out in playing
with a trio (on the flute he), has done Emperor Jones on TV
and in Hanover (in Ballet Form). Othello on the stage. He's
played Deep Are the Roots and Respectable Prostitute. Well
everytime I can feed him any ideas he's glad. Someone has
written a script for TV on Henri Christophe, it isn't com-
pleted nor do I think it good. Have you done Dessalines for
TV or Radio, perhaps? Has the music for Troubled Island been
recorded? Last Xmas he did a program on TV in which I was
a figurante and Louise Parker sang. A James Weldon Johnson-
esque medium of describing Noah and the flood. If you have
something now or in the future let me know. Such as Simple
are unique and peculiar only to your side of the ocean. It's
over the heads of folks here, who naturally, have not had
Simple's experiences.

It was a great shock to me when I heard last
June that Thyra had been dead already three years. Apart
from the sense of loss I felt, I realised that I must be
living on another planet for I miss a lot of current infor-
mation.

I wonder how your Aunt Toy is and your brother
and his family. Do you still keep in touch with Louise?

All the best to you, from us both.