189 W. 10 St.
New York City
November 1 st.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

It was my privilege to be among the audience last Sunday
night at the Harlem Suitcase Theatre.

First I want to tell you how profoundly moving I thought
your play. It is full of exquisite and terrible beauty.
It made me realize again, but more forcibly than ever be-
fore, the as yet uncalculated value to American culture
of the Negro people.

But may I offer a small bit of criticism? We know that al-
though a fact may be very true, when it is shown behind the
footlights it becomes a knife-edged impression. That is the
great value of the stage. And so, although I know it is a
fact that most of the stores which refused to hire Negro help
in Harlem are owned by Jewish people, I think it leaves a
most unfortunate impression in that scene in your play where
the picket talks to Mr. Schultz. And the actor reinforced
this impression by speaking his lines with a sing-song and
gave the definite impression that he was Jewish. Now I am
not writing this to defend the Jewish bosses. I am writing
because I happen to know that the reactionaries have not been
unsuccessful in working up anti-Semitism among the Negro people
in New York. The Domestic Workers Union is having a hard time
combatting it even among their union members. Therefore, I
think you will agree with me that there should be nothing
in your play that could add, even unconsciously, to this dan-
gerous movement. I wish you would change the name of Mr. Schultz
to Smith or Jones and have it played without the Jewish accent.

And thanks again for a very wonderful evening.

P. S. I am enclosing a check for that backdrop and piano fund.